The bull that fetched the highest price at auction was lot 6 and sold for a hefty R200,000. The average across the 34 bulls on offer was R66,800, in comparison to R42,000 in 2015 and R38,000 in 2014.
Three in one cows sold at an average of R17,000 with the highest price at R18,000. Cows and heifers that are heavily pregnant or with small calves sold at an average of R16,220 with the highest price at R18,800. Cows three to five months pregnant sold at an average of R13,800 – with the highest price at R16,500. Non-pregnant heifers sold at an average of R6,800 with the highest price at R7,600.
Johan van der Nest acted as auctioneer for the 33rd time. The auction was widely attended, from as far as the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga as well as representatives from Namibia. Nick Serfontein personally invited all Bonsmara breeders to sell their Bonsmara weaners to the Sernick Feedlot in support of the recently established Certified Sernick Bonsmara Beef brand. Sernick Bonsmara was also announced as the Free State herd of the year by The Agricultural Research Council and will now compete nationally.
