Strong Demand for all Classes at Choteau Sheep Expo

November 2004 -- The 20th Annual Choteau Sheep Sale on Sept. 11, 2004, in Choteau, Mont., had one of the most successful sales in recent memory. More than 90 percent of the consigned sheep found new homes. There was a strong demand for all classes, with rams being particularly in demand.

Sale averages were:
15 - Yearling Rams - $317
2 - Aged Rams - $250
29 - Ram Lambs - $227
4 - Yearling Ewes - $208
12 - Aged Ewes - $158
43 - Ewe Lambs - $153

Jones Ranch Rambouillets of Conrad and McKay Suffolks of Ulm shared the honors of having the high-selling yearling rams at $400 each. The Jones? rams went to Clint Wearley of Augusta and the McKay?s Suffolks ram to Don Higgins of Chinook. Jones Ranch also had a ram, at $375, which went to the Wearleys of Augusta.

Other transactions included:
? Roger King, Augusta, three yearling Targhee rams at $350 each, that sold to Richard Haxton of Melstone, Doug Johnson of Fort Benton and Gerald Burner of Conrad;
? McKay Suffolks, sold a Suffolk yearling ram, at $350, to Fish Kreek Ranch of Whitehall;
? McKay Suffolks, a $350 ram lamb to Don Higgins of Chinook;
? Frank Suffolks, Joliet two ram lambs at $300 each, one to Lisa Toth of Havre and the other to William Preeshl of Chinook;
? Doug Hitch of Hobson, a ram lamb at $275 to Mike Hoggan of Valier;
? Gene Langus, Big Timber, a ram lamb at $270 to James Eller of Sun River;
? In the special Stud Ewe sale, McKay Suffolks had the top entry at $300, which went to Robin Smith of Whitehall;
? Tim Stutzman, Sunnyside Hampshires of Kalispell, had the high-selling aged Hampshire ewe at $290, purchased by Chi McCuin of Valier;
? D Bar B Ranch of Charlo had the top ewe lamb at $250, purchased by Chi McCuin of Valier;
? Gayle Lucas of Prairie Rose Suffolks of Phillipsburg had a ewe lamb at $240, which sold to Peter Dunne of Florence;
? Mike Hoggan of Valier sold four Suffolk ewe lambs for $200 each; 
? Doug Hitch, sold a Columbia ewe lamb at $190;
? Volume ewe buyers were 2 Kill Cattle Co. of Chinook and the Beaverslide Sheep Co. of Dupuyer.