The She-Oak Lodge Suffolk’s annual 25th sale was able to secure positive results in a tough market.
At the Mount Hope sale on Tuesday, September 10 the Millard family was able to achieve a full clearance of all 70 of its Suffolks on offer to an equal top of $2000 twice and an average of $1035.
Eighty white Suffolks were offered and 56 were sold to a top price of $2600 and average of $1098.
After the main sale a mini auction was held with 63 Suffolks on offer which all got sold.
Wandarrah Ag bought the top-priced white Suffolk, while LL and LD Fauser bought one of the top-priced Suffolks and Pickthall Enterprises bought the other.
She-Oak stud principal Tom Millard said he was very happy with the sale results and the genetics the rams were able to develop.
“We have come a long way since we sold our first ram from the back of our shearing shed and after 25 years of sales we are delighted with the genetics we have on offer and their breeding potential,” he said.
There were some returning and new buyers at the sale from throughout Eyre Peninsula and as far as St Arnaud in Victoria, with many buyers eager to get sheep from the Allendale and Illoura bloodlines.
There were 36 buyers, with Ryandra and Co at Streaky Bay and Morgan Ag from Wangary taking 18 rams between them.
Mr Millard said it is always good to have new buyers, because people often would not buy sheep every year.
“If you’ve got everyone on the same cycle you’ll sell a heap one year and none the next,” he said.
“You need new faces coming through each year, which happens most years.”
The equal top-priced white Suffolks both had quality Australian Sheep Breeding Values, with eye muscle depth over 50.2, post weaning weights of 12.01 and 12.42, with some terminal carcase production indexes of 123.35 and 125.48.
The top-priced white Suffolk tipped the scales at an impressive 140 kilograms, with an eye muscle depth of 51.3, 13.86 post weaning weight and terminal carcass production indexes of 140.93 and 138.36.
Platinum Livestock auctioneer Ben Dohnt said She-Oak had an outstanding line-up of rams at its sale as reflected by the consistent prices and bidding being able to hold up, with the customers getting good value for buying.
“The Suffolks are well muscled, well covered and show excellent growth and muscle traits,” he said.
“The white Suffolks are also powerful sires, with a huge amount of muscle, great top-line and outstanding eye-muscle.”
The auction was conducted by EP Livestock and Real Estate Mount Drummond, with Mr Dohnt assisted by guest auctioneer Wilbur Williams, who said there was a very strong line-up of rams on offer that were well supported by excellent terminal carcase production figures.
