By Catherine Miller, October 2 2023

Bidding at Paxton White Suffolk and Poll Dorset stud’s sixth annual twilight ram auction at Western Flat on Wednesday last week was not as fast paced as previous years but it is likely to still rank as one of the stronger South East terminal sire sale for the season.

Martin and Kirsty Harvey’s White Suffolk offering held up the best of their two breeds with just three of the 113 rams passed in and these rams averaging $1184- back on 2022.

It was a tougher day on the Poll Dorsets with 76 of 105 rams finding homes for a $1007 average.

Paxton White Suffolk and Poll Dorset studs’ Martin, Lilly, Kirsty and Zoe Harvey with PPHS’s Ray Jaensch (second from left). Picture by Catherine Miller

This average was back $730 on the 2022 sale.

The 2023 sale’s $3000 top price was lot 2 of the White Suffolks, a May drop sired by Days 20030.

The twin born ram which had a LAMBPLAN post weaning weight figure of 18 and good PEMD at 1.85 sold to PPHS agent Ray Jaensch.

The other ram in the first pen- lot 1 made $2500 to Oakalari, Pinnaroo.

The Waratah 18004 son had one of the highest Terminal Carcase Production indexes in the catalogue at 148.66.

The highest price Poll Dorset also came at the top of the catalogue with lot 1, an April drop by homebred sire Paxton 18132 selling for $2000.

It was bought by Cortina Pty Ltd, Greenways as one of the Goulds’ five buys.

Brecon Props, Keith, went home with 10 Poll Dorsets paying to $1700 and averaging $1100 for these.

Although local buyers were strongly represented in the gallery of 35 registered bidders there were also plenty of rams sold to the Mallee.

Parilla Premium Potatoes, Parilla was the sale’s biggest buyer securing 23 rams across the two breeds.

Their order comprised seven Poll Dorsets at $700-$800 and 16 White Suffolks for a average, paying to $1600.

McPiggery, Lameroo, who often took both rams in the pick of the pair were successful on 15 White Suffolks to a $1400 high twice and averaging $1153 for them.

 

Long-time clients NJ&MJ Watson, Lucindale, bought 16 White Suffolks to $1500 and averaged $1287 for them.

Mr Harvey said he was very pleased with demand for the largest offering of White Suffolks they had put up but was a “little disappointed” on the Poll Dorset result.

“We had two or three people that bought eight to 10 rams last year not here and that is all that it takes to pull the job back considerably,” he said.

“We all know where the job is at, clearance will be king this year so to only pass in about 30 rams from 220 we have to be happy with that.”

He said their repeat clients were the reason they worked hard to breed rams with length and carcase and good structure and although prices were less than ideal he had strong confidence in the sector’s ability to bounce back.

“All the indicators are that we are going to have a hard 12 months and hopefully this time next year we are all a little happier,” he said.

PPHS director and the Harvey’s long time agent Robin Steen said this season was a great opportunity to put rams out at very reasonable prices.

“It is hard to draw a line with how many rams you put in, some years you have 20 too many and that is probably what happened today in the (Poll) Dorsets,” he said.

He had high praise for the quality of the rams and said the genetics went on for their clients.