Positive market signals push top price, average up for BoBar Poll Dorset rams

Consistency and carcase traits were highly sought after at the 44th annual BoBar Poll Dorset ram sale on Thursday, 5 November.

The Ramm family, Braidwood, welcomed buyers from across the district, the South West Slopes and the Riverina, where competitive bids lifted the top price by $1000 on the previous year.

At the fall of the hammer, 72 of 80 rams sold to a $3800 top and a $1672 average.

Top-priced ram, BoBar 250222, sold to the Cummins family, Monavale, Laggan.

By BoBar 99-20, the ram weighed 111 kilograms, and recorded an eye muscle area of 41.58 square centimetres.

Neil Cummins commended the consistency and evenness throughout the rams offered, with the standout in the first ram catalogued, the top-priced BoBar 250222.

"He had thickness, depth of eye muscle and a good Dorset type," he said.

"They always do well when they come away from here, the consistency and good quality becomes super."

The family also bought BoBar 250154 and BoBar 250199 for $2400 and $3000, respectively, also from the BoBar 99-20 sire.

Mr Cummins said the rams would be used to bolster their first- and second-cross operation.

"It's red hot when you're getting $11 a kilo for lamb, it's good money, particularly for suckers at four to five months of age, that's a quick return," he said.

Mark Roberts, Jackson and Roberts, Braidwood, secured the equal second-top-priced ram, BoBar 250038 for $3000.

By BoBar 136-19, the 122kg ram recorded an EMA of 41.2sqcm, and was born a single.

Travelling from Cootamundra to Braidwood, volume buyer Peter Fitzgerald, Lagoon Creek, made the most of his journey, and secured 33 rams for an average $1436.

Mr Fitzgerald said the rams would head out to his Merino flock in December for joining, with other rams purchased throughout the season helping to lift flock numbers for the year ahead.

"The fat lamb job's good, the first-cross ewe's job good, it's been a magnificent season," he said.

"We've had a great winter and a great spring."

Stud manager Lochie Ramm shared his gratitude for a strong repeat buyer presence, and said the BoBar team would introduce Lambplan data ahead of next year's sale.

"While we'll be adding a lot more data to our rams, we won't lose the fact that they're structurally correct, it's just the way the industry is heading," he said.

"It's a long game, recording the genetic data, and taking DNA samples, but we haven't seen anything that surprises us, which holds true to our years of breeding."

Mr Ramm said it was a positive time to be involved in the Australian lamb and sheep industry, but not a time to rest on their laurels.

"National flock numbers are down, but if we go back to the consumer, the more people we can get eating Aussie lamb, the better our industry will be," he said.

The sale was conducted by Elders Goulburn and Nutrien Ag Solutions, with auctioneer Ben Seaman at the rostrum.