Viatina-19 FIV Mara Movéis, a cow of remarkable value, was showcased at an auction with unprecedented security measures, including a personal bodyguard and surveillance cameras.
Priced at an astounding $4 million, she set a new Guinness World Record for the highest auction price for a cow, tripling the amount fetched by the previous record holder. Weighing 1,100 kilograms, she is notably twice the size of an average adult of her breed.
In a country with a vast bovine population, Viatina-19 stands out due to her exceptional size and pristine white coat, warranting constant monitoring by security cameras and protection by an armed guard.
Her owners have even put up billboards along a major Brazilian highway, highlighting Viatina-19’s magnificence and inviting people to visit and witness the extraordinary bovine firsthand.
Climate experts agree that reducing beef consumption is essential due to its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and Amazon deforestation. However, Brazil’s economy is heavily dependent on the cattle industry, prompting the government to actively pursue new export markets. As the world’s leading beef exporter, Brazil aims to increase global beef consumption.
Viatina-19 epitomizes Brazil’s pursuit of breeding superior cattle. This prized cow is the result of years of selective breeding and is part of a high-stakes auction scene where affluent ranchers often share ownership. The process involves harvesting eggs and semen from elite cattle to create embryos that are then implanted in surrogates, aiming to produce future champions.
“We’re cultivating elite cattle, not just for now but to nourish the globe in the future,” stated Ney Pereira, one of Viatina-19’s owners, highlighting the focus on breeding over slaughter. He believes Viatina-19 will play a key role in this global vision.
Viatina-19’s remarkable value is due to her rapid muscle development, high fertility, and the consistent transmission of these traits to her offspring, as explained by Lorrany Martins, a veterinarian and Pereira’s daughter. Breeders also look for qualities such as good posture, strong hooves, calm temperament, maternal instincts, and overall aesthetics.
For the chance to enhance their herds’ genetics, breeders are willing to invest around $250,000 to harvest Viatina-19’s eggs. Martins considers Viatina-19 the pinnacle of bovine excellence, embodying all the traits desired by cattle owners.
Lorrany Martins praised Viatina-19 as a model of bovine excellence, embodying the ideal traits sought by cattle owners. In Brazil, the majority of cattle are Zebus, known for their distinctive hump and neck skin folds, and Viatina-19 is part of the Nelore breed, primarily raised for meat.
Uberaba’s ExpoZebu, the world’s largest Zebu fair, recently showcased the grandeur of this industry. The event’s highlight was the Elo de Raça auction on April 28, where a cow named Donna and her clones were sold for 15.5 million reais ($3 million). Brazil’s booming agriculture, fueled by global demand, has placed it at the forefront of cattle genetics. However, this success comes with environmental costs, such as deforestation and methane emissions.
Efforts to mitigate climate impact include genetic advancements and improved grazing practices. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is also seeking to expand Brazil’s beef exports, recently encouraging Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to sample and import Brazilian beef.
Near the Elo de Raça auction site, Geneal Animal Genetics and Biotechnology operates a lab where a cloned calf recently enjoyed the sun, still unsteady on its legs. Another clone, freshly born, was acclimating to its new surroundings. Clones of the record-breaking cow, Viatina-19, are expected soon, according to Geneal’s Paulo Cerantola.
Ranchers might hesitate to mass-produce clones of Viatina-19 due to their high maintenance and specific dietary needs, as noted by P.J. Budler of Trans Ova Genetics. Although Viatina-19 is an ideal specimen, she is not a one-size-fits-all solution for cattle breeding. Her owner, Pereira, ensures she receives care to boost egg production, but she could also thrive in natural grazing conditions. Currently pregnant, Viatina-19’s genetics are highly sought after, with plans to export her egg cells internationally.
Martins, Pereira’s daughter and a veterinarian, envisions Viatina-19 laying the foundation for even more exceptional cattle in the coming decades.