Ram sales have recorded strong clearance rates in spite of an average season and trying long forecast.
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Poll Dorset and White Suffolk studmaster Kim Weir, Pinewalla was among the vendors hesitant their annual ram sale on Monday would suffer due to dry conditions.
Instead, a strong commitment to visual quality backed by Lambplan figures saw 79 Poll Dorset rams sold from 80 offered for $1386 average on behalf of Kim, Jenny and James Weir. The top price for the Poll Dorsets was $3000 paid by Lindsay Picker, Pleasant View, Binda.
He said the Frost family's Poll Dorset ram sale last Friday set the pace for vendors like Pinewalla.
Hillden Poll Dorset, Bannister, sale top of $5000 was achieved with 146 rams sold from 150 at auction for $1372.95 average. The top price ram was purchased by Wilgarna Poll Dorset stud, Boyup Brook, WA.
Three rams were sold post-auction. James Frost said the sale exceeded expectations at a time producers are selling off ewes.
"We thought more would get passed in, but we wanted to allow people to buy."
Chris and Stephanie Croker, Ayrston, Golspie purchased the top-priced ram at Thalabah's stud on-property ram sale for $5200.
Mr Croker said despite the season the dispersal of rams is positive. Aryston is running similar numbers of ewes and having the right genetics is crucial.
"If I didn't buy rams to go in that direction I would be behind the eight-ball. At some stage, it will rain."
The next highest price was $3000 in a sale where 54 of the 60 lots were cleared at auction to average $1541.