Concern About Declining Cape Buffalo Trophy Quality

The Cape buffalo occupies a top spot on hunters’ wish lists, but studies show a decrease in the quality of buffalo trophies, according to Dr Johan Rabie, buffalo breeder and owner of Chimoyo Wildlife. Annelie Coleman asked him about the reasons behind this worrying trend.

- Johan Rabie

What is the current size of South Africa’s buffalo industry?

The country has about 2 500 registered buffalo farms. The privately owned, disease-free buffalo population is estimated at 50 000 to 70 000 animals.

How accessible is the buffalo breeding industry for the less affluent, given that some bulls sell for millions of rand?

We need to differentiate between stud and commercial breeders. Stud breeders easily pay R5 million for an outstanding bull and R1 million for a cow or heifer. I know of only 22 buffalo bulls with horns exceeding 50” [127cm] in the entire country. Such bulls are rare and therefore very expensive. But this may create the perception that buffalo breeding is restricted to the super-rich.

The capital outlay for initial stud breeding stock is substantial. Stud breeders are not interested in bulls with horns measuring less than 48”, according to the measurement convention used in Rowland Ward’s Records of Big Game [RW], which records the measurements of game animals taken in fair-chase hunting, or less than 126”, according to the measurement convention used by Safari Club International (SCI). Pedigree, fertility and prepotency also have an influence on the spectacular sums paid for outstanding genetics.

Commercial breeders mostly produce bulls for the hunting market. There is a huge shortage on the African continent, and hard-bossed hunting bulls sell for R80 000 to R200 000 each.