5 February 2024
A Brahman bull, Nedibest Maddox WIL 17-228, achieved the highest price of R550 000 at the first production auction hosted by Louma Farming’s Nedibest Brahman stud in Thabazimbi, Limpopo.
Lourens du Plessis recently completed the auction complex on one of his farms. It is purpose-built with enough seating for hundreds of people, a kitchen, bathrooms and holding pens, all under cover.
Like the rest of his farm, it is equipped with solar power and he reassured buyers before the auction: “There will be no load-shedding to interrupt us.”
Du Plessis was surprised by the large turnout of interested parties. Buyers came from all over the country and Botswana. It was his first production auction after purchasing the Nedibest stud in 2019 from breeder Willie Becker.
Maddox was one of 11 bulls auctioned. The average bull price was R104 273. A total of nine cows with calves averaged R61 333. The highest price was R160 000 for WIL 18-315, acquired by Keerom Brahmans from Thabazimbi.
Four pregnant cows were traded, averaging R44 500. MBS Brahmans from Bela-Bela paid the highest price – R70 000 – for WIL 17-162.
Eight pregnant cows with calves (3-in-1) averaged R88 750. The most expensive was WIL 18-295, fetching R180 000. It was also purchased by Keerom Brahmans.
A total of 26 pregnant heifers were sold for an average of R43 423. The highest price was for WIL 21-606, sold for R85 000 to 2L Brahmans from Tzaneen.
Two open heifers averaged R31 000, with the most expensive, WIL 22-660, selling for R32 000 to CVS Farming from Vereeniging. Three heifers that had already been with the bull averaged R48 333. The highest price was R65 000 for WIL 22-656, picked up by Keerom Brahmans. Linde du Plessis’s Brandwater Farming from Fouriesburg paid the highest price of R400 per straw for semen from BOS 13-131.
Lourens also had two guest sellers, Gerdia Brahmans and Zwarthoek Farming. The auction was conducted by Vleissentraal Bosveld, Meerkat handled the online section and the auctioneer was Johan van der Nest.
