World’s Most Expensive Cow, Viatina-19, Breaks Records After Fetching $4.8 Million

A cow in Arandú, São Paulo, Brazil, recently became the most expensive ever sold at auction, fetching an impressive R$21,000,000 (approximately $4.8 million).

One-third of the ownership of the record-breaking cow, Viatina-19 FIV Mara, was sold at an auction last June for $1.44 million, putting its total value at over $4 million, the Guinness World Records site states. Its owners are breeders Casa Branca Agropastoril, Agropecuária Napemo, and Nelore HRO.

While Viatina-19 may not be able to speak Latin or hold a PhD from Harvard, as many social media users jokingly suggested, the animal is of purebred Nelore, a breed known for its remarkable heat tolerance.

Image credits: Casa Branca Agropastoril

Additionally, the value of Nelore cows lies in their high-quality meat, which is distinguished by its tenderness and flavor.

“The recognition of our beloved Viatina-19 by the Guinness Book is not only a personal achievement, but an extraordinary milestone in the history of the Nelore breed and genetic improvement as a whole,” breeder Agropecuária Napemo wrote in a Facebook post announcing the cow’s Guinness World Record.

Nelore cows are not difficult to identify. These animals are characterized by their bright white fur (no spots), loose skin, and a prominent bulbous hump above their shoulders.

The cow broke a Guinness World Record after being sold for $4.8 million

Image credits: Casa Branca Agropastoril

Nelore cows are known for their remarkable heat tolerance

Image credits: Curious Facts

These animals are characterized by their bright white fur, loose skin, and a hump above their shoulders

Image credits: Curious Facts

This breed is originally from India and takes its name from the district of Nellore in the Andhra Pradesh state, located in the country’s southern coastal region.

Born in Nova Iguaçu de Goiás, Brazil, Viatina-19 is ranked among the best Nelore cows in history.