Sparks flew once again at the 12th Hurwitz Boran production auction, where top genetics commanded strong prices, including R2 million for the bull Madiba and R1.8 million for the cow Jasmine and her calf.
By Johan Norval
True to the Hurwitz Boran brand, the sparks flew once again at the 12th production auction of Simeon and Jarren Hurwitz, held at the Bull Ring at Davel on 1 August. The prices achieved for the bull Madiba and the cow Jasmine, both from the Jumbo breeding line, were among the highlights of the auction.
Despite the exceptional prices achieved by these two animals, Gareth Hughes of Simon Hughes Marketing (SHM) described the auction as balanced, with cattle available across various price ranges.
The seven bulls on offer sold for between R130 000 and R2 million, with lot 10, BH 210147 Hurwitz, achieving the highest price. The R2 million bid went to Annalea van Niekerk, stud manager of Green Valley Boran, owned by Paul and Tia de Wet. Van Niekerk confirmed after the auction that the purchase was her contribution to the stud.
De Wet registered the stud in 2022 on the farm Honingkloof near Kestell in the Free State. His company, the PEC Group, previously operated a large Bonsmara herd before switching to Borans. Van Niekerk is planning the stud’s first production auction for February 2027. The stud’s first Borans were offered publicly in 2025 at the Boran Heifer sale and the Hurwitz and Friends auction.
BH 210147 Madiba is descended from Jumbo, who was sold in 2022 to the Cuturi family, owners of the Mutanda farm, for a record price of R2.3 million.
Twelve semen straws from TLM 040578 Eros, one of the most famous sires in the Boran industry and descending from Kenyan breeding material, were sold at R4 000 per straw. Semen from this bull had previously traded for several thousand rand more per straw.
The buyer was Sitembile Mankahla, a newcomer to the breed who is registered with the society under Dark Horse Investments. Mankahla, from Bloemfontein, operates his stud on the farm Keerom near Brandfort. He also bought BH 210565 Kijima, a bull descended from the stud sire Horizon, for R130 000.
The most expensive female was BH 180533 Jasmine, a 3-in-1 cow that was sold with her calf, BH 250432, for R1.8 million to Conrad Hollenbach of Groblersdal in Limpopo. Hollenbach is one of the Hurwitz brothers’ most loyal supporters and also bought the bull Omega and other Hurwitz bulls in 2025, paying R850 000 for Omega.
According to Hollenbach, the high prices paid for quality breeding material are justified to accelerate genetic progress in his stud.
According to figures from the Meerkat platform, the average price of pregnant heifers was R144 286, 3-in-1 cows averaged R481 250, cows with calves R202 000 and pregnant cows R145 000. The average price of the bulls was R557 143.
The auction was presented by Simon Hughes Marketing in collaboration with the SwiftVEE and Meerkat platforms. Johan van der Nest was the auctioneer.
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