The top selling Wagyu female at $105,000.
In uncertain times, the 2020 Elite Wagyu Sale has shone out as the leading international Wagyu genetics event, with strong results that will instil confidence in the leading edge of Wagyu genetics.
Delivered 100% online and hosted by Elite Livestock Auctions with auctioneers, GDL, the auction sold 63 of 96 Lots to a total of $1.31 million.
Vendors and bidders participated from around the world, with 146 bidders from 11 countries registered for the auction. More than 500 viewed online.
The Lots represented the top 5% of the Wagyu breed, with stellar genetic merit in breeding, estimated breeding values and selection indexes.
Ten of the 20 female lots sold were to international bidders. Lot 1, a female bred by Sumo Cattle Company, one of the pioneers of Australian Wagyu, taking out the top bid for the category at $105,000 to a US buyer, Jeremy Freer of Double 8 Cattle Company.
Two polled Wagyu Purebred heifers sold to a Swiss buyer for $65,000 and $62,000. Of the bulls, Australia’s Circle 8 Bull’s topped the sale, at $47,500 and was sold to an Australian syndicate headed by Koolang Wagyu.
On the back of the success of his own sale of Wagyu genetics in late March, Scott de Bruin’s lot of semen from sire Mayura P1040 received the highest bid at $4,300 per straw. In turn, Mayura paid a world record $23,000 per embryo for four embryos from Lot 75, put forward from Wagyu Sekai, based in Canada.
Strong interest from Australian buyers kept the majority of lots within Australia, with eight lots sold to Switzerland, six to the USA and five to the UK.
GDL lead auctioneer, Harvey Weyman-Jones said that the Elite Wagyu Sale was a global sale in every way, where the volume buyer of the day was Swiss-based Marcel Merz, securing seven females and a bull, to complement the genetics purchased in the Mayura Sale a month ago.
“Conducting the Elite Wagyu Sale is a major event for the Association to support the industry and our members,” said AWA CEO, Matt McDonagh.
“A big thank you goes out to all the vendors and bidders from around the world who supported the sale this year. The strong result is a clear statement regarding the strength of the global Wagyu sector and the confidence in elite genetics across the world that are benchmarked through AWA Wagyu BREEDPLAN.”