Hobson & Co held the annual EP Dorper Club Ram and Ewe Sale in conjunction with the EP Boergoat Veld ram Sale in Graaff Reinet on Wednesday 22nd January.
103 buyers registered for the sale held in sweltering hot conditions and competition was good for all lots, except white Dorper ewes where there was no demand.
The 58 Boergoat rams were first under the hammer of well known stud stock auctioneer Brandon Leer (who incidentally sold the R40 000000 buffalo last year).
There was a 100% clearance of rams with an average of R4344 per ram being achieved.
Elizna Nel of Grahamstown sold Lot5 for the highest price (R14000) to Anton Greefff of Uitenhage. Richard Biggs sold the only other ram for more than R10000, lot 26 for R10250.
The offering was good considering the drought and only 58 rams were offered from an initial intake of 170 rams which were entered into the program.
The Dorper ewes sold exceptionally well even with the popularity of Merinos at this stage. Ben van de Westhuizen sold 20 ewes for an average price of R4900 each, all of which were sold to Nico Clasen of Willowmore. The 56 Dorper ewes averaged R3340 and unfortunately there was absolutely no interest in the white Dorper ewes.
122 Dorper rams consisting of 92 Dorper and 30 White Dorper rams were offered. Only 2 rams were not sold of a very strong string of rams. The screening was very strict with only 1 Type 5 ram and 44 stud rams being selected from the group.
Leroy Phillips of Molteno had an outstanding sale averaging R13142 for his 7 rams as well as selling the top priced ram (lot5), the only Type5 for R24000 to Mr JJ Mocke from Beaufort West.
Mickey Phillips averaged R10400 for his 5 rams and sold lot17 to the Morris Slater Trust from Steytlerville for R20000.
The 91 Dorper rams averaged R6405 and the 29 white Dorper rams averaged R4188.
Russell Hobson of the auctioneers Hobson&Co said he was delighted with the outcome of the sale and the interest shown in both breeds which were developed to utilize the harsher regions of the country. The quality was also outstanding which bodes well for the future.
The next stud auction to be held by Hobson & Co is the Mickey Phillips prestige Dorper auction and the Quattro Boergoat auction in Tarkastad on 12 February.
