A “kind season” has boosted depth for Janmac Poll Dorset & White Suffolk Stud as it prepares for its annual auction.
The 18th annual auction on Wednesday October 5 at Goroke will feature 210 rams, comprising about 50 White Suffolks and the balance Poll Dorsets.
Highlighted by 15 select stud rams to satisfy increasing top-end demand, Janmac co-principal Grant Hausler says the overall depth in the annual sale has never been better.
Grant, who farms with his brother Bryce, said 2021 had been a tough year but an early break and excellent lambing results in 2022 have buoyed the local market.
“Last year was as tough as our area had seen in living memory,” Grant said. “We had a very tight autumn. It ended up being a good spring but everyone reported it was a difficult year for sheep, though we have had a good run for several years so couldn’t complain too much.”
This year fortunes have reversed and the results are being seen in the paddock. “Our region is back on track which gives us confidence when it comes to selling rams,” Grant said. “Clients are reporting very good birth percentages and survivability. There are a lot of lambs around and doing well so we’re going into the season with confidence.”
“When you have good scanning percentages and good weather at lambing time you end up with a good result. Our depth has always been strong but it’s particularly good this year. We’re very upbeat about the way it looks.”
While quality will be consistent throughout the catalogue, Grant predicts strong interest in selections from the studs’ own sires and beyond.
“We have a nice selection of Rangeview 007 progeny,” he said. “He has some good sons that will be popular.”
Rangeview 007-19, from Tasmania, was bought online at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo in 2020 and also has a nice group of early maturing lambs. “It’s his first offering and it’s a nice group,” Grant said.
“The Rangeview was bought for his muscling, loin and structure. It will add to our core group of select sires without changing too much from what we’re known for. It’s a constant juggle of adding without losing what you’ve got, but we’ve been trying to thicken the sheep and add a bit more muscle.
A White Suffolk ram sold by Kurralea Stud in 2020 for a stud record $20,000, Kurralea 009-19, will feature prominently.
“He’s very good and left a good group of White Suffolk lambs,” Grant said. “This will be the first offering of 009-19 progeny and they are worth a look.”
Janmac has a core group of rams bought from mainstays Kurralea in NSW’s Riverina and Ulandi Park in South Australia.
“We’ve invested heavily with great success in those studs over the years for our core group of rams, but we also add other types to that mix,” Grant said.
“Our aim going forward is to continue to improve the sheep and build on what we’ve got.”
Last year’s sale saw two rams sell for $7500 to ram breeding flocks. “It’s rewarding to see some of those top-end rams ending up in breeding operations,” Grant said. “The reports are very good and they have good lambs on the ground.
“We already have a good reputation for commercial sheep, but we’re beginning to get more recognition for those top-end rams as well.”
Janmac is based on about 1400 hectares at Goroke, in the West Wimmera region of Victoria, and the good season has seen good crops and home-grown feed.
Grant is confident the solid season and industry confidence, coupled with the lack of pandemic lockdowns that stymied sales the past two years, will see strong demand on October 5. “We’re really looking forward to the coming ram selling season.”
Janmac will video a select group of rams to be released closer to the auction. The auction will be onsite at Goroke and online through Auctions Plus.
