How costly is the most expensive cow ever sold? Brazilian Viatina-19 draws crowds

Viatina-19, a cow with snow-white coloring, was sold at an auction for an astronomical sum of 4.2 million dollars. Her weight exceeds 2,425 pounds, which is twice the average weight of individuals of this breed, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

Due to her incredible value, Viatina-19 is constantly monitored by cameras and protected by an armed guard. The cow attracts many Brazilians who come to her barn, located on a farm near Uberaba in Minas Gerais, in the eastern part of the country, to see this extraordinary animal up close.

According to the Associated Press, the price at which Viatina-19 was sold was three times higher than the previous record for the most expensive cow in the world. Viatina-19 quickly gains muscle mass, is highly fertile, and passes her superior genetic traits to her offspring.

"She is the closest to perfection that has been attained so far," said Lorrany Martins, the veterinarian who takes care of the animal. "She’s a complete cow, has all the characteristics that all the proprietors are looking for," she added.

Viatina-19 is a representative of the Nelore breed, raised for meat. This cow symbolizes Brazilian ambitions related to the long-term breeding of champions. Due to the high price, one animal sometimes has several owners. Breeders acquire egg cells or semen from such animals and perform embryo insemination into surrogate cows, hoping they will produce the next generation of champions. The cost of obtaining egg cells from Viatina-19 alone is 250,000 dollars.

Scientists researching climate change are calling for a reduction in beef consumption, as beef production is global agriculture's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, creating new pastures leads to increasing deforestation of the Amazon. According to data from the US Department of Agriculture, over 230 million cows live in Brazil.

Nonetheless, cattle breeding drives economic development in Brazil. The country's government is working to gain new markets, including the Japanese market. Brazil is currently the largest beef exporter in the world.