THE 26th annual Detpa Grove White Suffolk sale at Jeparit, Vic, produced another great result for the Pipkorn family with a $7000 lift in top price to $23,000 – its highest price since 2005 when the stud set the breed’s $36,000 auction record price.
“The Pipkorn family keeps lifting the bar higher whether you are assessing on phenotype, or on the arithmetic,” Elders auctioneer Ross Milne said.
“This is one of the best drafts I’ve ever had the pleasure to stand over.”
Sixty-four registered bidders, plus connections via AuctionsPlus link, competed for 80 stud ewes, 36 stud rams and 139 flock rams displaying breed type, body length, muscling, substance and balanced EBVs at the top end of the industry.
Twenty-six of the 36 stud rams were bought by other studs, averaging $5625 with the remainder bought by astute flock ram buyers.
The sale-topping ram, DG 130674, was a September 2013-drop, which displayed all the length, sire power and muscling expected from a top stud ram. It was bought by Peter and Julie Button, Ramsay Park stud, Minlaton.
Its Lambplan figures were post-weaning weight 16.64, post-weaning eye muscle depth of 2.75 and a Carcase Plus index of 218.
The underbidder was the Ferguson family, Anna Villa stud, Weetulta, connected via AuctionsPlus.
They did not miss out, however, paying $9500 for the first stud ram offered, DG 130148ET, and were also successful on the very next lot, DG ‘Ricochet’ 130066Tw, also at $9500, a bargain for a ram of his quality.
His figures were equally as impressive as the top price ram.
The second top price was $13,000, knocked down to the Gilmore family, Baringa stud, Oberon, NSW, also operating via AuctionsPlus.
Semen shares were taken up by the Bundara Downs and Westleigh, Vic studs. This was for DG 130207ET, one of three full ET brothers in the sale.
Courtesy of Ian Turner, Stock Journal
