Janmac White Suffolk and Poll Dorset stud’s spring ram sale was dubbed a success within the current market conditions, with a high clearance and a return from long term clients who purchased a volume of 25 rams.
With the sale split between Poll Dorset and White Suffolk rams the Poll Dorset rams sold twice to a top price of $2,600 and cleared 151 of 164 rams to an average $1293.
Janmac White Suffolk rams were sold in the second half of the sale, and had a top price of $1,800 with 33 of 44 rams cleared.
Stud principal Grant Hausler said they were really happy with the result of the sale.
“Given the current market conditions we’re delighted with that,” Mr Hausler said.
“We’re really happy with the way the group lined up and I think that’s our best White Suffolk team to date.”
Mr Hausler said their rams had been on grass for months to ensure their quality was kept high and so their clients knew what to expect from the rams when attending the sale.
“You want rams that are the same each year, so that sort of translates into the progeny, if these rams are the same then the progeny will be similar,” he said.
The top priced ram, Lot 8, Mr Hausler said, was a great representation of their flock rams.
“He’s just a very good sound ram and the type of ram we’re aiming to breed,” he said
Lot 8 was purchased by father and son, Craig and Lachie Jones, Braemer, Lochaber, SA, who paid $2,600 for the Poll Dorset.
Lachie said they had been buying from Janmac for about six years, and appreciated the consistency in progeny among the stud.
He said Lot 8 was a heavy, thick set ram that would be used among their first cross ewes in December, for a May lambing season.
“[Janmac] have been building their structure over the last few years which has been good,” Lachie said.
“[Lot 8] has got good structure, he’s a nice heavy ram with good fat cover and a nice eye muscle
“We’ve been coming here for maybe five or six years now, we always get a few and they’ve served us very well.”
Volume buyer of the sale was local operation, Bill, Craig, and Stephen Rich, from Rich Farming, Goroke, who purchased 25 Poll Dorset rams at the sale, with the help of buying agent Stuart Kyle, Westech AG Kyle Livestock.
“They’re been supporting us for close to 45 years now, they were one of the first families to support my father when he started in 1979,” Mr Hausler said.
With over 6000 in their flock at Goroke and another farm in Kaniva, Craig Rich said his Dad was at Janmac sales when the stud started out.
“They’re a well bred, good looking ram that get the results out the other end,” Craig said.
Craig’s father Bill said he remembered coming to Janmac sales when he was young, so it was important to continue the strong client relationship.
“We were here when they had just a few rams coming out of a little old shed,” he said.
Westech Ag Kyle Livestock agent, Stuart Kyle said it was good to see the stud’s stock continue over the last 40 years and that the consistency was still strong among Janmac rams.
“I made this comment the other day, you can travel away from Kaniva or Goroke three or four hundred kilometres and you wouldn’t find any better rams,” Mr Kyle said.
Story courtesy of Holly McGuiness, Stock & Land
