Good shedder tops Jilakin Downs sale

Kojonup Dorper stud Ida Vale paid the $3000 top price at the Jilakin Downs Dorper and White Dorper sale last week at Kulin.

And it wasn't just the quality of the White Dorper ram that impressed Ida Vale principals Tamesha Gardner and Andrew Greenup, who bought from Jilakin Downs principals Sarah and Keith Wilson for the first time.

"We like to support local studs," Ms Gardner said.

"We also liked the different bloodlines."

Andrew Greenup said the ram had good EBVs and with feet and shedding big issues, this ram met the criteria.

The ram was a September 2012-drop and nationally was in the top one per cent for carcase weight and in the top one per cent for post-weaning weight.

In the catalogue, the Wilsons had written that he was one of the best sheep at scanning and a very good shedder.

The $3000 ram's sire was described as a Type 5 ram, calm, long and clean shedding. He is a trait leader in PWT, SRC and carcase.

Ida Vale also bought another White Dorper ram at $950.

It's worth mentioning that the national average for post weaning weight is 8.3 - the Jilakin Downs average for the sale rams was 10.8.

All rams were paddock-raised and there was no supplementary feeding.

Ida Vale also bought the top-priced Dorper ram at $2550. This September 2011-drop ram was in the top one per cent for post-weaning and carcase weights.

In the three Ida Vale studs there are 600 White Dorper stud ewes, 400 Dorper ewes and 500 White Suffolk ewes. The stud also runs 8000 commercial sheep.

The Jilakin Downs sale was a joint-agent event between Elders and Westcoast Livestock, with Dean Hubbard (Elders) and Chris Hartley (Westcoast Livestock) sharing auctioneering duties.

Both said it was a good sale.

The major buyer at the sale was Andrew Freshwater of Freshwater Holdings, Holbrook, NSW, who through a local bidder was successful on 21 rams at $1500, $1000 and the rest at $600 each.

"He bought here two years ago, wants fast-growing rams and finds they perform well," Ms Wilson said.

"He leases several properties and wants to produce free range and organic products."

Woodstock Nominees, of Ravensthorpe, returned to buy nine rams to a $2600 top price, while Carmody Holdings Pty Ltd, of Kulin, bought 10 rams to a $1000 top price.

Kareem Pty Ltd, of Wickepin, bought eight rams to a $850 top while SD, MT & MS Lucchesi, of Kulin, bought six rams to a $650 (2) top.

LR & JS Spencer, of Perenjori, bought five rams to a $1650 top price while BG & VG Smoker, of Kulin, bought eight rams to a $900 top.

Errol Gardiner, of Elders Brunswick-Harvey, bought two Dorper rams at $1000 each on behalf of his wife Debbie, who runs the Wellesley Park Dorper stud at Australind.

Jilakin Downs sale *

Offered *: 139

Sold *: 124

Top *: $3000

Average *: $844

_Under the hammer results _