A long-term breeding programme to produce rams with longevity and growth from grass at Brotherstone, Melrose, paid off at Malcolm Stewart’s on-farm Sandyknowe Suffolk ram sale where prices peaked at £5000.

The sale, staged the night before the Kelso Ram Sales, also saw a 100% clearance of the 47 rams forward which averaged “I couldn’t be more pleased.” said Malcom. “We could have sold another 10 rams and we had another mini-sale later in the house. It isn’t often that you have 120% sale clearance!” he quipped.

This year’s event attracted around 300 people with prospective purchasers arriving from late morning onwards, from all corners of UK and as far away as Southern Ireland and Germany.

Top price was £5000 paid by Aberdeenshire producers, W and C Ingram, Logie Durno, Pitcaple for Sandyknowe Tweed 18:1. A son of last year’s £2600 Sandyknowe Tweed 17:1. Semen from 18:1 has already been sold to the Ram Compare Scheme.

Sandyknowe Teviot 18:1 sold next at £3800. A son of Sandyknowe Leader 17:1 which made £1600 at the 2018 sale, he sold in a three-way split to C & D Hall, Lilyburn, Penicuik; A Lambie and Sons, Fallhills, Penicuik and N and M Stuart Loanstone Mains, Penicuik.

Charlie and Matt Harding of the Bentley flock from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, also went to £3800 for Sandyknowe Y:13 another by Leader 17:1.

Auctioneer: Scott Lambie