WHITE Dorper genetics from the Annalara stud at Dubbo will soon be bound for China after the top price ram at its annual sale on Wednesday was secured for a new export deal.
Having increased their offering for the second time in two years, the Cresswell family saw a top price of $4200, something not seen in many years for the stud.
Averaging $1028, this was softer than the previous years, although still healthy for the 138 rams offered.
Included in the draft of White Dorpers were 19 composite rams, known as Ultra Whites, that the stud had been refining over the past few years. They averaged $612 with a top price of $700.
A rapid volley of bids saw an August 2017 drop ram sell for $4200.
He was bound for APIAM Genetic Services at Deniliquin to enter quarantine before being used as a part of a genetics deal that would see his semen and embryos sent to China.
First time purchaser from the Annalara stud, Ian Kyle, Bairnsdale, Victoria, was the phone bidder who made the purchase on behalf of the consortium.
“Steve (Cresswell of Annalara) has a great reputation within the industry and a reliability of genetics,” Mr Kyle said.
“The sire of this ram had a number of progeny in this sale and they are all great rams.
“He has good Lambplan figures and plenty of length, he should breed well.”
Underbidder to the top priced ram was Tom McCumstie, Red Plain, Goodooga, who was able to secure the second top ram for $2100.
Mr McCumstie was a long standing buyer who purchased the top priced ram at last year’s sale. He also took home another ram for $1000 with a draft average of $1550.
High volume purchaser for many years, Ben Laird, Mount View, Hillston, purchased 27 rams with a top price of $1800 and a draft average of $1114.
“I think they are some of the best rams he has presented. I keep on buying every year as they are a nice line of rams,” he said.
“I think these are even better rams than last year’s draft.”
Also buying a line of eight was return buyers, the Hurley family, Condobolin, who paid a top of $1400 and averaged $812.
Annalara co-principal Steve Cresswell thought the sale went quite well considering the seasonal conditions and the amount of ewe destocking that had occurred for the past 12 months.
“Our top priced ram was a major stand out, I wasn’t expecting that price because of the conditions,” he said.
“We increased our offering again this year when we did our pre-Christmas selection thinking that the season was getting better.
“Our average was back from the previous years but we have done better than we thought we would.”
The sale was conducted by Landmark Russell with auctioneer Tim Woodham manning the rostrum.