The African agriculture scene is still abuzz after Saturday’s jaw-dropping event at Hurwitz Farming’s tenth production auction in Davel, Mpumalanga. Cyclone, the mighty Boran Bull, smashed records by fetching a whopping R8 million!
This bull-tastic sale obliterated the previous South African record of R4,4 million for a Bonsmara bull in 2023, crowning Cyclone as the priciest bull of any breed on the continent.
His buyer, Collen Tafireyi of Sinyo Boran Stud in Zimbabwe, acquired Cyclone as part of a programme to develop a livestock herd rivalling the best breeders in the world. To achieve this, Tafireyi has explored global markets in search of elite genetics, ultimately leading him to Mzansi and Hurwitz Farming.
Hurwitz brothers showcase world’s largest Boran herd
Brothers Simeon and Jarren Hurwitz own the world’s largest Boran herd and are regarded globally as leaders in the breed.
Tafireyi explained the unique value of Cyclone as follows: “Cyclone is the progeny of Picasso, which was the greatest of all the Boran bulls. We are going to build the best stud in the world based on the blueprint of Picasso and his genetic lines.”
Cyclone’s R8 million price-tag was achieved through a combination of regional bidders at the auction venue and international bidders participating online using real-time auction platform technology.
Online platforms are a relatively new innovation for the livestock trading industry, which has remained unchanged for over a century. Since the emergence of online livestock trading in South Africa in 2019, its perceived importance in achieving optimum livestock prices has evolved from a “nice-to-have” auction accessory to an “expected essential” of any major auction.
swiftVEE, pioneers of online livestock trading in South Africa and the largest platform in Africa, have led this digital revolution. Their platform has linked regional stakeholders to global networks for elevated exposure, market access, and bidding syndicates, enabling fundamental industry change.
swiftVEE online underbidders contributed to achieving the erstwhile livestock record of R4,4 million in 2023 and surpassing this record when Cyclone sold for R8 million on the auction floor of The Bull Ring.
Commenting on the role of swiftVEE at Hurwitz Farming Auction, founder and CEO Russel Luck said: “swiftVEE digitally connects markets for natural drivers of supply and demand to optimise pricing. All credit goes to Hurwitz Farming and the demand for their elite genetics.
“We are incredibly proud to see our platform extend outside Africa for stakeholders to gain market access and build new farming operations in South Africa. Leading breeders from Australia, like Troy Gayler of Paradise Boran, made a powerful statement of their entry into the South African market using swiftVEE’s online platform. We see significant joint venture opportunities in this area.”
SwiftVEE eyes future growth and digital innovation
When asked about swiftVEE’s future opportunities and early challenges, Luck added: “As transactions increasingly migrate online, our technology will iterate to support this migration.
“Our insurance partners, Kuda, empower our network with unique insurance solutions, including online insurance of game and wildlife. We will be adding additional strategic partners that provide digital solutions for our trading platforms within the agricultural sector and beyond it.
Luck added that a major opportunity where many have feared to tread is connecting underserved markets and the informal economy. He acknowledged that it’s an ambitious and daunting goal but not dissimilar from where they started.
“In 2019, our mission of reinventing agriculture through online technology was met with generous amounts of scepticism. Our success can be attributed to the incredible swiftVEE team and a handful of industry leaders that were visionary enough to embrace digital innovation,” said Luck.
“It should come as no surprise that in the Boran world, the industry leaders that supported us in the early days and believed that the future of African livestock trading would be digital, are the same industry leaders responsible for setting this momentous livestock record.”
Luck said that Simeon and Jarren Hurwitz of Hurwitz Farming, Jessica Phathela of Ntaba Nyoni, and Ben Molotsi all played a major role in taking livestock trading online and reinventing agriculture through technology.
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