Buyers from five states secure 136 rams and ewes at Detpa Grove's annual sale
Buyers from five states took home more than 130 rams and ewes at Detpa Grove White Suffolk stud's 38th annual on-property sale at Jeparit on Thursday.
The stud offered 156 rams and ewes and sold 136 to a top price of $24,000.
In the breakdown, 31 of 66 stud ewes sold to a top of $1800 and an average of $981, 29 of 30 stud rams sold to a top of $24,000 and an average of $5121 and 107 of 126 flock rams sold to a top of $4000 and an average of $1703.
Buyers from Victoria, South Australia, NSW, Western Australia and Tasmania competed at the sale and online.
The top-priced ram, Lot 86, a June 2025-drop twin by Valma 232118, was out of a double stud ewe by Roadmap.
He had the highest eye muscle depth in the catalogue at +4.56 millimetres, positive fat at +0.18mm and a Terminal Carcase Production (TCP) index of 165, in the breed's top 10 per cent.
He drew 15 online bids, the most of any lot, before selling in half shares to Rosemary Bailey, Spring Creek White Suffolk stud, Marong, and Tim Jorgensen, Mertex Texel and White Suffolk stud, Antwerp.
Ms Bailey said the ram's temperament was exceptional.
"I was looking for eye muscle, positive fat, structure, balance and whiteness, with no pigmentation," she said.
"He is an extremely well-structured ram that's put together very well with excellent carcase attributes, bone and breed type."
Mr Jorgensen said the ram had a good, even balanced set of numbers and a pedigree he could work with in his stud.
The second top-priced ram was Lot 68, a son of Legend, with a top 1pc TCP index of 171.
It was purchased by GP & CA Armstrong through Wagga Wagga Regional Livestock, who also picked up Lot 72 for $6000.
Lot 89, by Regal, sold online for $8000 to Mianelup Grazing Trust, Gnowangerup, WA, and Legend son Lot 73 was sold for $7500 to Jacob Ryan through Elders Echuca.
The volume buyer on the day was North Allenvale, which picked up 12 flock rams for an average of $1550 via Ash Driscoll, AWN, Stawell.
Mr Driscoll said North Allenvale had bought at Detpa Grove for more than 10 years to breed first-cross lambs from Merino ewes.
"Our focus has been growth for a number of years now, averaging around 420-450 grams a day," he said.
"Low birth weight is a big thing for us out of a Merino, so it's three ticks - low birth weight, high growth rates and high muscle."
Simon Mulraney, PPHS, Naracoorte, SA, a regular volume buyer, brought clients who took 37 head across the sale.
They included S Grigg & E Kennett and D & K Selkrig with eight rams each, Greenslopes Farming with seven and Lake Kemi Kemi with six.
The $1800 top ewe, Lot 5, a Legend daughter with a TCP index of 167, went to LT Preston through Elders Warracknabeal, who took nine ewes.
Elders stud stock manager Ross Milne said there was stud activity right through the sale.
"There was a lot of competition in the $5000-$10,000 bracket," Mr Milne said.
"We didn't get a big clearance on the ewes, but buyers got very good value."
Ten of the 48 buyers bought online through AuctionsPlus, three of them from WA.
Detpa Grove stud principals Michelle and David Pipkorn said the sale followed what had been "a tremendous seasonal turnaround".
The sale also marked the retirement of David's parents, Ron and Barb Pipkorn, with a celebration following the sale.
