The straws, from the bull BOS 18 849, were sold by Bos Blanco Beefmasters, owned by BW Staal in Kroonstad, to Super Pro Dairy, Kenton-on-Sea, Eastern Cape.
According to Ian Grobbelaar, stud auctioneer and head of national auctions at Vleissentraal, the sale underpinned South African beef cattle producers’ commitment to the breeding of superior animals and, ultimately, providing the market with beef of outstanding quality.
Grobbelaar, who acted as auctioneer at the national sale, told Farmer’s Weekly: “The commitment to top-class genetics by local producers has resulted in the South African beef cattle industry being recognised as among the best in the world. This also gives local consumers access to top-class beef products.”
Dr Japie van der Westhuizen, general manager of SA Studbook, said that, as in any other business, the recent record prices paid for beef cattle genetics, such as R4,4 million for a Bonsmara bull, depended on supply and demand.
“Prices are also often driven by rarity factors, such as scarce and highly sought-after bloodlines. The objective of stud breeders differs from those of commercial breeders in the sense that the stud industry is aimed at the breeding of high-value progeny,” he said.
Super Pro Dairy went on to acquire a further 10 semen straws from the Bos Blanco bull BOS 14 4451 at R19 000 each, while Janmarck Beefmasters from Bethlehem purchased 10 straws from BOS 13 3097, also at R19 000 each.
