Chianinas: big cattle, bigger benefits

Looking for a breed to maximise returns on animals and land? Garren Coetzee, who runs a Chianina stud near Uniondale in the Western Cape, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about why this breed is the answer.

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Garren Coetzee and his father, Gert – who passed away last year - made headlines in 2021 when they bought the Chianina bull Ridolfi (OL 11 322) for a record price of R1,175 million at the O-La-La Chianina Auction in Vryburg, North West.

Coetzee recalls their participation in the auction online from their farm, Monti Bianchi near Uniondale in the Baviaanskloof: “We were concerned that the poor Internet connection on our farm might interfere with the bidding, so we decided that my dad would bid from the farm, while I would bid from a café in George in the Southern Cape, where the connection was good.”

They did their homework about the animals beforehand, identifying the ones they wanted to buy. Ridolfi topped their list because of his unique bloodline and impressive, well-balanced physical appearance. They also set the maximum price they were willing to spend on him at R600,000.

GENETIC INVESTMENTS

On the day of the auction, at some point during the bidding on Ridolfi, Coetzee realised he and his father were bidding against one another. He tried to phone Gert but couldn't get through.

“I eventually stopped bidding, as the price had gone way above our budget. The bids just kept going, and my dad won, but at almost double the price we agreed on,” he says.

Thinking back, Coetzee says there was no chance that Gert wasn’t going to win.

“My dad was extremely competitive and driven, and once he set his mind on something, there was no way he'd let it go. I'm just grateful the competing bidder stopped, otherwise I'm not sure where we would have ended up.

“My dad also had a heart attack in his early forties, which made him more aware that ‘every day was a gift’ and should be lived to the full.”