For a record $800,000 (€644,300) farmer bidders from Missouri and Oklahoma in the US have acquired the rights to sell semen from the prized Angus bull SAV Elation 7899, from Schaff Valley Angus (SAV) in North Dakota.

Square B Ranch and Cattle Co., from Missouri and Bogle Ranch LLC, of Langley, Oklahoma purchased the bull.

Each ranch will get 40% of the semen rights, while Schaff Valley Angus will retain 20% of semen rights as well as full possession.

The previous record for a bull was $750,000 and was set last year. Based on the price paid, the combined value of Elation is estimated at $1m.

Industry sources suggest that over his lifetime, the bull could generate $10m in fees as a stud bull.

Elation is now part of a set of elite sires owned by Square B Ranch, providing the genetic foundation for the quality beef program, a Missouri-based network of ranchers whose focus is on improving quality, consistency and value in cattle.

Brian Bell, owner of Square B Ranch, spoke of the use of the bull at the sale: “This will be a bull that will stay in the Angus breed for a long time. He will build phenomenal females, which is what commercial breeders need."

Elation is sired by Sinclair Emulation XXP while the granddam on the mother's side is SAV May 2397 who has bred seven sons through AI to date, including SAV Brave whose semen is available in Ireland from Genus AI.

Born in December 2016, Elation possesses a rare balance of traits that are highly desirable for ranchers such as low birth weight, high growth and excellent beef quality.

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