An Ankole heifer from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Ntaba Nyoni cattle operation has sold for a record-breaking R6.4 million at an auction held at Phala Phala near Bela-Bela in Limpopo.
The in-calf heifer, Queen Arusha (NANK23 001), was sold as Lot 20 at the Ntaba Nyoni & Friends auction on Saturday, 3 October 2026.
The R6.4 million price has set a new South African record for a female animal across all cattle breeds.
However, the identity of the successful buyer has not been made public.
The auction generated approximately R22.5 million in total turnover, with around 120 registrations and about 100 people attending the event in person. (TimesLIVE)
Queen Arusha was among several high-value Ankole genetics offered at the auction. Two straws of sexed semen from the Ankole bull Optimus Prime sold for R250,000 each, while 37 semen straws generated R1.235 million in total.
Nineteen embryos were also sold for a combined R1.445 million, while 10 bulls fetched R2.75 million. (TimesLIVE)
The record sale places Queen Arusha among the most expensive female cattle ever sold in South Africa and once again highlights the premium attached to elite Ankole breeding genetics.