This year’s Stanbic Bank Livestock Auction had the best pedigree animals, an indication of a bright outlook for the livestock sector in Zambia, said Herd Book Society of Zambia chairman Quentin Cantlay.

The seventh annual Stanbic Bank Livestock Auction was held over the weekend at the Lusaka show grounds.

The highest price at the auction – K82 000 – was paid for Bonsmara bull ZM11134, from the Alexwill Bonsmara Stud near Kalomo. It is owned by Graham and Kitty Mulders. The buyer was David Ngandu from Mkushi.

This years’ auction offered Boran, Bonsmara, Brahman, Santa Getrudis, Simmental and Tuli cattle, as well as Boergoats and Dorpers in the small-stock category.

The auction was attended by Livestock and Fisheries Minister Michael Katambo, who called for the introduction of superior breeds to speed up the pace of development of the livestock sector.

He also reiterated government’s drive to promote artificial reproduction centers countrywide as a major driver for development.

“These measures should quickly translate into greater livestock supply, and put Zambia in a position to export surplus, bolstering incomes of producers,” he said.

Stanbic chairperson Austin Mwape said sponsorship of the annual livestock auction is closely aligned to government’s economic diversification through agriculture.

“Investing heavily in supporting agribusinesses is one dimension, the sponsorship of the annual livestock auction is another, and the recent facilitation of a national strategic session in growing the livestock sector, done in partnership with the University of Africa, is another vivid example of the many areas of the bank’s support aligned to government’s diversification of the economy through agriculture,” Mwape said.

The turnover of the action is still being finalized. The auctioneer was Barry Purdham and the auction was presented by Stanbic Bank and the Herd Book Society of Zambia.