Mayura Station raises bar with genetics sale

Scottdebruinweb TBW Newsgroup
HUGE RESULT: Mayura Station managing director Scott de Bruin said the enterprise's first online genetic sale exceeded expectations.

Scottdebruinweb TBW Newsgroup
HUGE RESULT: Mayura Station managing director Scott de Bruin said the enterprise’s first online genetic sale exceeded expectations.

MAYURA Station has set a world record price for a beef semen package, fetching $68,000 a straw for the genetics of a bull considered among the top Wagyu bloodlines outside of Japan.

Mayura Itoshigenami Junior’s three packages of two straws fetched an average of $55,333, with an American buyer purchasing the last lot for the record price.

It was an extraordinary result for the Limestone Coast enterprise, which also offers a paddock to plate experience, attracting almost 100 registered bidders from across the globe for its inaugural online sale.

A total of 10 bulls were offered during the sale, fetching a high of $90,000 and an average of $46,444.

Mayura also offered 13 unjoined heifers which sold to $70,000, averaging $36,923.

Eight semen packages were also auctioned off, with Mayura Station managing director Scott de Bruin stating the first genetic sale exceeded expectations.

“We are very happy with the prices and we were also really surprised with the numbers, especially with the current environment as there is so much uncertainty,” Mr de Bruin said.

“We were amazed with the semen lots and that we set a world record as we never thought it would go that high,” he said.

“The bull that we received the record price on semen from, he is known to be the best Wagyu beef out of Japan so he is very well respected.”

Attracting bidders from the United States, South Africa and Europe – as well as Australia – Mr de Bruin said Mayura was well-known for producing high-quality Wagyu beef.

He revealed the company did not usually sell Itoshigenami Junior’s genetics given his strong reputation for consistently providing high quality calves.

“We send our herd’s performance data to Breed Plan, which is a third-party organisation that takes objective measurements and develops estimated breeding values,” Mr de Bruin explained.

“This particular bull sits right at the top for carcass trait and there is a lot of data behind his information which means it is very accurate and due to there is a lot of interest in him.”

Mr de Bruin said the inaugural online sale’s success was a wonderful achievement which showcased how respected the Mayura brand is in agriculture.

“It gives us a lot of confidence to host more genetic sales in the future and encourages us to continue our work to improve the quality of Wagyu beef,” he said.