POLL Dorset rams sold to a top of $1000 twice at Elders’ Elite Flock Ram Sale in Inglewood on Friday.
Both top prices rams sold to the Neal family, Caerleon, Tara, who are long term clients of Chris and Meryl Rubie, Sovereign, Warwick. The Neal’s run about 800 mostly Merino ewes and are looking to increase to about a 1000 head.
“Both the way sheep and the meat market has been going is very encouraging,” Mr Neal said. “Sheep have always been pretty well in the country and you can do pretty well out of them. You can’t replace ewes for under about $150 now.”
The Neals target the heavy end of the domestic market and the bottom end of the export market, aiming to produce about a 23kg carcase.
Lincoln Neal, Strathley, Tara, bought two including paying the second top price of $900 for a White Suffolk offered by Josh Hall and Anne Hall, Milton Park, Allora.
Peter and Amanda Reimers, Pearsby, Stanthorpe, bought six for an average of $717. The Reimers draft was made up of five White Suffolks from Milton Park and a Poll Dorset from Sovereign.
Cameron Hallinan, Allansford, Tara, also bought six Poll Dorsets for his 800 head ewe flock. He paid an average $775 including $825 twice for two Sovereign sires.
Mark Thomson, Boonamia, Tara, was also in the market for Poll Dorsets, buying four for an average of $700.
Phillip Willcocks, Woorook, Tenterfield, bought one Poll Dorset for $700.
The Elders Inglewood Elite Flock Ram Sale was sponsored by Riverina Stock Feeds and Coopers Animal Health.