Quairading Stud Sheepbreeders’ Annual Ram Sale: Quality line-up of Merinos and meat sheep brings buyers market

The 58th Quairading Stud Sheepbreeders’ Annual Ram Sale resulted in a wonderful sense of camaraderie between the fellow sheep seedstock producers who were optimistic in the face of sliding sheep and wool prices. The multi-breed sale conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions on Thursday, September 7, at Quairading’s Greater Sports Ground, offered 161 rams from six studs and resulted in 89 selling to a top of $1700 and average price of $930. The average price was down $123/head on last year when 161 rams sold for an average price of $1053. Quairading Stud Sheepbreeder’s Association president Brett Johnston said the sale was absent of a few buyers due to the sheep and wool industry’s setback of lower values. “Sheep farmers are feeling a bit pessimistic about the industry,” he said. “Despite this, all the vendors at this year’s sale were optimistic for a better outcome on the back of last year’s very strong sale.” With nearly all of the vendors taking a hit on their average prices as compared to last year, they still all made an extra investment by banding together to make an equal contribution to cover the sale cost of one ram that was sold for $800 with all proceeds going to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. RFDS ambassador Preston Clarke, who retired last year after 50 years in the WA livestock industry, said he was honoured to auction the ram for a “great cause” in the town that he spent a few years as a Wesfarmers livestock agent in the 1970s. “My time in Quairading was a few of my most enjoyable years,” he said. “I am now dedicating some of my time to raise funds for the RFDS to give back to a worthy cause.” The overall sale attracted a few less buyer registrations this year and a big portion of the 72 rams passed-in were from the meat sheep breeds, including White Suffolk, Poll Dorset, South Suffolk and Suffolk. The exception was a total clearance of four Hampshire Down rams, believed to be the first to be offered at a WA open cry auction. Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Grant Lupton said the presentation and quality of the catalogue was “outstanding throughout”. “Most of the Poll Merinos received good support, unfortunately, there was a lack of buyers for some of the meat breeds which presented a buyers market,” he said. “Buyers were able to purchase a higher grade in their ram selections at good values.” He said the Hampshire Downs rams were a first at the Quairading sale and attracted good buyer interest. POLL MERINOS Offered first was a line-up of 48 Poll Merino rams bred at Rohan and Kaiden Johnston’s Merna Poll Merino stud, at Quairading, that resulted in 40 selling to a top of $1700 and an average price of $998/head. The Merna sale-topper, offered from pen 21 was secured by repeat buyer Graham Taylor, of Wannamal, who said his top-pick had a good thick frame that carried a fleece with exceptional staple length and a soft handle. Merna, tag 139 weighed 109kg and recorded a fleece measurements of 19.7 average micron, 3.0 standard deviation, 15.2 per cent coefficient of variation and a 99.9 per cent comfort factor. The Taylors, who run 1800 breeding ewes, mate about half to Merinos and the balance to White Suffolks. Mr Taylor, who was assisted by Elders Muchea district wool manager Brad Groves, secured a total of nine Merna Poll Merino rams for an average price of $1233, including two at the $1400 equal-second top-price. Another $1400 Merna ram sold to account GR Teasdale, of Badgingarra, and buying account SL Hadlow, of Quairading, secured seven rams to a top of $1200 and average price of $950. Also offering a line-up of Poll Merino rams was Brett and Linden Johnston, of Argyle Park stud, at Quairading, who penned up 12 rams that resulted in four selling to a top of $1200 and average price of $1150/head. The Argyle sale-topper that was sired by East Mundalla 058 through artificial insemination and weighed 97kg and recorded a fleece measurement of 20.6 micron with a comfort factor of 99.9 per cent, was secured by repeat buyer Craig Anderson, of Quairading, who trades as GW & E Anderson. Mr Anderson said he was selecting for good length of staple and a large frame to put over some of his family’s 900 self-replacing ewe flock. WHITE SUFFOLK The largest volume of all the different breed offerings was from the White Suffolk catalogue with 65 rams from three studs in the line-up, but only 24 sold at the fall of the hammer. Last year, all 48 White Suffolk rams that were offered were sold, with all three studs recording an equal top-price of $1300. Back at the sale with 25 rams was the Cole family, of Sasimwa stud, at York, who took top-price honours with their 139kg ram sired by Kiara 012 that recorded Lambplan figures of 16.7 PWT and a 142.8 TCP. Narembeen producer Alan Yandle secured this Sasimwa ram to go over Merinos in his family’s 900 head crossbreeding program. “I was looking for a ram with stretch down the spine along with a big frame,” he said. Mr Yandle secured two more Sasimwa rams for $850 and $800. The Johnston family’s Merna stud increased their offering to 20 rams with 10 selling to a top of $1100 that was secured by SJ & AJ Thorn, of York. Last year’s best average of $1240/head for 10 sold was from the Simpson family’s Barby Downs stud, at Quairading, and this year they offered 20 rams, but only six sold to a top of $900. This ram was secured by Mr Anderson, who runs White Suffolk rams over about 750 Merino ewes in his family’s crossbreeding program. POLL DORSETS The Poll Dorset offering dropped significantly with the absense of last year’s big catalogue of Longdale rams, leaving only 10 Merna rams for buyers to select from. Buyer interest was very limited and only two rams were sold for $800 each, with both rams sold to SJ & AJ Thorn, of York. SOUTH SUFFOLK The Simpson family’s Pettison Park stud offered 12 South Suffolk rams that resulted in eight selling to a top of $900 and average price of $825. The 96kg equal sale-topper that recorded a eye muscle depth of 38mm sold to repeat buyers Kyle and Brett Caporn, of Quairading, who trade as BK & PJ Caporn. Kyle said he was chasing rams with good meat density on well-structured frames with good feet and legs. The Caporns have been running South Suffolk rams over about 1700 Merino ewes for many year with good results. They secured a total of eight rams for an average price of $813. The other $900 equal top-priced ram sold to RW & CI Crombie, of Corrigin. SUFFOLK The Cole family of Sasimwa Suffolk stud put up 10 rams, with seven selling to a top of $850 and average price of $802/head. The Hadlow family, who began their buying order with seven Merna Poll Merinos earlier in the sale, continued with the purchase of three Sasimwa Suffolk rams to a top-price of $850 and average price of $817. Stuart Hadlow said they run Suffolks over 600 Poll Merino ewes for their crossbreeding program. Buying account Colestan Electrics, of Bruce Rock, secured three Suffolk rams for an average price of $800. HAMPSHIRE DOWN New to the sale and believed to be the first time offered at a WA open cry auction, were four specially selected Hampshire Down rams offered by the Simpson family, of The Valley Hampshire Downs stud. All four rams sold to a top of $1100 and average price of $975 with two buyers in the mix. The $1100 sale topper sold to the partnership of Ollie McLeary and Murray Williams, both of Quairading, who will run the rams over pure Merinos and first cross ewes made up of Hampshire Down and Merino to produce lambs that carry good eating quality attributes. Mr McLeary said after using Hampshire Downs rams for the first time last year, the lambs on the ground were looking very productive. “I selected rams for their eating quality merits,” he said. The Hampshire Down breed has been known for producing eating quality through its genetic makeup and ability to lay down intramuscular fat. In pursuit of eating quality excellence, the Simpson family’s relatively new acquisition — The Valley stud got off to an excellent start at Quairading. The stud was the result of buying more than 30 ewes from the Chloelka stud, of Willaston, SA. The Valley stud co-principal Brendon Simpson said his family was proud to offer their first rams at their home-town sale. The other two rams sold to the Simpson family’s long-standing South Suffolk clients, the Caporn family, who showed an interest in having a go with the Hampshire Down breed.