The most expensive cow ever sold at auction is a three-year-old Brazilian cow priced at US$4 million (about R75 million), according to Guinness World Records.
The cow, weighing one hundred kilograms, or twice the weight of an ordinary adult of this breed, brought in three times the previous record price. The Zebu breed, a subspecies that originated in India and is recognized for its characteristic hump and dewlap, accounted for 80% of the cattle in Brazil; however, the Nelore type was bred for meat rather than milk.
Brazil's economy mostly derives from the livestock sector, and the government is actively pursuing expansion into other export markets. Brazil, the biggest supplier of beef in the world, wants its meat to be consumed by everyone, everywhere, according to the AP. The farm in the state of Minas Gerais near Uberaba was home to Viatina-19, who was under regular observation from surveillance cameras, a veterinarian, and a 24-hour armed guard.
Along the state's highway, the owners put up two billboards showcasing the cow, drawing in both inquisitive onlookers and busloads of veterinary students anxious to see this "super cow." According to the AP, years of work to "raise meatier cows" in Brazil produced Viatina-19.
The nation's prize winners are offered for sale in high-stakes auctions, where rich ranchers share ownership of the winning bids. To make embryos and implant them in surrogate cows in the hopes of producing the next amazing specimens, they remove the eggs and semen from champion animals, according to the AP. The cow's remarkable price was determined by "how quickly she put on vast amounts of muscle, [...] her fertility and, crucially, how often she has passed those characteristics to her offspring," according to local veterinarian Lorrany Martins. Additionally, posture, strong hooves, docility, motherly abilities, and beauty are valued by breeders.
According to the report, those who are keen to improve the genetic makeup of their cattle spend about US$ 250,000 [R4,7 million] for the chance to obtain Viatina-19's egg cells. Genetic resources and biotechnology specialist João Henrique Moreira Viana of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation said that Brazil was leading the globe in vitro fertilization and that it was the US and Brazil together that were leading the way in cow genetics. Additionally, Viatina-19 has won other titles, such as "Miss South America" at the US competition "Champion of the World," held in Fort Worth, Texas. This competition is a bovine equivalent of Miss Universe, with cows and bulls from all over the world vying for top honors.
