LAMBPRO RAM SALE TOPS AT $5000

Buyers seeking carcass and fertility paid to a top of $5000 at southern Australia’s biggest single vendor prime lamb ram auction at Holbrook last week.

The Lambpro Primeline maternal ram selection day was hosted on-property on Thursday (November 8) by the Bull family, drawing more than 60 registered buyers. Commercial producers from three states chasing maternal composite rams with muscle and positive fat paid an overall average of $1632.

A total of 359 rams were offered with 356 sold for a gross of $581,200.

Lambpro principal Tom Bull said 90 per cent of the June-drop sucker ram lambs were twins.

“We are happy to break records with our sheep – the draft averaged 57kg at under five months of age,’’ Mr Bull said.

Repeat Victorian clients Daryl, Peta and Adam Richardson, Kalamatta Contracting, Woorndoo, paid the top price of $5000 for a ram combining growth, carcass, fertility and phenotype.

AuctionsPlus southern zone manager Peter Rollason, of Melbourne, took the Richardson’s bid over the phone.

“The sale was very solid considering the way the lamb industry is at the moment – it was a great result,’’ Mr Rollason said. Elders stud stock auctioneer Ross Milne confirmed the sale was one of the nation’s biggest single vendor prime lamb ram sale for 2012.

“It was a very strong sale with buyers showing confidence in the lamb industry and the Lambpro program – this was justified by the clearance,” Mr Milne said. Tom Bull said the sale was underpinned by repeat clients, and bolstered by several new clients.

“We were blown away by the support… this is the highest demand year for rams we have ever had,’’ he said. Among the repeat volume buyers was Kevin and Pat Mitchell, Devenish, Vic, buying five rams to a top of $2000 to produce lambs for the trade.

“The rams were well presented today and even,’’ Mr Mitchell said. New clients Mark and Sam Hall, of Yass, picked up three rams to a top of $2000 to go over a 1000 composite ewe flock. “We want to breed our own self-replacing ewes and turn the lambs off as suckers,” Mark said.

Group manager Glenn White, Dunkeld Pastoral Company, Dunkeld, Vic, selected 21 rams to a top of $3600 and average of $2333 to join to a 10,000 Primeline maternal ewe flock.

Mr White said Dunkeld Pastoral had sold Lambpro sired progeny over-the-hooks last week to yield 47.5 per cent at a carcass weight of 20.7kg. Long time clients Peter and Kellie Crawford, “Terlinga”, Wantabadgery, NSW, took home five rams to a top of $2200 and average of $1800.

“We selected on eye muscle and length – there was a lot of nice, even rams to choose from,’’ Mrs Crawford said. Other volume buyers included Gallagher Farms, Eastville, Vic, with seven rams to $2800; Bird brothers, “Island View’’, Eugowra, 11 rams to $1200; and Cudgell Creek Angus, “Jilba”, Young, nine rams to $2200.

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