Buffalo bull sold for R40000000

**Steveb** · 23-09-2013, 10:48

Originally Posted by gertjie87

you might have been right a couple of years ago but the game industry is changing. Farms are getting smaller and so are the herds. There is very few game farms left that can host large numbers of buffalo and where natural selection can take its natural route game management now includes managing your genepool in the best way you can. We are living in an ever shrinking natural world and gene management is becoming more and more important. We unfortunately have to except the fact that if we don't change our thinking and farming principles we will be faced with more and more extinction.

There are more and more 'little' farms because a LOT more people have moved into game farming and it makes economical sense to farm as intense as possible. There is a LOT of stupid and cleaver money in game. There are Buff on farms now where there were not any 50/100 years ago. I don't think we are making the genes better. We are selecting traits within genes for economic purposes whilst maybe losing other traits such as aggression, resistance to disease etc. That 40 mill Buff will get hunted? (shot) one day for a trophy but it will be when he is old and no longer worth anything for breeding purposes. He won't be shot for 40 mill maybe a couple hundred thousand maybe, but let's not kid ourselves- he won't be a wild Buff and he was not bought to strengthen the gene pool. He was bought for a selective trait within his genes.

There are wild animals. One just has to step outside SA.

**TStone** · 23-09-2013, 11:07

I'm a bit sentimental about buffalo, seeing them in a breeding paddock like a herd of Jersey cows just doesn't feel right to me. There are populations of wild buffalo in reserves and larger game farms in SA. The reserve I work on borders on one of the smaller reserves in the NC, they have a viable herd of buffalo that breeds naturally, without human interference, the bulls doesn't have huge horns but they are wild animals.

As for farm bred game not being for hunting, that is not completely true either. I visited a friend, a hunting outfitter, recently and he showed me an e-mail he received from a breeder advertising a huge sable bull for hunting. Before the hunt the bull would be darted, its ear tag removed and horn length confirmed and it would then be moved to a larger camp where it would be hunted.

An American client told me that he was offered a black impala ram on a previous hunt, I can't remember the price. The entire business seems to be very artificial to me, maybe I'm just old fashioned.

**Steveb** · 23-09-2013, 11:13

Originally Posted by TStone

I'm a bit sentimental about buffalo, seeing them in a breeding paddock like a herd of Jersey cows just doesn't feel right to me. There are populations of wild buffalo in reserves and larger game farms in SA. The reserve I work on borders on one of the smaller reserves in the NC, they have a viable herd of buffalo that breeds naturally, without human interference, the bulls doesn't have huge horns but they are wild animals.

As for farm bred game not being for hunting, that is not completely true either. I visited a friend, a hunting outfitter, recently and he showed me an e-mail he received from a breeder advertising a huge sable bull for hunting. Before the hunt the bull would be darted, its ear tag removed and horn length confirmed and it would then be moved to a larger camp where it would be hunted.

An American client told me that he was offered a black impala ram on a previous hunt, I can't remember the price. The entire business seems to be very artificial to me, maybe I'm just old fashioned.

I want to differentiate between 'exotics/colourant' breeding and Buff, Sable 'higher value' game breeding, think if we are breeding for colours vs horn length but don't think we can call a difference with regard to ethics or better genes.

Agree with there being free herds breeding naturally in a lot of reserves (government and private) only issue I've seen is some of these smaller government reserves have caught onto horn length and are/have sold their trophies to private buyers.

As for your tagged sable story well I've had that offer as well as heard offers through a lot of well known breeders. Its not all daisies and roses out there unfortunately. However you being in the huntin business I'm sure you have seen your fair share.

Ps: hate typing off my crackberry as I often can't seem to say what I wanna say if that makes sense?

**gertjie87** · 23-09-2013, 11:18

Really? Please let me know where these wild animals are? Im talking about the ones that are free to roam where they dont get poached to extinction where the people responsible does good game management and where there will still be game in 30 years time. Please name such a place where my grandkids can go and experience it. Mozambique had awesome wild areas bit there is almost no animals left now. How about talking about the dwindling numbers in the masai mara the horrible management in the okovango delta not even to mention the kruger. Wild life is being eradicated in huge numbers by habitat destruction and poaching. Not everyone can afford massive farms I dont know if you have had a look at land prices lately? So rather commend the small game farmer for actually making a difference and maintaining wildlife numbers than being a couch critic and not actually doing anything to promote wildlife.

**Steveb** · 23-09-2013, 11:26

Originally Posted by gertjie87

Really? Please let me know where these wild animals are? Im talking about the ones that are free to roam where they dont get poached to extinction where the people responsible does good game management and where there will still be game in 30 years time. Please name such a place where my grandkids can go and experience it. Mozambique had awesome wild areas bit there is almost no animals left now. How about talking about the dwindling numbers in the masai mara the horrible management in the okovango delta not even to mention the kruger. Wild life is being eradicated in huge numbers by habitat destruction and poaching. Not everyone can afford massive farms I dont know if you have had a look at land prices lately? So rather commend the small game farmer for actually making a difference and maintaining wildlife numbers than being a couch critic and not actually doing anything to promote wildlife.

You are drinking too much Coolaid. I AM one of those small game breeders. I don't do the Buff and Sable but the Black impala etc. I got in it way before it was popular. Casper de Klerk being one of the foremost in SA.

Have you heard of the Selous as well as others. Of coarse they have poaching. Any reserve suffers from this. What I am trying to say is don't call this Buff 'wild' or say we are conserving game for bequestial reasons. Its the same as hunting. Conservation arises due to sound business practices alongside passion.

**gertjie87** · 23-09-2013, 11:41

Originally Posted by Steveb

You are drinking too much Coolaid. I AM one of those small game breeders. I don't do the Buff and Sable but the Black impala etc. I got in it way before it was popular. Casper de Klerk being one of the foremost in SA.Have you heard of the Selous as well as others. Of coarse they have poaching. Any reserve suffers from this. What I am trying to say is don't call this Buff 'wild' or say we are conserving game for bequestial reasons. Its the same as hunting. Conservation arises due to sound business practices alongside passion.

Then we agree for the most sense but I like to ensure that the animals I breed have the best possible genes to go forward and even though we have a small gamefarm it is not like these animals are standin on camp ready to be fed. They are still wild animals and I am responsible to ensure that they stay healthy animals with the best possible genes in terms of horn lenght, body size, general health and longevity. Your last sentence hits the nail on the head