Tattykeel Australian White rams sell to $115,000, av $49,792

Not only did they see highs in the stud rams that resulted in 12 sire prospects selling to a top price of $115,000 and averaging a staggering $49,792, but 45 stud ewes topped at $23,000 and averaged $9200 and in what was something to behold, 115 flock rams topped at $26,000 to average $10,970 as competition kept coming forward on every lot.

Guest vendor Camden Valley Aussie White stud, The Oaks, sold 13 stud rams to a top of $6500, averaging $3969, 32 flock rams averaged $2763 and 30 stud ewes cleared for a $3067 average.

Auctioneer Miles Pfitzner earnt his keep in 36 degrees, as he single handedly sold 249 lots in sweaty fashion, but kept buyers on the job as bids flew across the sale barn at a rapid rate of knots.

The top ram was Tattykeel 210220, an April-drop son of Tattykeel 200085, weighing 93 kilograms and bought by Denam Carter, Ridgetop stud, Narrikup, WA.

Mr Carter said he chased him for his exceptional breed type, balance and his ability to carry fleshing throughout his body.

"I am only a new stud, with second embryo program just being completed, of which consisted of 800 eggs and an aim next year to move to 1000 to build up numbers," he said.

Mr Carter said he will use him straight over 50 to 60 ewes this year and then use him extensively in the next ET program at the end of the year, with an aim to breed up a big base of shedding sheep both commercial and stud.

"He and his father are right up in the top genetics in the breed and the perfect ram to base a stud around," he said.

The second-top stud ram sold to the Gamadale Australian White stud, Lascelles, Victoria, for $75,000, represented on the day by Ben and Nip Rowney.

He was an ET, April-born twin to lot 84 that sold to the Bungarley stud, Tarcutta for $45,000, who was also the loosing bidder on the second-top priced ram.

Nip Rowney said he would bring something new to the table for them, especially through his finer points, like black feet and impeccable structure, where he was so good through the shoulders.

Mr Rowney said he will go straight out with ewes when he arrives and then will join six home grown stud rams for next years sire battery.

The top stud ewe sold to the Flaxley family, Springfield, South Australia, who secured eight of the first nine stud ewes to a top of $23,000, averaging $11,625. Each will be joined to the $165,000 record-breaking Tattykeel 'White Gold' the Flaxley stud purchased from Tattykeel last year.

Neil and Jane Werner, Kyabram, Vic, paid to $26,000 for three flock rams to join their 800 strong ewe flock that they said were already easy care and easy to handle, in a draft of three rams averaging $14,500.

Mr Werner said they wanted a few rams to join to the latest drop of ewes they have on the ground, with an aim at the present time to breed and sell off breeding ewes, which they have done successfully at $1000 recently, while the wether portion go into the Margra Lamb program.

James and Kim Weir, Pinewalla Pastoral, Crookwell, also played at the top end of the flock rams securing seven rams averaging $19,857, to join their commercial operation, which they secured their first ewes 18 months ago.

James Weir said they had swapped their commercial operation from a first cross to an Australian White operation and love the self replacing aspect they have with the Aussie Whites.

"We currently join 1400 ewes and aim to grow that to 3000 head by retaining the ewes through in flock genetic progression," he said.

Mr Weir said the end product is aimed at an eight to nine month old lamb to be sold over the hooks into the export markets and we believe we will get above 50 per cent yield on these lambs at the same time.

New comers to the breed, Graeme and Karen Newberry, Abilene Park stud, Toowoomba, recently moved from Longreach and semi retired to South East Queensland, but saw an opportunity to breed a few rams and sell back into the Longreach district.

They paid $37,500 for a stud ram and five stud ewes averaging $10,000 to a top of $13,000.

Mr Newberry said we are into crossbreeding sheep and have found the Australian Whites to be the best option in our view to go across our red tag ewes.

Volume buyers included Lake Midgeon, Narranderra, which secured 11 at $8591, while Helen Zimmer, Rathscar, Vic, paid $9042 apiece for her 12 and BT & HM McKelvie, Killara, Marra, loaded six at a $10,667 average.

Rounding out the sale Edward Heywood, Blackhill, Vic, bought six ewes at $3167 and a ram at $12,000, while A and S Investments, Bullengarook, Vic, secured six ewes at $7083, while CG and LF Schlitz, Quambatook, Vic, averaged four ewes at $8750 and two rams at $16,000 apiece and Arolla Pastoral Company, Allora, Qld bought seven ewes for a $8429 average and two rams including a stud ram at $40,000.

The sale was conducted by QPL Rural with Miles Pfitzner as the auctioneer.

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