Average prices were up by $47 from last year at the second annual on-property sale at the Blechynden family's Southdale White Suffolk stud, Brookton, this week.
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This came with eight more rams offered, taking the total to 80.
Of these, 74 were sold under the Nutrien Livestock hammer of Mark Warren for an average price of $1168 and top of $1600 - paid twice, for rams bought by Glencoe Farm, Katanning and Shane Blechynden's Blechynden Farming Enterprises, east Pingelly.
The ram bought by Glencoe Farm's Jason and Julene Cronin weighed a massive 117.5 kilograms and was reared as a single in the Days bloodline.
It had impressive Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV) for weaning weight of 10.11, post-weaning weight of 14.89 and a negative PFAT value of -1.04.
The Cronins run 2000 breeding ewes, with half mated to White Suffolks for prime lamb and half to Merinos for wool production.
This is to diversify income and they crop about 800 hectares of their 1400ha property between Katanning and Dumbleyung.
Mr Cronin said his confidence in farming was quite high and this contributed to his purchasing of the top-priced ram and another two sires each weighing more than 100kg for $1300 and $1100.
"Our crops and pastures are looking good and we are expecting average grain yields this year," Mr Cronin said.
"We got good early rain in March and we are expecting more to come through this week to help with finishing."
The Cronins will send their first consignment of sucker lambs to market next week after hitting target dressed weights of 21-22 kilograms and higher.
"I am not overly impressed by lamb prices at present, but I need to keep in perspective that it is only one year out of many good years," Mr Cronin said.
"I am not happy the State government is causing so much uncertainty and loss of confidence in the sheep meat sector."
Mr Cronin said he selected the top-priced Southdale ram for its excellent frame, good growth rate for age data and for not being too wide in the shoulders.
"We want an easy lambing, so the shoulder structure is important to us," he said.
"We go for a nice long body, not too square in the shoulders and good early growth rates."
Shane and Rochelle Blechynden's top price purchase was out of the Days bloodline and weighed 92.5kg.
It had ASBV scores of plus 0.25 for birthweight, plus 17.15 for post-weaning weight and a PFAT score of -0.31.
Mr Blechynden bought five rams under the hammer for an average price of $1120.
He said the top-priced ram appealed to him because of its good ASBV combined index figures, high eye muscle depth and positive fat index.
He runs 4000 Merino ewes, of which 1000 are mated to White Suffolks for prime lamb production and the remainder to Merinos for wool.
His family property is 2400ha, of which 1200ha is cropped and going well this year.
Mr Blechynden said he lambed from April 1 and sold progeny at 45kg liveweight.
"Prices for lamb are depressing, but we need to keep doing what we have been doing well and things will eventually turn around," Mr Blechynden said.
"I still have confidence in the lamb market and sent off my first consignment to Walsh's today at 45kg plus."
JG & RJ Matthews, Perth, was a volume Southdale ram buyer this year, taking home a team of 13 sold under the hammer for an average price of $1238.
Miarunging Estate, Brookton, was another volume buyer with 15 rams sold under the hammer to average $1086.
K & E Fairhead and Son, east Pingelly, took home four rams to a top price of $1500 (paid three times) and average of $1325.
DS & NJ Morrison, Brookton, bought a team of 10 rams for an average of $900 and top of $1100.
CMC & LDB Farming, Brookton, paid $1400 for a ram weighing an impressive 119kg and another two for $1400 that were only slightly smaller at 104.5kg and 95kg.
Southdale stud principal Toby Blechynden said he was very happy with the sale result.
"We were a bit uncertain about what might happen given the sheep market situation," Mr Blechynden said.
"But there was plenty of confidence around the pens and our average prices were marginally higher than last year, despite a bigger offering of 80 sires."
Mr Blechynden said he was going to South Australia next week to look at new White Suffolk genetics as part of an overall aim to keep improving the stud for its clients.
"South Australia has more genetic history and depth and we want to improve all our key ASBVs by taking advantage of the best of the best," Mr Blechynden said.
"We want to be breeding a good all-round sheep with good ASBV figures, especially for eye muscle area, post-weaning weight and fat content."
Mr Blechynden said all rams offered this week were in top condition given the good seasonal conditions in the local area, coupled with excellent genetics.
"The feed here has been great after good March rains," he said.
"Crops and pastures have held on well and we are expecting more rain this week."
Lot 25 of the Southdale White Suffolk ram sale sold for $1300 to JG & RJ Matthews and proceeds were donated by the Blechyndens to MoBro, a men's health initiative that has raised $125,000 in the past three years.
Another $400 was donated to this cause from an auction of feed pellets.
