With a quick reminder from the auctioneer of how impressive prime lamb prices are of late, bids at Thursday's Ridgehaven Poll Dorset ram and ewe sale at Cudal quickly took off, reaching $4000 in the first half dozen lots and topping overall at $4600, twice.
All up, 139 of the 144 rams offered were sold at auction and included the two $4600 lots to average $2423, with all the passed-in rams selling immediately afterwards to bring the day's overall average to $2304.
All 20 stud ewes offered were also sold, reaching a $2500 top to average $1215. This included two ewes with single lambs that sold for $2500 and $2300, while the maiden ewes topped at $1300 and averaged $1083.
The first of the top-priced rams was the June 2020-drop twin, Ridgehaven 200416, by Ridgehaven 161305 and from a daughter of Faraday Park 140049.
It scanned a 48 millimetre eye muscle depth and 104mm width and was one of two bought by Ian Frecklington, Peak Hill, for his flock of 400 or so Poll Dorset and crossbred ewes.
"I thought he was the one that will put the most money in my pocket. He was the heaviest for his age - that's the thing that makes you money," he said.
"He's nearly 30 kilos heavier, and that's worth a lot of money to me."
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The ram was offered with a weaning weight figure of 10.41 and a post weaning weight figure of 15.76.
Mr Frecklington's second ram, at $2100, was Ridgehaven 200489, by Ridgehaven 180080 and from a daughter of Ridgehaven 130229.
He said this ram was bought as a mate for the sale topper, especially during their settling in period, but will still see plenty of use in the flock.
The season had been kind at Peak Hill, with Mr Frecklington saying in the previous two rain fronts he's had 27 and then 49 millimetres and the countryside looked magnificent.
The second ram at $4600, the August 2020-drop twin, Ridgehaven 201027, came midway through the sale and sold to interstate buyer, Wrattenbullie Farms Trust, which is run by Rod, Gayle Brad and Alana Davies in the Wrattonbully District near Naracoorte, SA, and includes a Poll Dorset stud selling about 130 rams annually.
By Ridgehaven 190055 and from a daughter of Hillcroft Farms 130497, their 87kg purchase boasted a weaning weight figure of 11.4 and a post weaning weight figure of 16.19 and had an eye muscle depth of 45mm and width of 94mm.
The Townsend Brothers, "Glenavey", Eugowra, took home a draft of nine rams, topping at $2900, three times, to average $2578.
The top-priced stud ewe, Ridgehaven 190523, was one of six bought by Brendan Mansbridge, Tymon stud, Eugowra.
The ewe, a twin, was by Gooramma 170313 and from a daughter of Ridgehaven 120333, and offered with a ewe lamb.
Tymon's draft of six ewes averaged $1717.
The first lot of the sale, Ridgehaven 200171, described as a big, thick carcase ram, was sold for charity, raising $3200 for the Salvation Army.
The sale was conducted by KMWL and Company, Forbes on behalf of vendor RB and JF Legge Partnership (Ridgehaven) with Luke Whitty and Brendon White as auctioneers, as well as online through AuctionsPlus.
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