By QUINTON McCALLUM, October 14 2024 – link to original article

Placing an emphasis on positive fat ASBVs in his White Suffolk breeding program was a decision justified at this year’s on-property ram sale for Seriston stud principal Anthony Hurst.

In the midst of an ordinary season where many are reducing stock numbers and require less rams, Mr Hurst was thrilled with the wash up of the three-breed sale at Avenue Range on Friday.

The entire offering of 119 White Suffolk rams sold to a top of $2800 and healthy average of $1375.

Of the 21 Suffolk rams, 18 sold to a top of $1600 and average of $1133.

In the joint Seriston and Baringa, Oberon, NSW, Australian White offering, 29 of 48 rams sold to a top of $4000 and average of $1411.

“Everybody’s saying it’s one of the worst seasons here since 1967 – headers might not get into the paddocks in some situations and I know a lot of our clients are reducing stock numbers and not buying rams or buying less rams – so to have a result like that was very good,” Mr Hurst said.

“With our ASBVs I’ve been really concentrating on our fat figure and making sure it’s positive.

“My clients are chasing that easy doing sheep that has the ability to lay fat cover down and in a year like this it certainly comes to the fore.”

The stud has also been breeding for early growth and moderate eye muscle.

The White Suffolk result was bolstered by volume orders from the Mallee, Mr Hurst said, as well as strong support from regular buyers around the Lucindale and Naracoorte areas, and a couple of interstate orders.

The top White Suffolk was the Lot 1 ram and sold to RS&BJ Williamson, Guyra, NSW.

Producers from the Mount Gambier and Millicent areas were prevalent on the Suffolk offering.

Leading the way on those was Lot 121, which was knocked down to Cadara Family Trust, Mount Benson.

J&J Jackson, Willalooka, were the successful bidders on the Lot 3 Australian White.

This year’s result was an improvement on 2023 when 91 of 120 White Suffolks sold to an average of $1183, and a full clearance of 24 Suffolks averaged $825.

Mr Hurst said the resolve to forge through a tough season without grain feeding rams was ultimately the right call to make.

“I’ve always put up rams that are not grain fed,” he said.

“Given the season we’ve had, a couple of months ago I thought I might have made a mistake by not grain feeding them, but the presentation on sale day shows that fat trait I’ve been chasing for a number of years really works.

“They’ve done it themselves on pasture and a little bit of hay.”

The sale was conducted by Elders, with Ronnie Dix and Nathan McCarthy sharing the lectern.