A new stud record high price was reached at the Amarula Dorpers 15th annual production sale held on-property at “Glenavon”, Gravesend, on February 2.
Justin and Lorroi Kirkby and family sold all 132 Dorpers offered for a 100 per cent clearance and a $15,000 top and $1921 average.
All 34 White Dorper rams offered were sold, to a top of $4500 and a $1906 average. The 28 stud ewes offered also cleared a 100pc, for a $3000 top and a $1815 average.
The entire sale averaged a strong $1903 at auction with the remaining two rams passed in selling at the conclusion of the sale.
Repeat buyers of many years, Phil and Trish Palmer, Ivanhoe, purchased the top-priced and second-top priced Dorper rams of the sale.
The 17-month old sale topper, Amarula 166056, fetched a new stud record high price of $15,000.
It was sired by the Tuckeroo “Rusty” 140103 ram from the Amarula 155066 ewe, and weighed 87 kilograms. It was in the top 10pc of the Shedding Breeds for intramusclar fat (IMF) at -0.08, post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) at 2.4 and shear force at -2.
Amarula 166264 was the second top-priced ram, also purchased by the Palmers, that sold for $10,000.
The 17-month-old, embryo transfer ram was sired by the Amarula “Rick” 154909 ram from the Amarula 123735 ewe. It weighed 85kg and was in the top 20pc for PEMD at 1.7.
The 166264 ram was also classed as a potential stud sire and was successfully shown by Jock Kirkby at the Dubbo Show in 2017 where he won his class.
Taking home a total of 23 animals, the Palmers also secured the both the equal second top-priced ewes, Amarula 165769 and Amarula 166378 for $2800.
The top-priced White Dorper, Amarula 160854, made $4500 and was purchased by Terry and Karen Balla from Merlin Dorpers at Attunga.
It was sired by the Amarula “JT” 150718 ram from the Amarula 120285 ewe, and weighed 93kg. It was in the top 10pc for the Self-Replacing Carcase index at 126.1 and the Maternal Carcase Production index at 138.5 and the top 20pc for dressing percentage at 2.5
Saving the best for last, the final lot of the day Amarula 16321, was the top-priced female that fetched $3000, selling to Conapaira Dorper stud, Rankin Springs.
The elite stud female was sired by Niemur “Smiley” 140182 from the Amarula 144833 ewe, and was pregnancy tested in lamb to Prieska “Houdini” 150166 with twins.
AuctionsPlus had a huge presence with 18 lots secured online. Buyers from nearly all states were logged on with 65 lots receiving bids online and a total of 147 online bids placed.
The sale was conducted by Landmark Dubbo and Narrabri with John Settree and Brad Wilson sharing the auctioneer duties on the day.
