BALANCED breeding values, a quality offering combined with a great seasonal outlook drew a crowd to the Armatree property of the Bradley family's New Armatree Border Leicester stud for the 12th on-property sale.
Ninety-six rams, the majority of the catalogue $uperborder$, sold 100 percent to a top of $4100 and averaged $2590.
The top priced ram, a twin with Australian sheep breeding values of birth weight of 0.3, post weaning weight of 9.1 and a top 20 percent of the breed for fat of 1.2, eye muscle depth of 2.2 and number of lambs weaned at 19 percent.
His Border Leicester crossing index was 143.4.
He was purchased by first time purchaser Jacob Ahern from Kriden Investments, Forest Reef. They are diversifying from being a cattle production and making the swap to sheep and into the first cross market.
"He will be put over multi purpose Merino ewes to try to grow some bigger first cross ewes to drive to better fertility aspects," Mr Ahern said.
"These rams are a credit to the people who bred them.They also took home a further two rams for a draft average of $3600.
"We were looking for the fertility traits and the BLX indexes and they were high in all of the rams we purchased today." Mr Ahern added.
Volume buyer was first time sale attendee, David Watt, Trundle.
He purchased 20 rams for an average of $2710 and a top draft price of $3600.
"We are very happy with our purchase here, it always pays to buy good genetics. We are confident in what we have picked up," Mr Watt said.
"Jenny and Craig's reputation in the Superborder brand is good, I know I can buy with confidence here.
"I came to the open day a few weeks ago and could see the quality there.
"I will cover Merino ewes with these rams and see how well the first cross goes."
Co- principal Craig Bradley was blown away with the results.
"We are really happy that people are now looking at the genetics and science to buy their rams," he said.
"We like balanced genetics and good structure and confirmation.
"The last few years have been tough with clearance rates but to have 100 percent clearance here today was great.
"Our average was approximately $1300 higher than last years, the only other higher one was about three years ago.
"It is great that people are prepared to travel to us to get what they want.
"We have people from Uralla, Crookwell, Nyngan travel to the sale today."
The sale was conducted by Halcroft and Bennet, Coonamble with David Thompson controlling the bids.
Please see next weeks The Land for the full story.
