Rowallan Poll Dorset sale underpinned by local demand

Rowallan sold 122 of 139 Poll Dorset rams under the hammer to average $1631, with their top priced ram knocked down for $4400.

Purchased by a private buyer through Colin Say and Company, Glen Innes, the sale topper, Tag 220326, was a July 2022-drop with an Australian Sheep Breeding Value (ASBV) in the top one per cent for post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) of +5.5 and a terminal carcase production index (TCP) of +165.

He recorded a maternal weaning weight (MWWT) of +9.6 and a post-weaning-weight (PWT) of +13.7.

His figures were also in the top 5pc for Lean Meat Yield (LMY) at +5.

Rowallan stud principal Matt Reid said the ram stood out from a young age with outstanding figures.

"He is structurally correct, ticks all the boxes and is certainly a sirey type," he said.

"I've used him in the stud so we has lambs on the ground at the moment.

"Overall, I'm happy with the sale as this is probably the most even line of rams I've put up and the first time I've gone to a spring drop."

Butt Livestock and Property agent Phill Butt added that the ram had very good bone, tremendous depth in the hindquarters as well as natural thickness and fat cover.

Return buyers, Graham and Euphemia Southwell, Box Hill, Rye Park, purchased Tag 220337, for $4000.

The ram was a July-2022 drop and displayed an ASBV in the top 1pc of the breed for an LMY of +5.4.

He also recorded a MWWT of +12.5 and TPC of +162, placing him in the top 5pc of the breed as well as in the top 10pc for a PWT of +18.4.

His figures were also in the top 20pc for a PEMD of +2.9.

Mrs Southwell was interested in his figures and said she liked his eye muscle and lean meat yield.

Mr Southwell added that he liked the look of the ram as well as his large frame.

"Traditionally we ran a Merino wool farm be we've branched out to first-cross-lambs to bring in a little more money when the wool prices went down," he said

"So he'll go on to breed cross-bred lambs, we have about 400 to 500 lambs per year."

KJ & HJ Duffey, Hillside, Crowther, purchased two rams for $3000 and $2600.

In total, Woornack Pastoral, Young, purchased 11 rams to a top of $2600 twice over and averaged $1690.

Michael Edwards, Goba Creek, Boorowa, purchased ten rams to a top of $1800 twice over and averaged $1540.

RL Langley, Homestead View, Greenthorpe, purchased ten rams to a top of $1800 to average $1240.

Tom Jub, Nubba Investments, Nubba, purchased 10 rams to a triple top of $1600 to average $1180.

The sale was conducted by Butt Livestock and Property, Yass, with Nick Fogarty as auctioneer. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.