Dorset Centurion Sale at Exeter Livestock Centre

Friday 8^th April saw the first ram sale of 2022 at Exeter Livestock Centre on behalf of the Centurion Group of Dorset Breeders. An entry of 61 Signet recorded sheep, which sold to buyers from across the UK.

The sale was preceded by the “Centurion ram of the year event” when the best ram presented at the sale is chosen by secret ballot where breeders nominate their favourite ram. This year it was awarded to ram lamb bred by the Rossiter family, lot 30 A26:E22297. Sired by a homebred Huish ram (A26:D020292) and out of a Huish ewe (A26:B16575). This ram lamb had the highest terminal sire index from the Huish flock at 227, with an excellent scan weight EBV 9.85. This ram lamb later topped the sale for 1800gns.

Second highest price of the day was 1000gns for Lot 34 (395:D00452) from the Poorton flock, he was knocked down to Alderson. This ram was from a homebred sire, Poorton Brigadier and a Poorton ewe. This ram had a terminal sire index of 265 and maternal index of 218.

Average ram price was 646gns for the sale, with more than 70% sold on the day.

A clean sweep in the female judging with Hydes Dorsets from Essex, taking home 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place with a trio of ewe lambs. These high index females were from Jeremey Durrant selling at 450,300 & 250gns. This top prize female (ZB22:E01857) was sired by Blackhill Bart out of a Sherborne (990:B05857) ewe.

Posted by Laura Eyles on 20 Jun 2022

News, Events, Sale Reports, Sheep

About the author

Laura Eyles

Laura has joined the Signet team as a breeding specialist, she comes from an agricultural background having grown up on a sheep farm in Cornwall, where they keep commercial ewes and run a small flock of pedigree Charollais sheep.

Laura has a strong interest in animal breeding and genetics having studied Animal Science (BSc Hons) at Harper Adams University. During her time at Harper, she spent an industrial placement in Cumbria working for a sheep breeding company and some of our clients may recognise her from this role. Since graduating she has worked for a large cattle breeding company before joining us at Signet to lead on a number of Signet’s sheep breeding projects.