Brimfield backs up at ram sale

On the back of last week's Perth Royal Show success, including allbreed champion ewe with a White Suffolk, Brimfield's annual ram sale was sensational.

This year Brimfield's offering included three Poll Dorset stud rams and 50 flock rams and three White Suffolk stud rams and 30 flock rams.

The top-priced ram, a Poll Dorset stud ram, achieved $3600, an increase of $1100 on last year's best.

Narrikup mixed farmer Bill Degens, trading as OcNay, who purchased the ram, said he was chasing a different bloodline.

He selected the ram on its figures and said it stood out heads above the other two stud rams offered.

The ram Mr Degens purchased was a May 2010-drop with figures of Pwwt 13.437, Ywt 14.805, Hwt 15.790, Yfat -1.338, Yemd -.880 and 164.75 carcase plus.

Offered next were two more Poll Dorset stud rams and three White Suffolk stud rams that failed to meet the reserve price set.

But after the auction, a second Poll Dorset stud ram sold for $2000, purchased by L Wheatley and Son, of Bridgetown.

Demand for the flock Poll Dorset rams was strong with 49 out of 50 selling.

Bridgetown producer Shane Clancy selected the top Poll Dorset ram which he bought for $1600.

The regular buyer said it was a nice long ram with good figures, including Pwwt 14.1, Pfat -0.9, Pemd 0.4, carcase plus 178.6.

The volume buyer in the Poll Dorsets was Watterson Estate, of Tenterden, with 10 rams.

Cranbrook producer Ken Grey and daughter Jessica picked out a team of seven Poll Dorsets and five White Suffolk rams, including the top White Suffolk ram for $950.

Mr Grey said that they were going to use White Suffolks for the first time and wanted to compare the White Suffolk progeny against Poll Dorset lambs.

First-time buyers M and M Gorman, of Wellstead, were the volume buyers in the White Suffolk with 15 rams.

Brimfield stud principal Max Whyte said that it was the best line of rams offered since he started having sales.

"We were probably short of a couple of buyers but other than that, the result was very pleasing," Mr Whyte said.

Primaries auctioneer Peter Sheridan said that buyers were appreciative of the quality rams and bid accordingly. The clearance was reasonable.

Brimfield annual ram sale * TYPE OFFERED SOLD TOP PRICE AVERAGE Poll Dorset stud rams 3 1 $3600 n/a White Suffolk stud rams 3 - - - Poll Dorset flock rams 50 49 $1600 $886 White Suffolk flock rams 30 23 $950 $639 TOTAL 86 73 $3600 $845