Bonsmara prices explode

All the hype before the Hartebeestloop Bonsmara stud auction proved to be justified as one specific bull fetched half a million dollars, breaking all previous records for Bonsmara stud in particular, and for cattle in general.
Earlier this month, Agra described the auction as phenomenal saying it has rewritten the auction record books.
Hartebeestloop owner, Dr Joggie Briedenhann said before the auction “There is no reserve price today”, not realising that at the end of that day, one of his prized stud bulls would have broken all stud auction records.
“We are in the market to sell, to grow the Bonsmara breed and the livestock industry as a whole,” said Briedenhann. Shortly afterwards, auctioneer Deon Klopper closed the bid for the fourth lot on N$500,000 and Mr. Christo Botha of Maracay Investments became the proud owner of the most expensive Bonsmara bull ever.
Hartebeestloop Bonsmaras sold 41 bulls at an average N$94,317. The total turnover of the auction of N$5,6million was also above expectation.
The total offer of 53 bulls were sold for an average N$83,018. The other bulls came from guest sellers, Edward Hansen of Emok Bonsmaras, Ben and Corlia Mouton of Wagner Bonsmaras, A Smith of VSV Enterprises and Streicher and Hella Coetzee of Hochfeldstreek Bonsmaras.
Six more Hartebeestloop bulls were sold for more than N$100,000, with Streicher Coetzee paying the second highest price of the day of N$340,000 and Tauana Bonsmaras paying N$320,000 for a bull. R Haikali bought a bull for N$220,000, VJ Mungunda for N$190,000 and EW Erni for N$110,000.
The cow and calf achieving the highest price of N$24,000 was from Hochfeldstreek Bonsmaras, sold to SJ Briedenhann while VJ Mungunda paid the highest price of N$25,000 each for two heifers from Emok Bonsmaras and a further N$24,000 also for two heifers from Emok Bonsmaras.
In total, 12 cows were sold for an average N$14,958 while another 43 cows with calves were sold for an average N$14,290 and 39 heifers for an average N$10,435.
Barry Symons, a farmer from South Africa with 38 years of experience in cattle farming, who now mentors young cattle farmers, presented a humorous but insightful lecture on the topic: “The management of cattle herds all boils down to 21 days”.
Professor Willie Esterhuyse, former Professor in philosophy and business ethics at Stellenbosch University; author of several academic publications on philosophy and socio-politics, and the winner of several awards, gave some food for thought in his presentation titled “We charm and farm in Africa, and boy, are we loving it.”