A consistent run of high-performance rams were well received by stud and commercial sheep producers at the 22nd annual Felix on-property ram sale at Springvale, Greenethorpe, on Tuesday, resulting in a full clearance of 197 lots.
In the breakdown Rodney and Liz Watt and family sold 142 Poll Dorset rams to a top of $8100 and average of $2071, and 55 White Suffolk rams to a $4600 top, and $1896 average.
Repeat buyer Dave Ingpen of Ancona Poll Dorset and White Suffolk stud, Bonnie Doon, secured the $8100 top-priced Poll Dorset ram, Felix 190129, that set a new record high-price for Felix.
Sired by the Felix 170218 ram, the sale-topper was in the top five per cent for post weaning weight (PWT), post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD), post weaning worm egg count (PWEC), and top 10pc for Terminal Carcase Production (TCP).
Mr Ingpen said it was hard to fault the ram who was structurally correct with low birthweight, high growth, good muscle and zero fat.
"Basically I do compensatory mating, so because he is low birth weight and high growth he will go over high birth weight ewes with low growth," he said.
A repeat client of the Felix stud, Mr Ingpen also secured last year's $6500 top ram.
Underbidders of the high-selling ram, Green Valley Properties at Eurongilly, picked up the $4600 top White Suffolk, Felix 190324 who was by industry leading sire Woolumbool 173980.
Eye muscle was a real driver in the selection process for Green Valley Properties, who picked up three Poll Dorsets, including the $7400 second top-priced sale ram Felix 190142, and three White Suffolks, averaging $4900 and $2800, respectively.
Running a mixed farming operation consisting of sheep and cropping, they will join around 2500 ewes to terminal sires this year.
Large volume buyers were return clients Rojahnah at Cowra, who purchased 13 Poll Dorset rams to put over their 400 first cross ewes.
Felix's Rodney Watt said they were exceptionally pleased with the sale results, and to have a good crowd in a challenging year like this and great prices reinforces that what they are doing is right.
Auctioneers were Rory Brien and Patrick Waters on behalf of selling agents Allan Gray and Co, Cowra.
