Mountain states host successful ram sales
During the second week of September, both Wyoming and Montana held their respective state ram sales, offering producers some of the best genetics in the West.
97th Annual Wyoming State Ram Sale
The 97th Annual Wyoming State Ram Sale was held on Sept. 9 at the Wyoming State Fairgrounds in Douglas, preceded by a sheep production workshop led by University of Wyoming Extension Sheep Specialist Dr. Whit Stewart and a free reception the day before.
Overall, the sale offered 305 rams, selling 290 head for an average of $1,234.40 per head.
The largest offering in the sale were Rambouillet yearlings, totaling 97 of the 290 head sold and averaging $1,346.13 per head. Targhee yearlings made up the second-highest offering, with 61 head selling for an average $849.34, followed by Suffolk yearlings, of which 39 head sold for an average of $1,775.64.
Additionally, 31 head of Suffolk-Hampshire cross yearlings averaged $1,743.55; four head of Hampshire yearlings averaged $1,187.50; four head of Targhee-Dohne-SAMM yearlings averaged $750; seven head of Columbia yearlings averaged $628.57 and one Ile de France yearling brought $2,500.
The sale also offered several breeds of ram lambs.
Thirty-one Suffolk-Hampshire lambs brought an average of $696.77 per head, while six Suffolk rams sold for an average of $900 per head and two Hampshire lambs brought an average $775 per head.
Two head of Ile de France lambs averaged $1,000 and one Katahdin lamb brought $350.
In addition, three head of certified rams sold for an average of $2,400, and a natural-colored ewe lamb donated by the Camino family of Buffalo brought $500.
100th Annual Montana Ram Sale
Up north in the Treasure State, history was made during the 100th Annual Montana Ram Sale and 12th Annual Montana Ewe Sale, hosted at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds in Miles City, Mont.
Thirty consignors from across Montana offered over 400 head of ewes and 277 head of rams. Buyers hauled sheep home to South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and across Montana.
The milestone 100th Annual Montana Ram Sale was held on Sept. 10, where a total 277 bucks were offered and sold for an overall average of $1,566 per head. Overall, the ram sale grossed $433,825.
The black-faced breeds averaged $1,280 per head on 40 head.
Heart Lazy P of Miles City, Mont. topped the black-faced portion of the sale, selling a Suffolk-Hampshire cross buck for $3,000 to Little Ranch of Leiter.
Rambouillet bucks sold with an overall average of $1,605 per head on 47 head. Helle Rambouillet of Dillon, Mont. topped the Rambouillet portion of the sale, selling a pair of Rambouillet-Merino cross bucks for $6,200 to Peter Wirtzfeld of Sentinel Butte, N.D.
Three South African-Meat Merino cross bucks were offered by the Montana Ag Experiment Station of Bozeman, Mont., and the high seller sold for $800.
Four Columbia bucks were offered by Gasvoda Columbias of Big Sandy, Mont., averaging $300.
The Targhee sale average was $1,670 on 182 head.
The overall high-selling ram was a Targhee consigned by Montana Sheep Company of Fort Shaw, Mont. The buck sold for $8,500 to Dennis Voss of Two Dot, Mont. Two Targhee lots sold for $8,500 per head.
12th Annual Montana Ewe Sale
On Sept. 10, a total 413 ewes sold for an overall average of $410 per head during the 12th Annual Montana Ewe Sale, which grossed $169,125.
John and Betty Sampsel of Hughes Newford in Stanford, Mont. donated a yearling Targhee ewe to kick off the sale. The proceeds from the donation were collected to support legislative efforts.
Montana Sheep Company and Michelle Hersrud topped the ewe sale with a consignment of 10 head each of Targhee ewes, selling for $600 per head to Jeff Clark of Whitewood, S.D. and Brad Boner of Glenrock.
The volume buyer was Bill Schaefer from Hoven, S.D.
During the sale, white-faced ewes sold onsite averaged $408 per head and black-faced ewes sold onsite averaged $525 per head.
Off-site sales averaged $285 per head.
The average for pens of 10 was $463 per head, while the average on pens of 20 was $434 per head.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
