International buyers were present at the Red Hill Australian White On Property Production sale with the equal top priced rams both heading overseas to Mongolia.
Overall, 84 of 102 rams sold to a top of $4500 twice for an average of $2750.
With two rams reaching a top of $4500, the first to reach the sale high was Red Hill 220419, which was purchased by Harry and Li Xiu Jiang, Chifeng Aowoteke Animal Husbandry Technology Company Ltd, inner Mongolia.
This was an April-2022 drop son of Tattykeel 180204 Ruger which weighed 90 kilograms.
The Jiang's also purchased the other $4500 equal top priced ram, Red Hill 220877. The son of Red Hill 210271 was another April-2022 ram and weighed 85kg.
The Jiang's were looking for rams with good genetics, conformation, shedding ability and "healthy honest animals".
"My good friends Francois and Lynn of Ovatec Artificial Breeding Company in Dubbo introduced me to Robert at Red Hill and arranged the first visit," Mr Jiang said.
"I really liked the style of sheep at Red Hill and Robert is so honest and such a good person.
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Hoping for the rams to arrive in China in June, the sheep would go in a 45-day quarantine before leaving Australia and another 45-day stint after landing.
They would be flown to Mongolia where the Jiangs operate Chifeng Aowoteke Animal Husbandry Technology Company Ltd, a sheep and goat center for artificial insemination and embryo transfer.
The aim for the Jiang's was to use the rams to improve the quality of the Australian White breed in China.
"I will use them in ET and AI programs and make the progeny available for sale to breeders in China," Mr Jiang said.
Australian Whites were imported from Australia about 12 years ago and had become popular in China. Mr Jiang had decided to select breeding stock in 2017 targeting sheep breeding operations which were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the latest ram purcahse.
Mr Jiang was also in the process of securing Australian White ewes for this export consignment and said he would like to come back to Australia in a few months to select more rams and ewes.
Additional volume buyers included Calindary Station purchasing 13 rams to a top of $3500 for Red Hill 220412, to average $2384, Westfarm Pastoral, Condobolin, with nine rams for a high of $3500 and an average of $2666.
Morahmee Pastoral, Morahmee, purchased six rams for $2500 a piece, and long term clients Cook Partnership, Park View, purchased two rams for $4000 each.
Cook Partnership's Clyde Cook said he had been purchasing rams from Red Hill for the past six or seven years.
"I find they are very good quality rams. And the progeny is very good," Mr Cook said.
"They are just easy going too," he said.
Mr Cook said he ran a prime lamb operation with the Australian White rams going over both Dorper/Australian White, and Dorper/Vaan Roy ewes.
Lambs were sold at about five to six months of age with a live weight of 50 to 55kg.
Mr Cook said his main priority was securing the heaviest rams in the sale with his two lots both weighing 98kg.
Auctioneer Brad Wilson, Nutrien Stud Stock, Dubbo said the lineup of rams were very well presented especially considering they were mostly nine to 10 months old.
"The rams are performing well in all environments which is attracting commercial breeders from across two states and all climactic regions," Mr Wilson said. "They are performing so well, that's why there are so many repeat buyers.
Online activity was also strong during the sale with a total of 17 rams purchased through AuctionsPlus.
Red Hill's Leanne Endacott said she and the rest of the family would like to sincerely thank all those that supported the sale.
"As always, it's great to see familiar faced and welcome new ones to the breed," Mrs Endacott said.
"We were fortunate to have Chinese delegates Jiang Yunji Chifeng Aowoteke purchase rams in our sale. And it it certainly encouraging to see Chinese return to Australia to purchase stock.
"Our clients continue to be impressed by the Australian Whites and importantly by the type of Australian White we breed here at Red Hill," Mrs Endacott said.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Livestock Dubbo and was interfaced with AuctionsPlus with Brad Wilson taking bids.
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