Photo: Facebook | Piet du Toit Wildbedryf
According to Colin Engelbrecht, president of Wildlife Ranching South Africa, the bull was currently the biggest buffalo in South Africa.
He further said that the purchase was an investment in outstanding genetics.
“Say, for instance, the bull is put to a herd of 40 buffalo cows that are worth R100 000 each, with a harvest of 40 calves annually, the owners will be able to realise a full return on investment in five years’ time. Incidentally, we have 3 250 buffalo breeders in the country,” he added.
Engelbrecht said Magic had the potential to genetically contribute to the first 60-inch buffalo bull in the country.
“In light thereof, it was a well thought out and wise investment from the buyers’ side.
“The South African game industry is improving markedly after a few challenging years, with the COVID-19 pandemic [which saw a drop in tourism] and extreme droughts. The demand for animals to [increase herd] numbers is picking up significantly.”
The buffalo breeding industry in South Africa is well-controlled with responsible participants in the value chain, Engelbrecht said.
Breeders and buyers were also subject to very strict official rules and regulations as far as biosecurity was concerned in order to prevent the spread of diseases, such as corridor disease, tuberculosis and brucellosis.
@farmersweeklysa A buffalo bull, Magic, with 56-inch horns, was sold for R22 million at the Piet du Toit wildlife auction in North West on Saturday.##FarmersWeeklySA #farmtok #agriculturetiktok #auction #gameauction #buffalo #northwest #genetics ♬ original sound – Farmer’s Weekly SA
