CHROME Sheep Stud’s 12th Summer Ram sale exceeded Matt and Tanya Tonissen’s expectations given the industry’s current climate.

Repeat buyers, as well as some strong support from new clients saw a solid overall clearance rate of 80 per cent at the sale on Monday, offering 298 rams and selling 239.

Chrome’s feature breed, Chromedales, established in 2004, from individually selected ewes with emphasis on fertility and type, have been ticking the boxes according to Matt.

“The Chromedales have been doing a great job as self-replacing prime lamb dams for our clients and the confidence in the breed can be seen with (Monday’s) sale result of 100 per cent clearance,” he said.

Chrome offered 106 Chromedale rams which averaged $1875 and reached a top of $2800.

The top-priced ram was Lot 88 sold at $2800 to a long-term clients Barry and Karen Hammat (Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, SA); the Chromedale ram’s ASBVs were WWT 9.3, PWWT 13.4, PEMD 2.4, WR 0.21, MCP+ 155.

There was a robust demand for the ICON Poll Dorsets with 100 per cent clearance and the ICON 25s backing them up with an 89 per cent clearance.

Top priced terminal ram was ICON Southie Lot 173 sold at $2400 purchased by R and J Toleman (Coleraine).

The ICON Southie ram’s ASBVs were BWT 0.2, WWT 7.3, PWT 11.4, Pfat -0.2, PEMD 1.4, TCP 124.

The volume buyers of the sale were DCF Marine (Karabeal) purchasing a total of 20 rams (19 Maternals & 1 ICON Southie) and Vinebanks (Broadwater) purchasing 18 Chromedales.