8 August 2023

By: Charl van Rooyen

Don’t be fixated on record prices – breeders who buy cheaper bulls are just as important.

While exceptional prices are welcome, a stud breeder should aim to breed a large quantity of excellent bulls that will suit all farmers’ budgets.

Kobus Poggenpoel, who owns the Poggenpoel Molopo Bonsmara stud between Mareetsane and Stella with his sons, Phillip and Kobus Junior, told Landbouweekblad after their production auction in Stella that despite the few high prices achieved, there was something for everyone.

“Every breeder who wanted to buy a bull with good genetics could do so. It is precisely the breeders who buy cheaper bulls that support us through thick and thin. We need them.”

Standout prices

Altogether, 82 bulls were sold for an average price of R161,768:

• 21 bulls for between R50,000 and R100,000;
• 30 bulls for R100,000 to R150,000;
• 21 bulls for R150,000 to R200,000; and
• 3 bulls for R200,000 to R250,000.

Two bulls sold for R300,000 each, and one each for R320,000, R380,000, R550,000 and R750,000, while an exceptional bull, BBM 17-0305, sold for R1 million. The buyer was Sebadja Bonsmaras from Roedtan, which belongs to three partners.

Christoff Smit, who bid on behalf of the partnership, said he attended the auction exclusively to buy the bull, due to its conformation and correctness. 

The partners have bred Bonsmaras for about 12 years and hold their own production auction annually. This year’s sale takes place on August 11 at Smallepad farm in Roedtan.

Poggenpoel Molopo Bonsmaras achieved a South African record price of R2.1 million for a bull last year.

All cattle sold

All the cattle at the latest auction were sold. In addition to the bulls, four pregnant stud cows with calves averaged R123,750 (highest price R170,000); one stud cow with a calf sold for R65,000; five pregnant stud cows averaged R79,000 (highest price R110,000); and two stud heifers averaged R85,000 (highest price R90,000).

The Poggenpoel family also sold excellent commercial Bonsmaras. Altogether, 27 cows with calves averaged R26,259 (highest price R27,000); 49 pregnant cows with calves averaged R30,490 (highest price R32,000); and 90 pregnant heifers averaged R22,644 (highest price R26,000).

The auctioneer was Johan van der Nest and the auction house was Noordkaap Livestock. SwiftVee handled the online auction.