The top priced ram. Kurtis, Dianne and Roger Trewick, Pepperton, with buyer Rodney Watt, Felix Rams, Greenethorpe, and the $16,000 Poll Dorset ram bought on behalf of Meat Elite Australia. Image: Kim Woods
One of the nation’s leading indexing Poll Dorset rams set a new record top price of $16,000 at the dispersal of the Pepperton Poll Dorset and White Suffolk stud, selling to Meat Elite Australia.
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The ram was one of four elite sires offered in the stud’s online ewe dispersal on Friday, October 10 on AuctionsPlus and was recommended to be purchased by Rodney Watt, Felix Rams, Greenethorpe, NSW, on behalf of the Meat Elite Australia breeding group.
Sired by Pepperton 200113, the 14-month-old ram had a lamb eating quality index of 182.99 and terminal carcase production index of 184.01.
The Pepperton online dispersal by principals Roger and Dianne Trewick resulted in two rams sold to average $12,500 and a 100 per cent clearance of 106 Poll Dorset and White Suffolk ewes to a top price of $1950 and average of $740 for the Poll Dorsets and $614 for the White Suffolks. Ewes were sold to seedstock and commercial buyers from Victoria, NSW, Western Australia, Kangaroo Island and Tasmania.
The second top price ram sold for $9000 to Ewan Price, Elsted Poll Dorsets, Heywood.
Rodney Watt said Meat Elite Australia was comprised of 14 Poll Dorset member studs across the eastern states.
“This ram has been on the radar for a few months after my son identified him and we had the opportunity to see him last week. He has low to moderate birthweight, good muscle and eating quality, so a good overall balance of figures that suits our breeding objective,” Mr Watt said.
“We have used Pepperton rams through Meat Elite in the past and they have performed quite well. Roger and Dianne Trewick have been great contributors to Meat Elite and regular nominators of rams for the young sire team, organised our conferences and contributed robustly to discussions at meetings.”
Pepperton co-principal Roger Trewick said it was an end of an era after 30 years of stud breeding, the achievement of gold data recording status with Sheep Genetics and it was “time to take a break”.
The online ewe sale was followed by the final on-property ram sale at the Elmore stud on Wednesday, October 16 with 40 Poll Dorset rams topping at $13,000 and averaging $2437, and 21 White Suffolk rams topping at $4000 and averaging $1571. Overall, 61 lots sold from 80 offered to gross $130,500 and average $2139 with 52 registered bidders online.
The top price Poll Dorset ram at $13,000 was bought in partnership by Lachie Kelly, Ivadene and LSK studs, Hexham, Victoria, and Matthew and Tania Tonissen, Chrome Sheep Stud, Hamilton.
The proceeds from the sale of the ram will be donated by the Trewick family to Bowel Cancer Australia in memory of their late stud stock auctioneer Michael Glasser, of Elders.
Pepperton co-principal Dianne Trewick was pleased with the sale result with seedstock and commercial demand under challenging seasonal conditions.
Mrs Trewick said buyers were chasing the stud’s consistent strong points of muscle, growth, positive fat and eating quality.
“We had new clients who bought ewes at the online dispersal and at the other end of the scale, clients who have been buying here for 30 years or more. Overall, it is a good result but a day of mixed emotions in the end.”
Elders auctioneer Ryan Bajada said the sale was underpinned by the predictability of the pedigree backed by good data.
“There was a lot of stud competition in the first quarter of the catalogue while commercial producers were chasing high growth and eye muscle,” Mr Bajada said.
“To auction Lot 1 where the proceeds went in memory of Michael Glasser was pretty special and it highlights what the Trewicks are as a family to do something like that.
“It was definitely an honour to offer the ram on behalf of the vendors and Michael Glasser who was a friend, mentor and someone I hold close to my heart.”
Among the volume buyers were Carl Holschier, Bunnaloo, with 11 White Suffolk rams to a top of $2000; Matt Bergmeier, Calthorpe Agri, Brocklesby, took home six Poll Dorset rams to a top of $3000; David and Donna Moyle and family, of Hamilton, with three Poll Dorset rams to a top of $2500; Chris and Fraser Ramsay, Riversdale Farming, Newbridge, bought four Poll Dorset rams to $1500; and T W McCormick & Sons, Elmore, bought two Poll Dorset rams to $1750 and Elm Valley, 30-year clients from Tarwin Lower, purchased four Poll Dorsets to a top of $2000.
Selling agents were Elders Bendigo.
David Pipkorn, Depta Grove White Suffolk stud, Jeparit, bought the top price White Suffolk ram for $4000. Sired by last year’s top priced ram P230617, the ram was a triplet and a trait leader for weaning weight, LMY, LEQ and TCP. “I look for structure first and the highest figures we can on a balanced animal to fit our existing sire battery and the direction we need to go.” Commenting on the dispersal, he said “The breed is always poorer for experience leaving the industry. They have set their goals and worked tirelessly to achieve what they have today.” Photo: Kim Woods
David and Donna Moyle, of Hamilton, with Tara Gibbons of Pepperton, bought three Poll Dorset rams to a top of $2250. They run 3500 Merino ewes, 17-19 micron, and join 1200 ewes to Poll Dorset rams with the progeny sold over the hooks. They purchased 10 rams, and their son James bought five at the 2024 Pepperton ram sale. They select their sires on the three key traits of weaning weight, post weaning weight and positive fat. The family has experienced two dry springs in a row with water now the biggest issue but prices of $10-$12/kg carcase weight for lambs has helped ease the pain. Kim Woods photo.
Alister Safstrom, from Mount Camel, bought two White Suffolk rams for his self-replacing Merino flock. He selects rams on muscle and positive fat. His sucker lambs have been shorn and being finished on irrigated pastures for Gathercoles, Coles or Hardwicks. “I’ve always been passionate about the lamb industry and it’s all positive moving forward,” he said
