Agriculture
18 October, 2023
David matches top price for second year
HAMILTON farmer David Moyle has paid top price at Derby Downs Poll Dorset Stud ram sale for a second year. He paid top price of $3600 at the Marong auction and picked up another six rams in the offering of 84 that achieved a sale average of...
HAMILTON farmer David Moyle has paid top price at Derby Downs Poll Dorset Stud ram sale for a second year.
He paid top price of $3600 at the Marong auction and picked up another six rams in the offering of 84 that achieved a sale average of $1127.12.
The Randall Park farm owner paid the same top price last year when he purchased six rams.
David said the 2023 top price ram had a good barrel and eye muscle.
“He was the best ram in the auction and I had to have him,” David said.
“We find the Derby Downs rams are good doing sheep and that’s why we keep coming back. We have been buying here for seven or eight eights now.”
While the sale average was down, stud principal Don McKinnon said he was pleased with the overall prices considering current market challenges.
“I would have liked a better clearance but that is understandable,” he said. Auctioneers sold 59 of the 84 rams offered.
“We were missing a number of volume buyers this year, particularly from the Ballarat and Mildura areas but they are expected to return in 2024,” Don said.
He said the stud had overcome challenges after October’s floods and the warmer summer.
“We used a new drench to combat worms and the rams did very well after that together with being given a balanced diet that included supple day,” Don said.
Loddon farmers were again well represented at the sale.
Chris Nevins, of FP Nevins and Co, purchased 19 rams for them, all repeat buyers at Derby Downs.
“They are good rams and all our clients have been buying here for 10 and 15 years,” he said.
“They are happy with the progeny and for that reason happy to continue buying rams at from the local Derby Downs stud,” the veteran stock agent said after the auction.