Clean coats and carcase yields attract bidding interest at The Cliffs' auction

Rams putting "hybrid vigour back into shedding breeds" proved popular among repeat and new clients at The Cliffs Shedding Sheep Stud on-property sale at Boomey on Wednesday, October 14.

The sale offered 44 Sheepmaster/Australian White composites, with 43 sold during the sale to a top of $3800 and an average $1805, and the final lot sold shortly after. There were also 10 Australian White rams, with five sold to the equal $3800 price, averaging $2120.

The sale concluded with a run of Sheepmaster ewes, with the 30, 45.5-kilogram, January- to April-drops topping at $350 and averaging $340, while the 20, 54.45kg, October- to January-drops topped at $410, averaging $405.

The first of the $3800 top-price rams was tag 25503, a 106kg, April 2025-drop Sheepmaster composite, sired by The Cliffs 22101 'Cliffmaster', out of an Australian White ewe.

The ram had a 41 millimetre muscle depth and 8mm fat and was bought by Scott and Margot Miller, Arakoom, Molong, as their sole purchase.

Kevin Miller, Whitty, Lennon and Company's Richard Maunder carried out the bidding on a ram to join with their small flock of Sheepmaster ewes.

"They wanted a really good shedder, and this is a very clean ram, and he had good weight and figures," he said.

"He was our choice."

The second ram at $3800 was tag 25070, a 111kg, twin-born, April 2025-drop Australian White ram, sired by The Cliffs 23366.

He had a muscle depth of 45.5mm and 8.5mm fat.

The ram was bought by Tepa Pty Ltd manager John Atkin, Guyra, among eight rams, with this the only Australian White he bought.

Mr Atkin said he was looking for "anything that was a good shedder", regardless of the breed, seeking ease of management.

They have been running shedding sheep for the past few years with a couple of thousand ewes.

"You get away from the fly problems if they're clean shedders," he said.

He said the top price ram had no wool and good meat value.

"He's got good shape with muscling, and the measurements on him show that," he said.

Mr Atkin said he was also looking for good fertility and growth.

"We get a lot of lambs on the ground and the sooner we can hit target weights [the better]," he said.

Tepa also operates hotels and a butchery and is working towards being able to supply those solely from the pastoral side of the business.

"We want to produce high-quality carcase and cuts," he said.

All up, the eight lots averaged $2450.

Another sale of note was lot one, tag 25512, a 100kg ram with 44mm muscle and 6.5mm fat, which had its proceeds donated to Beyond Blue.

It was bought for $2500 by RJ and SJ Kevill, Yass River.

For the past five years The Cliffs has designated the first ram of the sale as a charity lot, a move studmaster Phil Thompson would like to see more studs introduce.

He estimates they would have directed more than $12,000 in funding towards Beyond Blue through these sales.

"It all helps. Us rural people should be able to help other rural people," he said.

Buying in bulk was WA Jurd, Moondyne, which selected six rams to $1800, averaging $1250.

J and H McIsaac, Densley, bought four rams for an average $1375 and top of $1800.

Walla Wallah Pty Ltd, Walla Wallah, bought three rams to $2600, averaging $1700, as well as a run of 15 ewes at $330.

Mr Thompson said the Sheepmaster composites were the sale's standout, which was increasingly the case.

He said buyers were chasing good bodies and shedding traits, which the Sheepmaster/Australian White blend was producing.

"We're putting the hybrid vigour into shedding sheep," he said.

He said they would continue to keep Australian White ewes as their base, with a goal to keep building on the carcase through other bloodlines.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Milling Thomas Dubbo with Sam Thomas the auctioneer and StockLive providing the interface.