EARLY growth and fleece weighs were the attributes buyers were chasing at the 14th annual Calga Dohne production sale held at the Coonamble showgrounds on Wednesday.
Of the 70 rams offered 64 Dohne rams sold at auction to top at $5000 and average $1619.
Lot 2 CA174807, attracted the $5000 bid selling to John Naden, Macqaurie Dohne Stud, Ballimore NSW.
Weighing 106 kilograms on sale day, the 2017-drop ram was one of twins by CA135472 and out of CA158625 measuring in the top 10 per cent of the breed for post-weaning weight (PWT) with 10.6, 10.5 for Yearling Clean Fleece Weight (YCFW) and a Plus Index of 191.6.
This was the first time the Macquarie Dohne Stud had purchased from Calga.
Return client, Les and Colleen Tumpey, Willowglen, Tottenham secured five rams to top at $3200 and average $1760.
The husband and wife duo run a straight Dohne operation joining 2500-3000 ewes annually and find the Calga rams do well in their environment and have improved the wool, frame and lambing percentage in their flock.
Weighing 101 kilograms CA173594 was their highest priced ram at $3200, one of twins, the 2017-drop ram sired by CA158562 and from CA135583 measured in the top 10pc of the breed for PWT with 11.9 and Plus Index with 205.
Malcolm Webb, Miagunnyah, Tooraweenah hasn’t missed a sale in 14 years and can track his connection back to Calga’s Merino days before Dohne.
Mr Webb purchased 12 rams from the sale to average $1567 and selected on body and fleece weight.
Joining around 4000 Dohne ewes annually, Mr Webb who uses exclusively Calga bloodlines averages 18-micron for his lambs and 20-micron for ewes and said quicker growth rates, hardiness and high fertility were the reasons he is loyal to the Calga program.
Yoeval sheep producer, Shawn Rainbow, Goonoo, who joins around 5500 Dohne ewes annually selected 14 rams with high fleece weight and strong pre-weaning weights to average $1484.
Included in Mr Rainbow’s draft was a charity ram purchased for $1400 with all proceeds being donated to Dolly’s Dream.
Studmaster, Jason Southwell was especially thankful to the buyers and under-bidders who attended the sale considering the season.
“We focus our stud breeding program on commercial traits that get our clients more profitability including early growth and fleece weight” said Mr Southwell.
The sale was settled by Glasser Total Sales Management with Nick Fogarty, Bowe and Lidbury as the guest auctioneer.
