By Charl van Rooyen
A ram fetched the highest price of R35 000 at the national Dorper auction held at Bela-Bela on 8 March, while two ewes sold for the highest price of R16 000 each.
The most expensive ram, a type 5 stud ram, was sold by Jimmy and Hettie van Eeden, owners of the Jimmet Dorper stud of Bethal, to Carl and Angie van Heerden of Langkloof Game Farm, Bela-Bela. The ram was described as a fertile, efficient ram that met all the requirements for a stud ram. His dam, 196-019, has an excellent inter-lambing period of 273 days.
A type 4 stud ram also fetched a good price of R25 000. The seller was Izak Nel, owner of Izak Nel Dorpers, Aliwal-Noord, and the buyer was Tweeslag Farming, Brits. A stud ram lamb from Horison Dorpers, Polokwane, managed by Niekie Cilliers, was sold for R20 000 to I.S. Masike of Weltevredenpark.
The average prices for Dorper rams were as follows: Stud ram lambs R14 000, type 3 flock rams R9 000, type 4 stud rams R16 625, type 5 stud rams R26 100.
White Dorper rams sold for the following average prices: Stud ram lambs R8 500, type 3 flock rams R11 600 and type 4 stud rams R13 750.
Dorper ewes
The highest price for a Dorper ewe was R16 000 for a white ewe with a lamb, sold by Horizon White Dorpers to R.J. Mogase of Mabopane.
The average prices for Dorper ewes were: Type 3 flock ewes R5 500, type 4 stud ewes R4 000, type 5 stud ewes R7 400, pregnant type 3 flock ewes R7 125, stud ewes lambs R7 000, pregnant type 4 stud ewes R6 417, pregnant type 5 stud ewes R7 667 and pregnant flock ewes lambs R4 000.
The average price for white Dorper ewes was as follows: Pregnant type 3 flock ewes R5 500, pregnant type 4 stud ewes R7 500, pregnant type 5 stud ewes R8 000 and ewes with lambs R16 000.
A Zimbabwian buyer, M. Mugabe from Bulawayo, bought a pregnant type 4 stud ewes for R9 000 from Izak Nel, two pregnant type 5 stud ewes for R8 000 each from De Klerk Dorpers, Marble Hall, and Izak Nel respectively, a pregnant white type 5 ewe for R8 000 from C.A. da Silva farming (Blydschap Wit Dorpers), Harrismith and a flock ewe lamb for R4 000 from Suidwaaikraal, Willowmore.
The auction was held at the Warmbad Livestock Market. A total of 81 sheep were sold for R807 500. The auction was presented by Vleissentraal Bosveld. Craig le Roux was the auctioneer and Carel Chalmers and Johan Bester were the marketers.
Also read:
Eastern Cape Angora field ram auction exceeds expectations
