Finishing up The Land's wrap-up of livestock sales in 2022, it is no surprise that, once again, New South Wales producers have featured as nine of the top 10 Australian averages for the terminal and maternal sheep breed ram sales last year.
Not to mention, many of these studs would have taken multiple honours within this list, hosting numerous sales for the year or having more than one breed, including Tattykeel Australian Whites and Poll Dorsets, Black Springs, Burrawang Dorpers and White Dorpers, Ootha, Red Hill Australian Whites, Wongarbon, and Felix Poll Dorsets and White Suffolks, Greenethorpe.
Shedding breeds have eclipsed others as many producers look to switch from woolled sheep to an alternate haired breed. This aligns with farmers looking for solutions to combat the shearer shortage and aid in labour reduction while increasing the ease of management, especially in mixed farming operations.
While at some sales figures weren't a selection criteria, at others, buyers were chasing sheep with data, including an increase in emphasis on eye muscle area and intramuscular fat, according to agents and some vendors.
But it remains that phenotype is fundamental and ranks higher than anything.
Continuing the top 10 within Australia to rank the top 25 sales for NSW, The Land found three were Australian Whites, four were Border Leicesters, two were Dohnes, five were Dorpers/White Dorpers, eight were Poll Dorsets, and three were White Suffolks.
All up 84 terminal and maternal sheep breed ram sales conducted in NSW were covered by The Land.
TOP 25 AVERAGES
1. Tattykeel Australian Whites, Black Springs: 127 of 127 rams sold at a $14,655 average (Tarcutta sale). Also note, 336 of 420 rams sold at a $11,736 average (Black Springs sale).
2. Burrawang Dorpers and White Dorpers, Ootha: 197 of 197 rams sold at a $5990 average (spring sale). Also note 219 of 219 rams sold at a $5751 average (autumn sale).
3. Amarula Dorpers, Gravesend: 148 of 148 rams sold at a $5537 average.
4. Red Hill Australian Whites, Wongarbon: 69 of 69 rams sold at a $5500 average (autumn sale). Also note 100 of 100 rams sold at a $4964 average (spring sale).
5. Dust 'N Rain Dorpers, Pooncarie: 110 of 110 rams sold at a $4597 average.
6. Armdale Park Poll Dorsets, Marrar: 172 of 190 rams sold at a $4018 average.
7. Bungarley Australian Whites, Tarcutta: 59 of 69 rams sold at a $3939 average.
8. Gooramma Poll Dorsets, Galong: 144 of 144 rams sold at a $3887 average.
9. Felix White Suffolks, Greenethorpe: 58 of 58 rams sold at a $3725 average. Also note 149 of 149 Poll Dorset rams sold at a $3670 average.
10. Springwaters Poll Dorsets, Boorowa: 215 of 217 rams sold at a $3598 average.
11. Annalara White Dorpers, Dubbo: 100 of 100 rams sold at a $3424 average.
12. Marocara Poll Dorsets, Wongarbon: 160 of 160 rams sold at a $3363 average.
13. Etiwanda Dorpers, Cobar: 138 of 140 rams sold at a $3346 average.
14. Gullendah Dohnes, Baldry: 120 of 120 rams sold at a $3181 average.
15. New Armatree Border Leicesters, Armatree: 100 of 110 rams sold at a $3168 average.
16. Deepdene Poll Dorsets, Narrandera: 105 of 105 rams sold at a $3106 average.
17. Macquarie Dohnes, Ballimore: 222 of 228 rams sold at a $3000 average.
18. Ridgehaven Poll Dorsets, Cudal: 147 of 147 rams sold at a $2934 average.
19. Farrer White Suffolks, Tamworth: 56 of 56 rams sold at a $2914 average.
20. Cadell Border Leicesters, Ariah Park: 174 of 184 rams sold at a $2794 average.
21. Valley Vista Poll Dorsets (inaugural summer sale), Coolac: 87 of 87 rams sold at a $2676 average.
22. Bindaree/Nundoone Border Leicesters, Merrygoen: 145 of 145 rams sold at a $2573 average.
23. Wattle Farm Border Leicesters, Ariah Park: 65 of 65 rams sold at a $2557 average.
24. Rowallan Poll Dorsets, Crowther: 160 of 160 rams sold at a $2520 average.
25. Trigger Vale White Suffolks, Lockhart: 92 of 92 rams sold at a $2478 average.
Other notable sales which ranked within the top 25 but did not sell a minimum of 50 rams or clear 80 per cent were Old Woombi/Chain-O-Ponds Border Leicesters, Walcha, with 39 of 39 rams sold at a $3698 average, Calga Dohnes, Coonamble with 49 of 49 rams sold at a $2818 average, and Jerradale Border Leicesters, Rye Park with 37 of 50 rams sold at a $2745 average.
Honourable mentions also go to Tattykeel Poll Dorsets, with 14 of 21 rams sold at a $12,643 average during the stud sale and 91 of 97 flock rams sold at a $2520 average during a second standalone sale.
Both of the combined breeders Wiltipoll ram sales held at Gulgong finished up strong, with the November sale resulting in 18 of 20 rams sold at a $3445 average and the February sale resulting in 14 of 16 rams sold at a $3132 average.
RECORD HIGH RAMS
Tattykeel Australian Whites, Black Springs, made headlines when they sold a ram for $240,000 and set a new Australian record price for a meat sheep breed ram.
Earlier in the year, the Gilmore family of Tattykeel also sold Tattykeel 210220 for $115,000 to Ridgetop Aussie Whites, Narrikup, Western Australia during their inaugural Tarcutta sale which was the highest-averaging sale in Australia for 2022.
The trend of Western Australian studs paying a high dollar to secure their choice lots in NSW sales has been seen not only during the terminal and maternal ram sale but also at Merino ram sales and bull sales in 2022.
