The softer prime lamb market was barely a bump in the road for buyers at the Springwaters 20th Annual Poll Dorset Ram Sale, held on-property at "Corcorans Plains", Boorowa, last Friday.
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From an offering of 203 rams overall, the stud achieved a 97 per cent clearance, which included all 14 stud rams selling to a top of $26,000 for a $7893 average, all 42 autumn 2022-drop flock rams topped at $4250 to average $2631, the spring 2022-drop rams topped at $3750 and averaged $1942 for the 120 sold from 123 offered, and 21 2023-drop ram lambs sold from 24 offered to top at $1750, four times, and average $1548.
All up, the whole sale averaged $2470.
Buyers targeting a supermarket/trade lamb type with consistency, thickness and carcase quality and sound structure, especially good feet, were able to fill their orders, including one buyer who took a draft of 22 head.
While there was talk of the woeful sheep and lamb markets and poor seasonal outlook overall, buyers generally appeared confident, bolstered by the high chance of rain across the South West Slopes in the week post sale.
![Dermot McGrath, Elders Boorowa, and Rachel Pritchard, Elders studstock, with Lisa and Dane Rowley, Springwaters Poll Dorsets, Boorowa, and auctioneer, Aaron Seaman, Elders Young, and the $26,000 ram. Photos: Andrew Norris Dermot McGrath, Elders Boorowa, and Rachel Pritchard, Elders studstock, with Lisa and Dane Rowley, Springwaters Poll Dorsets, Boorowa, and auctioneer, Aaron Seaman, Elders Young, and the $26,000 ram. Photos: Andrew Norris](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/6PrrPicrXL4mBQz5vb3kqV/1e239b78-e1a9-489f-8701-e985f8e2bd26.jpg/r18_0_4032_3024_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Some producers from areas like Yass were already enjoying a good start to spring and could buy confidently with the knlowledge they had plenty of feed still coming.
The Mitchells, of Rene Studs, Culcairn, bought the $26,000 top-priced ram, Springwaters 162/22, for use in their Poll Dorset stud flock.
The ram was a highlight of the sale having been the reserve senior champion at the Australian Dorset Championships, Bendigo, Vic, earlier this month.
By Springwaters 627/20, the ram had big growth figures, including +12.04 weaning weight and +16.75 post-weaning weight, and an eating quality index of +137.58.
Rene's own on-property sale was conducted the same day, so the Mitchells were unable to be present at the Springwaters sale.
However, the ram had caught Scott Mitchell's attention already as an "eye catching ram with good sire appeal, a lot of thickness and is very square", as well as being of good Poll Dorset type.
The Mitchells have used Springwaters sires previously and Mr Mitchell said they were well suited to their stud.
![Dermot McGrath, Rachel Pritchard and auctioneer Aaron Seaman, of Elders, and Dane Rowley, Springwaters Poll Dorsets, with the $18,000 ram. Dermot McGrath, Rachel Pritchard and auctioneer Aaron Seaman, of Elders, and Dane Rowley, Springwaters Poll Dorsets, with the $18,000 ram.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/6PrrPicrXL4mBQz5vb3kqV/38d3d488-402f-4242-954a-1173699a3a13.jpg/r0_314_3978_2662_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In second top was Springwaters 85/22, by Punchgrove 16/14, which sold to Pete Sturgess, "Kooradale", Koorawatha, for $18,000.
This ram boasted a Stockscan eye muscle area measurement of 50 square centimetres, backed up with a post weaning eye muscle depth figure of +1.26, along with a +10.91 WWT and +14.93 PWT figures.
Springwaters had retained a brother last year, which meant it could make this ram available this season.
Mr Sturgess planned to use the ram in his own stud, in which he breeds rams for his own use and a few for sale.
"He's just a thumping big ram - great scans," he said of his new purchase.
Mr Sturgess produces lambs for the trade and export markets, with the performance of a ram like 85/22 allowing him to hit both ends of the spectrum.
"With a big ram like that we can do everything," he said.
His ewe flock includes 4500 first-cross ewes and 2000 Merino ewes.
Third top in the stud rams was Springwaters 35/22, which made $13,000 to Bungola stud, Young.
Also a son of SW627/20, the ram had an EMA scan of 48.28sq cm.
Repeat commercial buyer Valerie Maroney, "Tobruk", Young, also took advantage of the quality offered among the stud lots, taking two, including Springwaters 49/22, by SW627/20, for $5500 and Springwaters 266/22, by Palana 103/19, for $6000.
With a big ram like that we can do everything.
- Pete Sturgess, buyer of the $18,000 second-top ram.
In the volume buyers, Dougal Kelly, Wallah Pastoral, Rugby, bought 22 rams for his prime lamb enterprise which produces as many as 13,000 lambs a year primarily for Woolworths.
His draft topped at $3750, twice, to average $2784, and he has been a buyer at Springwaters for at least a decade.
He said with the addition of DNA testing he was trying to better balance the carcase traits his rams offered, including EMA and intramuscular fat, with good phenotype and structure.
John Phillips, Jerangle, bought six rams to a top of $3000 and average of $2583.
He targeted rams with good feet that also stood up well and had good length of body and a good hindquarter. He produces as many as 3000 lambs a year for Coles, or later in the season, for export.
He liked the Springwaters rams as he said "they're just a good, consistent product".
James Cotter, trading as BN Allen and JN Cotter, Hovells Creek, also a client of about 10 years, bought four rams to a top of $2250, to average $1875.
He produces sucker lambs from his 600 first-cross ewes and was targeting good early growth and good feet.
Stud principal Dane Rowley was pleased with the overall result.
![Springwaters principal in the sale ring during the flock ram portion of the sale. Springwaters principal in the sale ring during the flock ram portion of the sale.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/6PrrPicrXL4mBQz5vb3kqV/d1800f23-7939-4a58-928b-c7ed2f315dcf.jpg/r0_0_4032_2858_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It's not a secret that it's not the easiest time running a sheep farm at the moment," he said, as he opened the auction.
However, he remarked at the end that the final result - all things considered - was up there with their best.
"That could be as good as what we've had, given the climate and the market," he said.
The sale was conducted by Elders, with Aaron Seaman, Elders Young, as auctioneer, and online bidding via AuctionsPlus.