2018 Mated Ewe Sale

The Funke family's 4^th Biennial Bundara Downs White Suffolk & Poll Dorset mated ewe sale at Western Flat, SA last Friday produced an outstanding result.

Overall, in an 89% clearance,177 ewes from 200 offered sold to a top of $2100 and averaged $854, with buyers coming from 5 states. 146 PTIL White Suffolk ewes and ewe lambs averaged $900, while 31 Poll Dorset ewes averaged $637 on their debut into this sale. This was well up on the last sale in 2016, with only White Suffolks offered, but also regarded as being very strong and successful.

Western Australian buyers were particularly prominent accounting for 36% of the sales, plus the strength of bidding through the Auctions Plus network was another very significant feature.

The sale was live streamed though the Auctions Plus network for the first time and the Funke family could not have been any happier with the outcome. There were 15 registered bidders and 32 other followers of the sale logged in on the A+ network. From this 102 lots received A+ bids and 47 lots were purchased by 5 successful bidders based in the 3 eastern mainland states.

This put real and sustained bidding competition and atmosphere into the sale and ensured those who wanted some of the best performance genetics available in the country would have to at least bid fair value. Auctioneer Tony Wetherall was constantly calling, “It’s on the box”, or “It’s in the stands” as bids came from all directions.

The 155 White Suffolks were offered first, commencing with 20 April to June 2017 drop ewe lambs, all PTIL to top sires, including the Funke family’s recent share purchase of the exceptional young performance sire, Woolumbool 173980. With 226 Carcase Plus and 166.7 Lamb Eating Quality indices, when mated over the impressive Bundara Downs ewe lambs, these were enticing genetic packages.

It was one of this draft, BD179891T3w, sired by BD2261 that topped the sale, going for $2100 to Helen Morgan, Millswyn stud, Katandra, Vic who was buying through Elders Shepparton. This sale topper was particularly impressive on phenotype and this was backed up by extreme performance levels including 11.25 for Weaning Weight, 17.67 for Post Weaning Weight and 210.65 for Carcase Plus index. Pregnancy tested in lamb with twins to Woolumbool 173980, the mid parent predicted EBVs of the progeny topped out at an equal highest C+ index for the entire catalogue of 219.

Helen Morgan linked to the sale via phone and bid through Elders stud stock’s Tom Penna. She was a particularly strong bidder on top end ewes, purchasing 16 White Suffolks at a $1119 average. These also included other two lots that also offered the equal highest predicted progeny performance result.

The underbidder on the top priced ewe lamb was Damien Hawker, Omad stud, Kaniva. He kicked the sale off on a top note with a successful bid of $1400 on the first ewe lamb offered, and while missing out on the top priced lot, he purchased four of the ewe lambs at an average of $1050. 15 of the 20 ewe lambs offered found new homes, averaging $923.

It was not until lot 70 that the $2100 high was seriously challenged for the top price honours. A magnificent ewe, BD157682, that headed the 2015 drop offering and described by Steve Funke as, “The perfect example of what we are trying to produce here at Bundara Downs,” impressed all, selling to the second top of $2000. Collyn Garnett, Gnowangerup, WA purchased the ewe for Brenton Addis, Gnowangerup. This was one of three select ewes going this way at a $1400 average.

As with the previous ewe sale in 2016, Western Australian buying support was exceptionally strong. Roy Addis, Landmark’s stud stock officer based at Katanning, organised most of the WA raid, with both Collyn Garnett and Josh Medlen, Williams travelling with him, plus having buying orders for three other clients. Collectively they purchased 59 ewes in this sale, while another four ewes also went to the west through Elders.

Heading Roy Addis’s stable was Luke Ledwith, Kollindale stud, Kulin, with 17 White Suffolk ewes from $600 to $900 and at a great value $712 average. Roy Addis also purchased 10 ewes for Giovi Cattle Co, Beconsfield from $700 to $1400 and right on the White Suffolk average of $900, while Josh Medlen also purchased 10 White Suffolks from $700 to $1200, averaging $960.

Anthony Ferguson assisted the Landmark WA buying orders by successfully bidding on four top ewes for Laurie Fairclough, Stockdale stud, York. He bid to $1450 and averaged $1213.

Bidding via phone through Elders Keith’s Dean Coddington, Harris Thompson, Venturon Livestock, Boyup Brook rounded out the WA White Suffolk buying, also purchasing four very good ewes to $1200 and averaging $988.

Collyn Garnett, after purchasing for Brenton Addis, who manages Collyn’s Curlew Creek Poll Dorset stud, purchased strongly in the first Bundara Downs offering of Poll Dorset ewes. In a satisfying debut result, 31 of the 45 offered sold to $1050 and averaged a great value $637. From these Collyn purchased 15 at a $653 average, marginally above the draft average.

The Auctions Plus network was used by Bundara Downs for the first time, with live streaming of the sale. Coordinated through Alexa Hearn, the system produced exceptionally good activity and competition throughout. From the 47 lots purchased via the network, the Turvey family, Omeo Pastoral Co, Thallon, Qld were the most prominent and were the biggest individual volume buyers overall. They successfully bid on 21 of the White Suffolk ewes, operating between $600 and $900 and averaging $721.

Ben Finch, Elders Broken Hill and operating for Tandalea-Eaglehawk stud was also a strong bidder. After purchasing the top priced ram lamb earlier in the year at the inaugural Bundara Downs summer ram lamb sale, he purchased 12 top White Suffolk ewes, paying from $800 to $1400 and averaging $1079. Other successful bidders through this network were Elders Wagga Wagga (five to $1400), Sara Morgan, Macarthur, Vic (five to $800) and G & T Ellis, Violet Town, Vic (four to $800).

Tim Ferguson, Landmark Ouyen purchased 10 ewes in total, paying up to $1100. Three White Suffolks and four Poll Dorsets were purchased on behalf of his family’s stud operation, LW & JL Ferguson, Hopetoun, plus three White Suffolks account EM McLean, Patchewollock.

Brian Hurley, through Landmark Hamilton paid to the $1050 top Poll Dorset price in his three purchases at a $717 average.

Also putting a floor in the bidding was RG & KA Martin, ‘Ume Valley’ stud, Emu, Vic with eight White Suffolk purchases from $600 to $850 and at a $681 average, buying through FP Nevins & Co.

Flying the flag highest for the home state of South Australia were Mark & Stefan Grossman, Koonawarra stud, Angaston. Bidding selectively on top White Suffolk ewes, they were successful on four from $700 to $1250, but then added eight of the high value Poll Dorset ewes at an average of just $600.

Luke Schreiber, Spence Dix & Co was buying agent for two accounts totalling seven ewes. The most prominent of these was R & CS Rudiger, Karoonda with five top White Suffolk ewes from $900 to the sale’s third top price overall of $1650, averaging $1230.

Tony Wetherall, who auctioneered jointly with Elders south east Livestock manager Laryn Gogel, described the offering as outstanding.

“To present 200 ewes from their two breeds of this quality is an outstanding effort and reflects what the Funke family does really well; presenting a top product at its best, from the start of the sale to the last lot, allowing buyers from all around the country to bid with confidence.”

“When you consider that the predicted mid parent EBVs for all the progeny, except one lot are over 200 on Carcase Plus index, it shows they have presented a terrific genetic package here today,” Tony said.

Bundara Downs senior co-principal Steve Funke said post sale, “It was a huge sale result for us with a couple of firsts in utilising Auctions Plus and offering Poll Dorsets. Really, our biggest success is the results achieved by our clients with progeny from our genetics.

“That was portrayed today in the strong support we received throughout, so we sincerely thank all who purchased for their support,” Steve said.

Agents: Elders Bordertown

Auctioneers: Tony Wetherall & Laryn Gogel