Incredible Result at Combined Days/Allendale Sheep Sale 2015

“What an incredible result,” was a statement made by many after the combined Allendale Suffolk and Poll Dorset studs and the Days Whiteface White Suffolk and Maternal Composite studs’ sheep sale at Bordertown last Friday.

434 head of stud ewes and stud and flock rams were offered by the Day families at their 43rd annual sheep sale and after five and a half hours of selling by auctioneers Gordon Wood, Landmark, Ross Milne, Elders and Jono Spence, Spence, Dix & Co, a 95% clearance was achieved, producing a sale
average of $1464 and gross of $603,100, up nearly $200,000 on the previous year.

Along the way there were records broken, despite the apprehension about the seasonal conditions in the upper south east for the second year in a row.

Sale hosts Lachy and Lou Day, Days Whiteface sold 166 head of White Suffolks and 23 Maternal Composites, while Alastair and Jayne Day, Allendale studs offered and sold 105 head of Suffolks and 117 head of Poll Dorsets. The presentation of all the sheep on offer could only be described as exceptional and a credit to the principals and their families and staff. Many major successes at the recent Adelaide and Melbourne Royals gave extra credence to the quality on offer. The big crowd that included 134 registered bidders from four states certainly appreciated that quality and bid up strongly.

Last year the Days White Suffolk flock ram line achieved a near total clearance but at reduced prices. This year the quality of these rams was appreciated much more, with all 128 selling at a fantastic $1302 average; up $520 or 66% on last year. These sold to a $2100 top paid twice by Denholm Green
Pastoral Co, Hexham and buying through Lanyons Hamilton. They purchased nine rams at a top average of $1833.

Tarra Park Partnership, buying through Landmark Warrnambool paid to $2000 and at a $1780 average in purchasing five rams, while Dunira Prime Lamb through Spence, Dix & Co also went to $2000 in purchasing three top rams. Dunira purchased 16 rams overall from the three main terminal sire breeds.

Kangaringa’s purchase of 14 White Suffolks made them the biggest volume buyers in this sale section, but it was the depth of competition that ensured prices matched quality right through the draft. Thirty six individual buying accounts purchased from one to 14 rams with 12 buyers purchasing from four to six rams.

Lachy and Lou Day and family’s White Suffolk stud offerings also met improved competition from last year. In the stud ram section, Days 140003, sired by D120284 set the ball rolling when selling for the top of $13,000. The winning bidder was Leigh Richards, Tongara stud, Coonalpyn, buying through
Elders Coonalpyn.

“We were seeking a ram with structural correctness and especially good shoulders for our program. This ram is so balanced and correct with very good stretch and is supported by more than adequate figures,” Leigh said in explaining his buying decision. Those figures were highlighted by a Pemd of 1.4 and a C+ index of 182.5.

Manton Farming, through Landmark Pingelly, WA were underbidders but then picked up the next two White Suffolk stud rams at $3000 and $4000, adding to their 15 White Suffolk stud ewe purchases, paying from $500 to $700 to be the biggest volume buyer of stud rams and stud ewes in the White Suffolk section of the sale.

Craig Hicks, through Landmark Strathalbyn paid the $5000 second top price for White Suffolk stud rams, purchasing D140421Tw, an impressive and well balanced ram late in the draft.

The McDonald family, Blackwood Park, Strathalbyn regularly compete on the Days stud rams for their commercial program and did so again, being successful on four, paying from $2250 to $2750.

The 14 White Suffolk stud rams averaged $3981, up $1884 on last year, while 24 of the 28 White Suffolk ewes found new homes from $400 to $700 and at a $575 average, up $155 on last year.

Days Whiteface also offered a line of 42 Maternal Composites that Lachy Day has been developing for several years. Gone is the wide variance in type as several breeds are blended for their maternal strengths, wool and carcase attributes, but buyers are still coming to terms with this very interesting
breeding option.

Twenty three cleared at a $917 average, up just $6 on last year. Geoff Agnew, farm manager for the Baker Group, Furner and buying through Elders Naracoorte’s Tom Dennis appreciated their potential, purchasing 14, including five at the $1200 top price for this line.