Good morning! Today, we talk about how genetic improvement made a USD 4 million cow. Brazil’s new semiconductor policy. And the downfall of labor unions.
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How Brazil “built” a USD 4 million cow
Earlier this month, a massive, snow-white Brazilian cow became the most expensive ever sold at auction, according to Guinness World Records. Won with a bid of USD 4 million, Viatina-19 FIV Mara Imóveis is a 53-month-old cow of the Nelore breed.
- Weighing 1,100 kilos, it is twice as heavy as an average Nelore adult — the breed is known for its resistance to diseases and ability to adapt to tropical climates.
👉 Why it matters. Mara, as the cow is colloquially called, epitomizes Brazil’s decades-long effort to create meatier cows. This effort relies heavily on state-of-the-art artificial insemination technology to improve the quality of herds — genetic improvement of cattle is a pillar of Brazil’s thriving meat industry.
FTAI. One major tool in that strategy is “fixed-time artificial insemination,” or FTAI. This reproductive technology aids in obtaining an appropriate time to...