Record first-cross ewe prices drive buyers to the ring at Gleneith Border Leicesters
A high first-cross ewe market drove buyers back to Gleneith Border Leicester stud's annual ram sale, held on-property at Ganmain on Friday, October 9.
Overall the Kember family cleared 98 of 99 rams on offer to a top price of $6750 and for an average of $2385.
In the breakdown, 19 of 20 specially-selected rams hit $6750 to average $3237, while all 79 flock rams sold to $3250, averaging $2180.
Basalt Border Leicesters, Browns Creek, secured the top-priced ram, Gleneith 69.
The twin-born $uperBorder$ ram, sired by Gleneith 127-21, ranked in the top 5 per cent for maternal weaning weight (MWWT) with a figure of +2.9.
He also ranked in the top 10pc for post-weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) with a figure of +2.0 and on the Border Leicester index (BLX) at +158.86.
Buyer Campbell Roweth, Basalt Border Leicesters, said the ram had soft wool, good fat and muscle, alongside high growth traits.
The ram will go into that stud, where they run about 100 stud ewes and chase positive fats, good muscle and high growth.
Mr Roweth said they had purchased ewes from Gleneith before but this was their first ram.
"It's a different genetic pool and we were chasing the higher indexes," he said.
Nathan Kember, Gleneith, said the top-priced ram was well-balanced with a good carcase and good topline.
The second top-priced ram was Gleneith 630, which sold for $4000 to L Clifton and Sons, Coreen.
The $uperBorder$ ram, by Inverbrackie 8026-22, ranked in the top 5pc for MWWT, weaning weight (WWT) and post-weaning weight (PWT) with figures of +2.5, +10.2 and +15.1 respectively.
He also had a BLX figure of +163.08, in the top 10pc.
L Clifton and Sons also bought the equal third top-priced ram, Gleneith 411, for $3750.
The triplet-born $uperBorder$ ram, by Gleneith 87-21, ranked in the top 5pc for WWT and PWT with figures of +10.4 and +14.8 respectively.
He also ranked in the top 10pc for weaning rate (WR) with a figure of +0.24 and BLX at +159.77.
The other ram to reach $3750 was Gleneith 180, which sold to PJ and KA Logan, Ganmain.
The $uperBorder$ ram, by Gleneith 127-21, ranked in the top 5pc for MWWT, WWT and PWT with figures of +2.5, +9.9 and +14.8 respectively.
Volume buyers of the sale included online bidders Griffiths Pastoral Enterprises, Nyngan, who purchased 12 rams to a top of $2250 and for an average of $1583.
IR Landale, Deniliquin, purchased 10 rams to a top of $3250 to average $2600.
Ruby Park Pastoral Co, Collingullie, bought 10 rams to a top of $2000 and for an average of $1675.
David and Jenny Thompson, Illabo, took home seven rams to a top of $3250 and for an average of $2571.
Springhope Farming, Grong Grong, purchased seven rams to a top of $3000 to average $2571.
Rockley Wrights, Cowra, purchased six rams to a top of $2750 to average $1958, and EJ Merriman and Son, Yass, also picked up six rams to a top of $3500 to average $2958.
Mr Kember said it was a very pleasing result.
"The higher indexing rams were very strong," he said.
"Off the back of the strong first-cross ewe prices there's a lot more interest for Border Leicesters."
Mr Kember said as well as strong support from return buyers, there were some that had returned to the stud after a few years away from buying rams.
The sale was conducted by Elders, with Nick Gray as the auctioneer, and was interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
