White Dorper tops at $2600 for Annalara stud

Increasing their offering and moving the sale to February as they have a predominantly spring drop stock means the stud can now offer more mature rams according to Annalara’s principal, Steve Cresswell. 

This sale topped at $2600, averaged $1397 and cleared 84 of the 105 rams offered.

Top bidder, Tom McCumstie, TJ Pastoral, Goodooda, purchased the October 2016 drop ram who had a post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) of 2.0 millimetres and a post weaning weight (PWWT) of 8.8 kilograms.

He also took home another three with a draft average of $2050.

Second top price was $2200. The Ryan family of Hillston took this ram home in a draft of 11. The average was $1581.

As a return buyer of many years, the  volume buyer, Ben Laird, Hillston, purchased a draft of 26.

He purchases this number every year as replacements to join to his 8000 ewes.

“They are good sound rams,” Mr Laird said.

“You always know what your getting from Steve, he is genuine.”

With a top of $2000 and a draft average of $1400, the Colless family of Condobolin purchased a draft of eight. 

A further six sold to $2000 going to most areas of the state.

The Hurley family, Condobolin, took home a draft of seven for an average of $1371 and topping $1800 twice.

“We were missing a few of our western buyers because of the dry,” Mr Cresswell said.

“It is encouraging to see so many repeat buyers. Some have supported us for a number of years, since we started.

“We also had four or five new buyers, which was good to see.

“The top end rams sold exceptional well, there was stiff competition for them. 

“Our numbers have been pushed up and quality has been improved. We will keep on pushing that harder.”

Paul Jameson, Elders stud stock, believed it was a good result.

“With producers torn between the buoyancy of the sheep meat and lamb markets and balanced with the season, it was a good result,” he said.  

The sale was conducted by Elders Dubbo with Paul Jameson manning the rostrum.