Stud’s best average knocked down at Donald
Thinking outside the square brought new clients and fresh inquiries to Ilfracombe Poll Dorsets, which has produced its best average price. Use our searchable results database to plan the rest of your spring ram sales season.
VIRUS restrictions forced Donald Poll Dorset breeders Damon and Peggy Coats to “think outside of the square” when it came to marketing their rams this year.
Video of their top 15 Ilfracombe Poll Dorsets sires, posted on Facebook, prompted fresh inquires and even delivered new clients to the auction of 99 rams on Monday.
The sale produced the stud’s best average price, $1150 for 92 rams sold under the hammer, which was up on the 88 rams that sold last year for an average of $1000.
One of the new buyers, John and Emma Tischler from Apsley, took home the two equal-top priced ram, Mr Coats said.
“They paid $2500 twice for two rams,” Mr Coats said. “Both were very big, well-grown rams for their age. One weighed 138kg and the other, 128kg,”
The top rams measured 11.6 and 10 respectively for weaning weight, similar to the stud average of 10.1.
The sale was not interfaced with an online selling platform as Mr Coats said their clients all came from Victoria.
He said he was happy with the result and clearance.
Low wool prices were also driving an increase in demand for prime-lamb terminal sires this year, he said.
“Wool prices are doing studs like ours good. We had three guys buying today that have Merino ewes, but they are looking for a bit more cashflow,” he said.
Mr Coats said the outlook for lamb remained strong, despite prices being behind last season’s highs.
“My clients who have sold sucker lambs recently got 680-700c/kg, which is not too bad, historically, pretty good,” he said.
The great season at Donald was reflected in the rams weight, averaging 120kg for the 16-month-old sheep.
Other studs to record strong sales included Armdale Park Poll Dorsets that averaged $2495 and complete clearance of 189 rams.
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