Rams sold to $4000 and 202 averaged $846 at the16th annual Bundara Downs White Suffolk andPoll Dorset ram sale at Western Flat, SA.
Stud buyers were there in strength chasing the high performance genetics while flock ram buyers were able to fill their orders at great value prices.
Averages were on a par with recent years but this year’s clearance was down making the many long-time clients looking for rams the winners at very affordable prices according to Bundara Downs principal Steve Funke.
“We now produce around 500 performance recorded White Suffolk and Poll Dorset rams annually to ensure our clients have a big range to choose from at reasonable prices,” he said.
With over half the rams catalogued rated as LAMBPLAN trait leaders, six buyers put together 10 or more rams with the biggest volume buyer the Schwarz family from Hamilton, Vic, with 30 rams.
Top price of $4000 was paid by Peter and Julie Button, Ramsay Park, Minlaton, SA, for a White Suffolk ram with the highest Carcase Plus index in the catalogue of 201.92. Ramsay Park also paid $4000 for a Bundara Downs ram at the Adelaide Royal sales earlier in the month and obtained rams with a god balance of figures combining high growth, high muscle and only just negative fat.
Three other White Suffolk studs bought stud rams at $2000. They were Supreme, Wellingtn, NSW, Banjanda, Burrumbeet, Vic, and Illoura, Moorlands, SA.
The total clearance of the eight stud rams and 20 specially selected rams followed strong demand at the Adelaide Royal and Bendigo Elite sales. Earlier in the week at Bendigo a Bundara Downs White Suffolk ram sold for $12,500, and event record price.
For the eleventh time, proceeds of Lot 19 went to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. This year Matthew and Claire Feder, Lillimur, Vic, paid $1400 for the ram to bring the total contributed to the RFDS to $15,150.
Elders was selling agent with Laryn Gogel and Ronnie Dix auctioneering.
Bundara Downs will conduct its second bi-annual mated stud ewe sale of 100 lots on March 21 next year.