October 10, 2012

Prime lamb producers chasing length and carcass to turn off export weight lambs paid to a top of $2000 at the Kismet stud ram sale.

Hosted on-property at Howlong on October 10 by Graham and Carmel Wilson, the 10th annual sale drew repeat buying support from NSW and Victorian crossbred and composite lamb producers.

From the 130 White Suffolk and Poll Dorset rams offered, 80 were sold for a gross of $70,600 and average of $882.

New ram client Graeme Geppert, of Boree Creek, paid the top price of $2000 for a 2011-drop White Suffolk ram with an eye muscle area scan of 25.56sqcm.

Graeme and his wife Tracey had bought Kismet ewes earlier this year for their 150-ewe Bidgee View stud.

Mr Geppert, who turns off feeder lambs through the Wagga Wagga market, described the sale topping ram as “solid and square’’.

“The sale was surprisingly strong enough despite the spring cutting out,’’ he said.

Vendor Graham Wilson agreed the dry season and depressed lamb prices had reduced the sale average by $100 on last year, but he was pleased with the support from new and existing clients.

“We felt the quality of the rams was the best ever and there wasn’t any tail in the (offering),’’ Mr Wilson said.

Repeat client Rob Martin, Longwood, paid to a top of $1100 for five White Suffolk rams to go over 2000 Border Leicester-Merino ewes to supply the supermarket and over-the-hooks trade.

He selected rams on conformation, eye muscle area and weight.

“It was a good sale and the rams presented really well,’’ Mr Martin said.

Specialist first-cross ewe breeder and repeat client Greg Doyle, Walbundrie, paid to $1650 for two White Suffolk rams.

“I turn the White Suffolk cross progeny off as heavy lambs weighing over 24kg (carcass weight) at Corowa each winter and averaged $120 a head for the last consignment,’’ Mr Doyle said.

Among the buyers was St Kilda ruckman Ben McEvoy, who is spending the off-season doing sheep work on his parent’s farm at Dederang, in the Kiewa Valley.

Ben and his father John bought a White Suffolk ram to go over 250 first cross ewes, with the progeny to be sold at the Corowa market.

Other major buyers included Booroola, Euroa, with 10 rams to a top of $1750; Bruce and Greg Mallon, Urana, paying to a top of $1150 for four rams; Rob and Scott Francis, Rutherglen, with two rams to $1700 and C & K Fealy, Urana, buying seven rams for an average of $600.

-Kim Woods