99th Montana Ram and 11th Montana Ewe Sale Results 

September 12, 2024

On September 11 and 12, Miles City hosted the Montana Ram and Ewe Sales at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds. The offering included over 400 commercial ewes, and 257 rams from consignors across Montana. Buyers hauled sheep home to Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Oregon, Arizona, and across Montana.

The Montana Wool Growers Association would like to extend a big thank you to all buyers and bidders of both sales. Thank you to Lewistown Livestock Inc for clerking and sale management and Sam Fraser of Frontier Productions, LLC, for the online sale hosting. Thank you to our auctioneers, Kyle Shobe and Cole Morrison, for another year of great teamwork from the auction block. 

99th Annual MT Ram Sale (September 12)

A total of 260 bucks were offered and sold, for an overall average of $1,525/hd. The Ram Sale grossed $396,600.

The blackface breeds averaged $924/hd on 39 head. Dawe Suffolks of Big Timber topped the blackface portion of the sale, selling a Suffolk buck for $2,700 to Mike Hoggan of Valiver, MT.   

Rambouillet bucks sold with an overall average of $1233/hd on 48 head. Helle Rambouillet of Dillon had the top lot, a pen of 2, purchased for $2,100 each by Peter Wirtzfeld.

Three South African Meat Merino Cross bucks were offered by Montana Ag. Experiment Station of Bozeman, high seller for $600.

The Targhee sale average was $1765 on 170 head. The high selling ram overall, was a Targhee consigned by Sam Ortmann of Wolf Point, MT. The buck sold for $7500 to Turner Sheep Co. of Wyoming. Two Targhee lots sold for $7,000/hd.

Sale Gross on 260 rams: $396,600.

Rambouillet average on 48 head: $1233.

Blackface Breeds average on 39 head: $924.

SAMM average on 3 head: $400

Targhee ram average on 170 head: $1,765.

11th Annual Montana Ewe Sale (September 11)

A total of 478ewes sold, for an overall average of $410/hd. The ewe sale grossed $169,155.

John and Betty Sampsel of Hughes Newford Co, of Stanford, MT donated a yearling Targhee Ewe to kick off the Ewe Sale. The proceeds from the donation were collected to support legislative efforts.

The Roeder family of Montana Sheep Company topped the sale with a consignment of 10 head of Targhee ewes, selling for $700/hd to Chip Dye of Alzeda, MT. The volume buyer was Bill Schaefer of Hoven, SD.

Whitefaced ewes sold on site averaged $351/hd.

Blackfaced ewes sold on site averaged $650/hd.

Sale Gross on 478 Ewes: $169,155.

Total sale average on all ewes: $410/hd

Whiteface yearling ewe average on 473 head: $351/hd

Blackface ewe lamb average on 5 head: $650/hd

Average on pens of 10: $408/hd

Average on pens of 20: $383/hd

Average on off-site lots: $290/hd

Please plan to attend next years sale The 100th Montana Ram and Ewe Sale.

Source: MWGA, Western Ag Network 

Photo:  Sam Ortmann