Tattykeel ram tops $17,000

All 25 registered Poll Dorset rams offered were sold for an average price of $6860, while 38 of 40 student Poll Dorset ewes cleared to average $705.

The sale-topping ram, weighing 163 kilograms, was crowned champion ram lamb at the Australasian Dorset Championships in Bendigo last year.

It had Stockscan measurements of 60 millimetres for eye muscle depth (EMD), 109mm for eye muscle width (EMW) and an eye muscle area (EMA) of 50.36 square centimetres.

The ram was jointly purchased by Brian Frost, Hillden Poll Dorset stud, Crookwell, and Andrew Scott, Valley Vista Poll Dorsets, Coolac.

Mr Scott said they selected the ram on the back of its performance at Bendigo.

"We're glad to have picked him up today. He's showing terrific early growth and muscling which was exactly what the Frosts and I were looking for."

The Treanor family of Kildara Glen stud, Millah Murrah via Bathurst, took home the second-highest priced ram in the catalogue at $16,000.

At 165kg, the ram was the heaviest of all rams offered.

It had an EMD of 59mm, EMW of 110mm and an EMA of 49.97 cm2.

Scott Chandler, Avondale Poll Dorset stud, Gilgandra, was the volume ram buyer.

The top priced ewe went to James Copelin, Waringle, Dunedoo, for $2600. Mr Copelin chose the ewe for its depth.

"She's a great all round ewe and comes from a good bloodline," he said.

Mr Copelin bought two other stud ewes for $500 each.

The volume stud ewe buyer was Tony Rutter, Brookland Lamb, Wagga Wagga.

Tattykeel's James Gilmore was pleased with the sale, which was up on last year's average where rams rounded out at $5152 and ewes $441.50.

"We've upped our average and it's our 40th annual sale so that's saying something," Mr Gilmore said.

"The volume of buyers was impressive and the majority of them were repeat buyers which was good to see."

Mr Gilmore said in the past year the stud had been focusing on improving the musculature of the animals and buyers had "responded well".

"The hard work has paid off in that regard," he said.

The sale was conducted by Landmark Dubbo.

"There was a solid gallery of buyers from three states which is testament to the breeding program Tattykeel is running," said auctioneer John Settree.