Why producers are pushing up prices for Dorper rams

Commercial breeders were prepared to spend up to $15,000 for Dorper rams at a major sale in southern NSW.

Commercial buyers wanting easier-care sheep underpinned the Dell Dorper sale near Moama NSW last week where rams averaged more than $5000.

Less than a handful of the 115 Dorper and White Dorper rams sold to stud buyers, and while manager Andrea Vagg said it was always nice to have interest from other stud breeders, the support of commercial operators was enormous.

“We had buyers come from as far north as Emerald, Queensland, and from all across southern and western NSW, Victoria and even from the NSW Northern Tablelands,” Ms Vagg said.

“People can associate Dorpers with running in drier conditions but even our own rams here have had so much rain on them this year and have held up well.

“We have put so much emphasis on feet and legs with our breeding and it’s why they stand up so well to wet conditions.”

Ms Vagg said the stars were aligning for the breed as producers struggled to find shearers, were chasing flystrike and wanted easier-care sheep.

As such, last week’s sale attracted new clients, some of which were from well known wool producing areas.

Andrea and Ryan Vagg and their children Isabel, 2, and Abigail, 4, and dog Patches, and the sale Dorper and White Dorper rams.

A breakdown of results showed all 75 Dorper rams offered sold to a top of $15,000 and averaged $5587, while 40 White Dorper rams sold to $14,000 and averaged $5354.

The $15,000 sale-topping ram sold to the Crozier family of Wilcannia, NSW, long-time supporters of the breed and the Dell Dorper program, Ms Vagg said.

It was one of 11 rams the Croziers bought to go into their commercial program.

Ms Vagg said the top price ram was born in June 2021, weighed 98kg and had measurements of 47cm for eye-muscle area and a fat depth of 11mm.

“This is what they are looking for in the dry areas, for rams which have good fat coverage so they can last through the dry times,” she said.

Yet it was a high rainfall area that claimed the top price White Dorper ram, which sold to Kelly and David Benson from Walcha, NSW, for $14,000.

Ms Vagg said this ram was sired by Belowrie Bentley, a sire that had done wonders in their stud.

“We bought Bentley in 2020 for $21,000 at Dubbo, NSW, and he has gone on to sire rams that have sold for $25,000 but also produced a wonderful line of ewes,” Ms Vagg said.

One of the volume buyers was Thomas Unit Trust, which bought 15 rams.

The stud also offered stud ewes, with the top price of $4000 selling to Justin and Julie McClure, from Tilpa, NSW.

Other volume ewe buyers included Tom and Bec Palmer from Ivanhoe, NSW, who backed up their $25,000 Dell Dorper ram purchase earlier this year with 10 ewes from last week’s sale.