Ox Gallstones Are Worth Up to $20,000 a Kilogram in Mozambique

MONDAY’S story about charges being laid against an employee at a southeast Queensland abattoir over the theft of gallstones has aroused considerable interest. It is believed these stones are worth up to $20,000 a kilogram.

In China, ox gallstones have been used for thousands of years as a precious Chinese herbal medicine. They are sold either in their natural form without being processed or as a proprietary Chinese medicine mixed with other ingredients.

Origin

The country of Mozambique, which lies on southeastern Africa’s Indian Ocean coast, is home to a wealth of game species, including elephants, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, and hippopotamuses. It’s a land of sweeping beaches, lush forests, and drier interiors, with a thriving tourism industry based on the natural beauty of its landscape.

Historically, gallstones have been a prized commodity for their purported medicinal benefits. In China, they’re often used to treat the common cold; in India, they’re a key ingredient in traditional medicine; and in Europe they were once prized as jewellery and charms. But today, they’re also worth a small fortune in the black market.

One of Australia’s biggest abattoirs, Sunshine Trading, has become the undisputed kingpin of the grey market for gallstones. They deal with more than 50 abattoirs across the country, raking in some 200 kilograms of the stuff each year, at an estimated value of $11.5 million USD–or around $6 per head of cattle.

But there’s a problem with this equation. First off, there’s the fact that gallstones are extremely rare–even at their current price, it takes a lot of cows to produce just one stone, let alone a cricket ball-sized chunk. Think about oyster pearls, or gold nuggets: they’re very rare, too.

To add to the problem, gallstones contain bilirubin, a toxic substance that can damage liver and kidney function in some people. This can be particularly dangerous in a child, as it’s easy for the stone to contaminate them.

Those who buy and sell these stones on the black market are advised to stash them in a dark location, as bilirubin is photosensitive and degenerates when exposed to light. They’re also encouraged to keep them in a cool, dry place so they don’t crack or break.

The only downside of these precautions, though, is that they can cause the stones to absorb too much moisture, resulting in them losing some of their monetary value. In addition, they can make the rocks harder to handle, and more difficult for their buyers to transport overseas.

So the only real option for those wanting to get their hands on some of these precious gems is to scour the meatworks’ lockboxes, or find a Chinese merchant with a keen eye for this lucrative trade. It’s not uncommon for gutties to tuck them away in their back pockets, or steal them out of abattoir workers’ rucksacks; a serious offence which can have serious consequences.

Processing

During the processing phase, the gall bladder and its waste products are removed from the animal in question. The gallstones are separated and the resulting ruby red rubble is ground to a glistening sheen. This is followed by a thorough washing and rinsing in cold water. This is the first step in what is a long process of moving and drying the stones. After they are dried, they are packaged in hermetically sealed, high tech jars. The aforementioned jars are then shipped to the lucky recipient of this cult elixir. As mentioned earlier, the product was originally marketed to affluent Chinese pugilists, but it is now being offered in the USA to well heeled discerning consumers. This product has the potential to be a boon to U.S. beef processing plants in a country that imports tens of millions of tons of beef annually from all over the globe. This is a great opportunity for companies that can offer a unique product to a targeted market.

Quality

Many people have been wondering how gallstones could be worth such a large amount of money, especially in light of Monday’s gallstone theft story (click here for original article). But gallstones are actually an extremely rare commodity that’s difficult to source from abattoirs. They are so rare that the Australian beef industry’s entire production of gallstones – about 200kg a year – amounts to less than half of one percent of the world’s total supply, according to industry sources.

Ox gallstones, also called ox bezoars, have been used for a number of years in traditional Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory drug and a sedative. They are a pigment stone composed of very pure calcium bilirubinate and when acidified they provide unconjugated bilirubin, which has multiple therapeutic effects. These are the same bilirubins that were employed in a range of medicines for hyperpyrexia-induced infantile convulsions in ancient China.

Traditionally, ox gallstones were considered a very valuable drug and are still in use today. They are used in Chinese herbal preparations to treat a variety of disorders. They are available as natural gallstones or as a proprietary Chinese medicine mixed with other ingredients.

In modern times, ox gallstones are extracted from the intestines of cattle during bile extraction at the abattoir and they are dried to remove moisture. The stones are then packaged and sold in hermetically sealed bags.

The quality of gallstones varies considerably, depending on their colour, texture, size, shape and whole or broken pieces. In general, whole stones of smooth, lustrous golden colour attract the highest price while dark or pitted stones and those with calcium inclusions have a reduced value.

Although ox gallstones have been in high demand for more than two thousand years, they are not always readily available and the domestic supply is usually only a fraction of what is needed by Chinese pharmaceutical companies. This has led to the emergence of artificial gallstones based on chemical and cultured ingredients.

During TCM treatment, ox gallstones were prescribed for treating a variety of diseases such as hepatic jaundice, phlebitis and hepatitis B infection in children. They were also formulated as remedies for polydipsia, diarrhea, vomiting and nocturnal crying “induced by fear”.

Packaging

Gallstones are one of the most valuable bovine byproducts. The reason is that they have an active ingredient in them called bilirubin, which is used to treat some diseases such as fever and pneumonia.

The good news for ox gallstones is that they can be sold to a multitude of buyers around the globe, and are often worth more than the cost of shipping them to their destination. Whether you’re a farmer or a meat processor, this business opportunity could be just what the doctor ordered for your bottom line.

Ox gallstones are also a good source of Vitamin B12, a vital component of red blood cells. This is an important nutrient for pregnant women, babies and people with low iron levels. Moreover, ox gallstones contain some chromium and calcium, which are vital elements for a healthy diet.

Unlike their cow counterparts, ox gallstones are not usually broken into small pieces and can be kept intact for quite some time. In fact, ox gallstones are known to last up to three months, even when stored in the freezer, making them an excellent investment for farmers and abattoirs.

The best way to make the most of your ox gallstones is by keeping them in a cool, dry place with plenty of ventilation. If not, they can become moldy and useless. The other big ol’ gizmo is that they can be easily inspected to see if they contain the main attraction. It’s also wise to keep an eye out for the best deal on ox gallstones, so you can maximize your profits and minimize your risk. It’s not hard to find the right buyer for your ox gallstones if you do a little research.

Ox Gallstones Are Worth Up to $20,000 a Kilogram in Mozambique