Depta Grove breaks record.

Depta Grove breaks record.

THE hotly awaited Detpa Grove White Suffolk sale lived up to the hype last week as the Pipkorn family’s 31st annual White Suffolk sale produced their best ever overall result, with 229 White Suffolk stud and flock rams and stud ewes selling to a $32,000 top and averaging $2067 to record a 95 per cent clearance.

The 29 catalogued stud rams averaged $6810, with 24 going to registered breeders, while 149 of 159 flock rams also sold exceptionally well, topping at $2600 and averaging $1559 and 54 of 59 superb quality stud ewes finding new homes, to a top of $1600 three times and averaging a very solid $852.

In the stud ram offering, with 30 stud breeders from four states and overseas amongst the 77 registered bidders at the sale, plus more linked in via Auctions Plus.

Ultimately it was again Roger Wilkinson, Camborn stud, Pooncarrie, NSW, who placed the winning $32,000 bid for DG 180324. He was pushed all the way by Clive and Deb Shillabeer who were bidding on behalf of the breed’s only USA registered breeder Gary Heilig, Montana, who started his stud with Detpa Grove ewes and the Shillabeer’s well known ram Wingamin ‘Trifecta’.

Roger was delighted to add this ram to his impressive sire battery saying, “While I came to get the first ram, when I saw this one I couldn’t let him go.”

“Initially, I was going to bid by phone, but thought I should come down and have a proper look, which is just as well, otherwise I wouldn’t have seen how good he is and probably wouldn’t have gone that far without being here.”

Backing the outstanding phenotype was its equally impressive list of Lambplan figures, highlighted by a weaning weight EBV of 12.5, a post weaning weight of 19.94, fat of -0.59, eye muscle depth of 2.07, plus the highest C+ index of 225 and equal highest TCP index of 154 in the draft.

Detpa Grove is retaining a semen share in this ram for stud use.

Of very similar type and by the same sire, plus being not far behind on Lambplan figures with a C+ index of 220 and TCP index of 153 was the very next ram offered, DG 180291. This ram was purchased by Wiliaml Peck, Bayview Downs stud, Mundulla, SA for the second top price of $25,000.

Denam Carter, Ridge Top stud, Albany, WA connected via phone to successfully bid $15,000 for arguably the most appealing ram in the catalogue for phenotype in DG 180729, also used in the stud as a ram lamb.

The Kyle family, Ashley Park stud, Bairnsdale paid the $1600 equal top price on two occasions in putting together a line of seven top ewes at an $1143 average, while Paula and Elle McDonald, Hopea stud, Dadswell Bridge also went to $1600 for one of six ewes they purchased at a $950 average.

The volume ewe buyers though were Nick and Kate Wadlow, Old Ashrose stud, Hallett, SA who combined a ram delivery trip of their Merinos with calling in to inspect the Detpa Grove sale stock and adding 14 ewes to their stud, paying to a top of $1000 and averaging a great value $686.

Western Australian breeders have been a more prominent stud ram buying force in the eastern states than most this year, with three other WA bidders securing new stud sires.

Keith Ladyman and Jill Clarke, Kantara stud, Dumbleyung and Stacey and Rob Bush, Rhos Gwyn stud, Mt Barker both purchased classy and high performance rams late in the catalogue at $4000 each but it was John Stephenson, Millinup stud, Porongurup, WA who was one of three buyers in this sale who went to $10,000 to get their selection for DG 180154, sired by DG 140300 and with a C+ index of 214 and TCP index of 145.

Brett Shepherd, Mullinger Park stud, Kybybolite who was most determined in his bidding to $10,000 to get his ram, while Leroy and Rohan Hull, Kattata Well stud, Pt Kenny, SA paid $9000 for a terrific sire weighing over 170kg.

SD Symonds through PPH&S Naracoorte went to $7500 for DG 180833, while KJ Nunn P/L, Ballarat and the Hicks family, Hannaton stud, Kaniva both purchased two rams each at averages of $4750 and $3250 respectively.

In the 20 specially selected rams and 129 flock rams that followed the stud ram draft, the commercial prime lamb producers were as strong in their competition as the top stud bidders.

In the wrap up 38 of the 149 selected and flock rams topped $2000, while just 23 sold under $1000,

GA and R Sambell paid $2600 for the top for flock ram that had a 215 C+ indexing in their draft of one of three averaging $2433, while Simon Mulraney, PPH and S, Naracoorte, collectively purchased 36 rams this year to be the biggest volume buyer and Peter Irving, Irving Bros purchased 20 rams to $1800 and at a $1470 average, adding to the 25 he purchased last year.

S & G O’Halloran, through Driscoll, McIllree & Dickinson purchased eight flock rams to $1400, but also took the first steps towards establishing a stud by purchasing four stud ewes at $600 each, plus a $3000 stud ram.

Rounding out the sale with eight flock rams was Prospect Rural through Elders Warracknabeal, paying to $2400 and averaging $1925, while D & L Stewart, picked up seven to $1200 and averaging just $1014.

The sale was conducted by Elders with Ross Milne and Matt O’Connor as auctioneers.

Courtesy of Brett Tindal, agtrader.com.au