In-calf Angus cow sets New Zealand record

Meadowslea G1000 sold for $16,050. Photo / Supplied

A top-selling Angus cow has set a New Zealand record at auction in South Canterbury.

Meadowslea Angus and Sheep Genetics owner David Giddings sold a 10-year-old in-calf Angus cow for $16,050 at his fifth annual in-calf production sale last month.

The buyer, from Ballanee Angus in Victoria, Australia, also bought two other cows.

In total, the Giddings family sold 108 females at the sale held at Meadowslea Angus in Fairlie.

Giddings said the cow, Meadowslea G1000, fetched the top price for having very good carcass data and had recorded the biggest eye muscle area for her age group.

Meadowslea G1000 also produced a bull retained as a herd sire that held the Meadowslea record for biggest eye muscle area.

Meadowslea G1000 would have her embryos flushed through the Embryo Transplant (Artificial Breeding Centre) before they were sent across the Tasman.

Giddings said he was surprised by the price Meadowslea G1000 fetched, even though he knew she was the best cow of the year.

The Giddings offer a range of females from rising 2-year heifers to 10-year-old cows. The overall average sale price was $2250 while the 20 10-year-old cows averaged $3800.

Giddings said there was interest from England, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

The Giddings family had more than 850 different bids on their auction platform Yourbid.