SELLING six head of sheep for a grand total of $78,000 isn't a bad day's work, particularly when one ram alone makes a record breaking $45,000.

This new Australian record – which eclipses the $41,000 record set at the 2006 Dubbo national for Red Rock A46 – was set by the two-time national champion ram Terraweena 9239 Loftus.

Loftus – the only Dorper or White Dorper ram to win back-to-back Australian national championships (in 2010-11) – was offered for sale in the Burnett-Smith family's stage one stud flock dispersal, with stage two on February 8 and stage three in September, said stud manager Angus Burnett-Smith.

Mr Burnett-Smith, who runs a farm at Delungra,operates the stud with his wife Lara and his parents Celia and Geof, who are based at Cambooya in Queensland.

The group of six White Dorpers, including Loftus, were sold to Brazilian Dr Carlos Raul Consonni, who runs the Fazenda Bonfim farm in Bonfim Paulista, Sao Paulo.

Dr Consonni was a manufacturer of automotive parts who had decided to expand his agricultural interests,said Mr Burnett-Smith.

Also among his purchases were the sire Terraweena 7091 Stefaans, which he bought for $12,000; the 2011 national champion White Dorper ewe for which he broke another national record at $7000 (the previous record was $6750 for an Amarula ewe set in 2011), and the 2009 national champion ewe for $5000.

Loftus had also broken a record at Terraweena's 2011 on-property sale in October at $170 per semen straw.

The shipment of six animals has already entered quarantine and is expected to leave for Brazil in the coming months.

Mr Burnett-Smith Loftus attracted about eight tenders, several of which were close to the top money.

From six rams and 450 ewes offered in the first stage, two rams and 80 ewes sold, with the remainder to be re-offered in stage two.

© 2012 The Land

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