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On 3 August this year, a Boran bull named Cyclone BH 18 749 made history at the Hurwitz Farming 10th production auction held at the Bull Ring in Davel, Mpumalanga. Cyclone was sold for an incredible R8 million, setting a new record for the highest price paid for a bull in South Africa.
The buyer of the bull is Collen Tafireyi, the owner of Sinyo Boran Stud in Zimbabwe. Tafireyi started his Boran stud in 2021 and bought most of his foundation Boran cattle at Hurwitz Farming. He liked Cyclone from the moment he first saw him on a visit to Hurwitz Farming. Tafireyi initially wanted to purchase Cyclone eight months ago, but the bull was not available at the time. When Cyclone was finally put up for auction at the sale, Tafireyi made a generous offer.
Tafireyi had a successful embryo transfer programme using semen from Picasso, which he bought for a record price from Hurwitz Farming at its production auction in August last year. Since then, he always wanted to own a Picasso son. “It is not about the price. It is about getting what I want and building the stud of my dreams.” He explained that he would continue to support the Hurwitz brothers because he always trusted their way of farming. “Hurwitz Farming is a role-model for us.”
Read more about Boran SA’s recent national auction here.
Simeon Hurwitz, co-owner of Hurwitz Farming with his brother Jarren, said their annual production auction is always a highlight of the year. However, the 10th production auction turned out to be phenomenal. It “super-exceeded all expectations”. Hurwitz said they are humbled by the prices the cattle achieved and the milestones they’ve set.
Johan van der Nest, an independent auctioneer, said he felt privileged to be part of an auction such as this. Van der Nest praised the quality of genetics on display, describing it as “immaculate”. “I wondered if there would be a dip in quality somewhere, but it only gets better each time”. His advice to Boran breeders is to focus on performance figures, examine maternal lines and continue building on their efforts. Success, he believes, will follow naturally. – Louise Lemmer, Plaas Media.
