Dorset Centurion Sale at Exeter

Friday 14^th April saw the first ram sale of 2023 at Exeter Livestock Centre on behalf of the Centurion Group of Dorset Breeders. An entry of 56 Signet recorded sheep, which attracted 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 ballot, where breeders score their favourite ram. This year it was awarded to a ram lamb from Jeremy Durrant, lot 104 ‘Hydes Franklin’ ZB22:F02550. This ram lamb has a terminal sire index in the top 25% of the breed and went on to top the sale at 1600gns.

Second highest price of the day was 1200gns for Lot 117 (359:E00833) from the Poorton flock. This ram was from a Blackhill sire and a homebred Poorton ewe. This ram had a terminal sire index of 248 and ranked within the top 10% of the breed.

Average ram price was 745gns for the sale.

The Hydes flock also took champion female, lot 144 ZB22:F02633. This ewe lamb was sired by a Huish ram and had a terminal sire index of 288 placing her in the top 5% based on index.

The Gwenffrwd flock had cracking run of females with many of them sitting within the top 5% of the breed based on index, achieving second highest price at 320gns was lot 146, D76:E02346 sired by a homebred ram Gwenffrwd Day Star. Followed by lot 142, ZB22:F02585 from the Hydes flock sold to 320gns.

Average female price was 233gns.

Posted by Laura Eyles on 18 Apr 2023

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.