A Report That Ox Gallstones Are Worth Up to $20,000 a Kilogram

MONDAY’s report that a meat worker was charged with gallstone theft has led to considerable interest in this cattle byproduct. Some have claimed gallstones are worth as much as $20,000 a kilogram.

Despite their high value, they are extremely rare. Australia only produces about 200kg a year. This has triggered the emergence of artificial gallstones, which are produced by mixing chemical ingredients and artificially cultured to fill the gap in domestic supply.

Natural Gallstones

If you’ve been following our stories recently, you may have heard that gallstones from cattle can be worth up to $20k a kilogram. That has led to some people on social media suggesting that beef processors are making a fortune from them.

However, this is not the case. According to one of the largest dealers in the commodity, gallstones from Australian cattle are relatively scarce.

Ox gallstones in particular are in high demand in China, where they are either sold as natural gallstones or combined with other ingredients to form a proprietary Chinese medicine. They can cost as much as HK$19,000 for a tael, which is about US$65 per gram.

There are a few herbal remedies that can help prevent and treat gallstones. Taking artichoke leaf extract (Artichoke purpurea) or drinking a tea made with dandelion root and leaves can help break down gallstones.

Taking acupuncture can also be helpful. Studies have shown that acupuncture can reduce pain, nausea, and vomiting caused by cholecystitis.

Another herb that can help to relieve symptoms of gallstones is wild yam. It helps to stimulate bile production, which can make the stones easier to pass.

Rosemary is an antispasmodic that can help relieve pain and swelling in the gallbladder area. It also increases the flow of bile, and can help break down small gallstones.

It is also recommended to avoid fatty, greasy foods and to drink plenty of water. This can also help to prevent gallstones from forming in the first place.

Some herbs can also be used to ease pain associated with gallstones, including ginger. Taken in pill form or as a supplement, this can help reduce pain and discomfort in the gallbladder area.

If you have gallstones, it is important to get them checked out by a doctor. This can help you get the right diagnosis and the correct treatment, including surgery if necessary.

Symptoms of gallstones include sharp, intense pain in the upper right part of the abdomen. This pain can radiate to the back and up to the shoulder blade. Other symptoms can include yellowing of the eyes, fever, or chills.

Artificial Gallstones

Several reports have surfaced in recent weeks that bovine gallstones can be worth up to EUR35,000 a kilogram (US$20,000) in the Far East. The value of the precious stones is largely due to their medicinal use and short supply.

In Chinese medicine, gallstones are a precious substance that has special medicinal value for treating liver and heart diseases. However, domestic production of natural gallstones is reportedly barely one metric ton per year. This shortage has triggered the development of artificial/ synthetic gallstones to fill this demand, and these have become an ingredient in various proprietary Chinese medicines.

Gallstones form when bile, a fluid that contains water, bile salts, lecithin (a type of phospholipid), and cholesterol, coagulates and crystallizes. Cholesterol and bile salts are transported through a network of tiny tubes known as ducts that lead from the liver into the gallbladder. The gallbladder secretes a hormone called cholecystokinin to contract and deliver bile into the intestine. The bile then emulsifies and digests fat.

The bile flows down the common bile duct, which then drains into the small intestine. When the bile reaches the small intestine, it is broken down into small molecules by bacteria in the intestine. The bile combines with bilirubin, a chemical normally formed by the breakdown of hemoglobin in red blood cells.

Occasionally, people have a build-up of cholesterol that becomes supersaturated in the bile. This may be caused by the presence of fatty foods or alcohol in the diet, or by medication such as diuretics, certain antidepressants, and some medications for high blood pressure. In addition, some people have a genetic predisposition for developing gallstones.

When people are pregnant, it is often possible to prevent the formation of gallstones, but they can still occur in those who are not pregnant. Women with a family history of gallstones have an even higher chance of having them. Those who have undergone bone marrow or solid organ transplants, those with chronic hemolytic anemia, and those with spinal cord injury also have an increased risk of having gallstones.

Most gallstones are cholesterol stones. Pigment stones, made from calcium bilirubinate, are another important type of gallstone. These can be black or brown, and they are a common problem in patients who have chronic hemolytic anemia.

Market Analysis

Despite being one of the world’s most rare commodities, cattle gallstones have always had a high price tag. That’s because, according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), they contain a significant amount of bilirubin, an essential nutrient for cellular health. In addition, Chinese herbalists believe they can help prevent cancer, hepatitis, and other diseases.

But, as Beef Central’s recent story revealed, gallstones are also a lucrative, albeit illegal, byproduct of beef processing plants. That’s because they are a precious, natural ingredient for proprietary Chinese medicines.

This is a market that’s been around for centuries. During the Middle Ages, gallstones were used in a variety of medicines. They were also sold as charms and ornaments, and were prized for their purported healing properties.

However, a number of factors have caused the supply of gallstones to fall dramatically in recent years. For example, the cattle industry’s entire production of gallstones amounts to a mere 200kg per year; and domestic gallstone supply is just a fraction of the required 100 metric tons for Chinese medicinal purposes.

To meet the demand for gallstones in China, manufacturers have developed artificial gallstones that are manufactured based on chemical ingredients and are then cultured. These artificial gallstones are not considered as effective as natural ones.

But the Hungarian gallstone market is a completely different story. The country is one of the biggest importers of ox gallstones in the world, and there are numerous traders who are constantly on the hunt for them.

These traders often make purchases from a variety of sources, including farmers who sell their excess ox-gallstones to meat processors. The price of these stones is largely dependent on the quality, shape, size, and other parameters.

While the Hungarian gallstone market is relatively small compared to other countries, it still holds a huge potential for the future. The key to success here is to ensure a high quality product is exported, and to be competitive in the market by offering a good customer service.

The ox gallstones market in Hungary is likely to continue growing as the market continues to open up for these products. Traders are aiming to increase their market share by providing top quality, fresh, and healthy gallstones.

Market Trends

A report in a Sydney newspaper on Monday has caused a stir in the world of gallstones, prompting some people to speculate that abattoirs are making a fortune at the expense of beef producers. The story suggests that a cricket ball-sized stone can be worth up to $20,000 a kilogram.

While the value of gallstones is high, it is important to remember that they are a rare commodity. Think of oyster pearls: you have to open an awful lot of oysters in order to find just one natural pearl.

As a result, they are in extremely short supply, which is why the Chinese pharmaceutical industry requires about 100 metric tons of gallstones each year to meet their demand for propriety Chinese medicines. In contrast, domestic supply is only around one metric ton per year. This shortage has prompted the emergence of artificial gallstones, which are manufactured to fill this gap in the market.

There are several ways to produce artificial gallstones, such as by using chemical ingredients and by artificially culturing them. However, the medicinal value of these artificial gallstones is not considered to be comparable to that of their natural counterparts.

Moreover, the price of synthetic/artificial gallstones is much higher than that of their natural counterparts. This is mainly due to the high demand for artificial gallstones in the Chinese pharmaceutical industry, which has pushed up their price to an all time high.

Meanwhile, a new generation of gallstone dealers and brokers has emerged in the global market. Some of them have been able to make a killing by supplying large quantities of gallstones to Chinese medicine stores and pharmacies, while others have branched out into the grey market and sold the stones directly to consumers, where they can command a better price.

The company based in Melbourne, Sunshine Trading, is the biggest buyer of cattle gallstones on the Australian market, buying an estimated 200 kilograms a month from abattoirs across the country. The firm, which has a nationwide monopoly on the white market, is owned by Gerard and Jenny Murtagh.

Since 2003, Sunshine has been working with abattoirs all over Australia and raking in their share of the lucrative profit. Initially, the business was a boots on the ground operation, but it didn’t take long for Gerard’s entrepreneurial vision to change the industry overnight. He started educating abattoirs on how to dry, preserve, store and sell the precious stones in order to yield maximal profits. He also installed his patent design dropboxes, waist-high stainless steel vaults that “secure the gallstones away from any sticky fingers”.

A Report That Ox Gallstones Are Worth Up to $20,000 a Kilogram