Loch Farming records $600 average jump as demand for shedding sheep grows

It was a buoyant result at Loch Farming's annual sale, with the Victorian stud achieving a $600 increase in its overall average as almost 100 composite rams sold to buyers across five states.

The Hordern Vale stud sold 93 of 110 composite rams offered, topping at $8600 and averaging an impressive $2178 - up more than $600 on last year's sale.

"We were really happy with the day," Loch Farming principal Rob Costin said.

"It was a big jump, there were plenty of return clients which was great, and some new clients as well."

Buyers of the online auction were from Victoria, South Australia, NSW, Queensland and Tasmania.

Lot 4, 250972, was the top-priced ram purchased by North Gum, Penshurst, NSW.

The sixth-generation farming operation comprises about 7000 breeding ewes and turns off about 9000 lambs each year.

The ram highlighted Loch's balanced breeding package, recording Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) of 0.4kg for birth weight (BWT), 7kg for weaning weight (WWT), 11kg for post-weaning weight (PWWT), and 3.7mm for eye muscle depth (EMD), alongside an internal parasite resistance of -46 per cent for worm egg count (WEC).

It was also ranked in the top 1 per cent of the breed for shedding index.

North Gum owner Simon Ross said he searched several studs to incorporate shedders into his composite flock, ultimately returning to Loch to purchase seven in total.

"Rob is heading in the same direction as I want to go," Mr Ross said.

"The ram had a very high shedding index ... we're chasing the WEC and post-weaning weight because we like to finish our lambs as well.

"The numbers are great, but I also think he is a nice looking ram and very well shaped."

Dundas Park Pastoral, Vasey, was the top volume buyer taking home 20 rams.

The operation comprises 4200 composite ewes and is in the first years of a transition to a fully shedding flock.

Dundas Park Pastoral owner Tom Lyons purchased rams at last year's sale and doubled his number of sires this year with an average of $2080.

"It's a five-year program to get rid of the wool in our flock," Mr Lyons said.

"Loch is basically our composite ewe without the wool gene."

Mr Costin said the value of their shedding maternal composites were improving each year with the demand from farmers looking transition to away from growing wool.

Ahead of the ram fixture, Loch also sold 753 commercial ewes for an average of $371.