Farm animals are an essential part of human lives. Not only do they provide a quality source of food and other products, but they contribute by providing manure and fertilizer. Even with these factors in mind, how much could a farm animal really cost?
Animals That Broke The Mold
It’s no secret that farm animals aren’t cheap, and farmers have to pay a hefty amount in the hopes that they get a turnaround on their investment. However, some farm animals broke the mold, and individuals were willing to pay enormous amounts just so they could have one animal. Here are the most expensive farm animals ever sold.
Cows
Cows come in all shapes and sizes and are purpose-bred. For example, Angus cows are widely known for offering quality beef. Holstein cows are prized for the milk that they provide – so much so that one specific individual was sold for a record-breaking amount.
Vanilla Ice
A champion steer named Vanilla Ice was auctioned off at the 2022 Junior Market Steer Auction in Houston, Texas, for a staggering $1,000,000. The steer broke the previous record held by a champion steer by almost double.
Missy
Missy was a Holstein cow that was anything but average. She produced more of the high-quality milk we just talked about and was sold for far more than any example before her. She was auctioned in 2009 for 1,2 million dollars.
SAV America 8018
At the beginning of 2019, the record-breaking sale of an Angus bull was made, but it was for good reason. The bull, called SAV America 8018, was far heavier than the average Angus bull, and because of that, his ability to sire exceptional calves is more than likely. The bull was auctioned for 1.51 million dollars.
Viatina-19 FIV Mara Movéis
The list continues, and cows keep getting brought up. Another example of a cow being worth more than a luxury car is Viatina-19 FIV Mara Movéis, a Nelore cow raised in Brazil. The Nelore breed is used primarily for its beef, but this cow is unlike any others. She weighs over 2,000 pounds, which is twice as heavy as she should be. She’s been evaluated at nearly $5,000,000.
Yuvraj
Yuvraj is a murrah bull that’s a prime example of his breed. His owner claims that he has sired over 200,00 calves in his nine year life. The bull is given 20 liters of milk everyday to stay fit and healthy. Over $1,000,000 have been offered to the owner for Yuvraj, but the owner has declined every offer he’s gotten.
BBM 16 96
Bonsmara bulls are bred in South Africa and have dominated the market since they were first bred in the mid 1960s. IN 2022, BBM 16 96, was sold for over $115,000 when converted from local currency. But just a year later, that record was beaten.
LAR 19 373
In 2023, another bonsmara was sold for more than the one on the list before it. LAR 19 373 was sold for more than $240,000 when converted from local currency and was said to encompass the values of the breed.
Sheep
Sheep are an invaluable asset on any farm, and they can contribute multiple resources to the farm and the farmer. Sheep provide their milk and meat in the form of mutton and lamb, and their wool is used in different products, including clothing, blankets, and packaging insulation. But one sheep was considered far more valuable than the norm.
Deveronvale Perfection
Deveronvale Perfection was a sheep in Scotland who caught a farmer’s eye. The farmer, named Jerry Douglas, knew that he couldn’t let someone else take the sheep home, and said that it was the best sheep he’d ever seen. He bought the sheep for more than $370,000!
Double Diamond
Another sheep had to steal the show, being auctioned in Scotland for nearly half a million dollars! Double Diamond, the Texel sheep, was said to have pulled everyone’s attention from the moment he arrived at the auction.
Horses
Horses can be farm animals and serve multiple purposes on a farm. Although they have been mostly phased out due to machinery, horses would help farmers plow fields and pull carts. Horses nowadays are used a lot in horse racing, with some examples going for ludicrous amounts of money.
The Green Monkey
Horses can typicall go for between $500 to $3000. But depending on how thoroughbred they are and how they look, some horses can be sold for three times that. However, one horse in particular, tops all others. The Green Monkey not only had an amazing pedigree but was unusually striking. In 2006, the horse was auctioned at a staggering $16,000,000.
Pigs
Pig rearing is a great option for any farmer because the pigs aren’t picky eaters like other farm animals. They can feed on grain byproducts, damaged feed, and even meat byproducts. They then provide quality meat to the farmers. One example of Yorkshire Boar sold for far man than what the norm is.
Yorkshire Boar
Although the name of the Yorkshire boar is unknown, they were a cut above the breed, with its owner, Professor Mark Hoge, saying that it took years of decisions and selective experience to create the boar. It was sold at a National Swine Registry conference and show for $270,000.
Chickens
Chickens provide a number of assets to a farm. Hens provide eggs and poultry, as well as act as a natural insecticide. They will eat all sorts of insects that would normally eat and destroy the farm’s crops. But one chicken was valued at a large sum of money, all due to an accident.
Mike
Mike was an ordinary chicken due for slaughter in 1945, but after being beheaded, Mike wasn’t dead. The chicken continued to move around. The farmer had missed most of his brain, but he still had motor functions. Mike survived for 18 months, touring the country and charging people to see him. During his touring, Mike was valued and insured at over $100,000.
Sheepdog
While a sheepdog isn’t technically a farm animal, they do diligent and important work on farms. They are a farmer’s companion and help him herd the livestock to where they need to move to and even protect them from predators looking for an easy meal.
Kim
Kim the sheepdog was seen as an excellent example of her breed. The border collie was only a year old when she was sold for nearly $40,000. Her breeder specified that despite her young age, she was as intelligent as a three-year-old would ordinarily be.
Source:
The 7 Most Expensive Animals Ever Sold
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