Ox Gallstones South Africa

It was a feisty 19-year-old with a bright entrepreneurial vision that changed the world of cattle gallstones forever. Gerard Murtagh launched Sunshine Trading, a family business that now deals with more than 50 abattoirs across Australia.

It’s a lucrative industry. Gutties can rake in a tidy $11.5 million USD a year for stealing the precious stones from abattoirs, but if they’re caught red-handed there are serious consequences.

What is Ox Gallstones?

MONDAY’S story about gallstones being stolen from an abattoir in southeast Queensland has prompted a lot of questions on social media. Among them is the question: Why do processors make so much money off these bovine byproducts, which are in limited supply?

Ox Gallstones, also known as bezoars or niuhuang, are a precious raw material used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). They are a sedative, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic that have been a staple ingredient for many years. They are often prescribed to treat hepatitis and liver problems.

They are an important source of natural Chinese herbs for traditional herbalists and have a reputation for bringing relief to people who suffer from fatigue, headaches, nausea, depression, insomnia, colds and flu. They can also be effective for reducing bloating, constipation, and indigestion.

A variety of proprietary Chinese medicines contain ox gallstones and they are used to treat a number of different health conditions. The most common use is for treating hepatitis, but they can also be effective in helping to treat fever and colds.

These small stones can be found in the gallbladder of cattle and they are extracted at the abattoir during the bile extraction process on the eviscera table. They are found in older slaughter animals, like cows and bulls, but can also be found in younger ones.

The gallstones are extracted by the abattoir workers using special tools and they are then washed with cold water to remove any blood clots or other impurities that may be present. They are then dried in a dark and well-ventilated room at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius for two to three weeks. The stones are moved regularly to promote drying and to avoid them from sticking together.

Once they are dried, the ox gallstones are vacuum packed and sealed in hermetically-sealed bags. They are then shipped out to their destination.

The value of ox gallstones depends on their size, quality and the conditions in which they are stored. They can be worth as much as 73 500 USD* per kilogram. This is why so many cattle processing plants are looking for ways to sell these bovine byproducts overseas, and a big chunk of that business comes from the Hong Kong market.

How is Ox Gallstones Procured?

As you probably know by now, Ox gallstones are a precious Chinese herbal medicine and are sold at the retail level in either their natural form or as a propriety Chinese medicine mixed with other ingredients. As such they are in high demand in the Chinese market and are a lucrative export opportunity for U.S beef processing plants.

As with any animal byproduct, gallstones are a relatively rare item and can be extremely difficult to harvest. They can be retrieved at the abattoir during the bile extraction process on the eviscera table, but the presence and frequency of them varies dramatically from plant to plant, depending on factors like bore water access, and the age of cattle killed.

The biggest problem is that when gallstones are retrieved at the abattoir they have already lost most of their weight, which means they don’t actually weigh a lot in comparison to other materials used during the slaughter process. This makes them a ‘lost’ asset, according to the Australian beef industry’s top dealers in the product.

Broker Jenny Murtagh, from Sunshine Trading in Australia, which trades with many of the country’s large meat processors, was reluctant to comment on pricing details. However, she did say that’stones’ can be as valuable as a carat diamond and prices vary greatly, depending on their quality, shape, size and other parameters.

One of the most interesting aspects of gallstones is their appearance, which varies from being rough and verrucous, with turtle crack surfaces, to looking more ‘flabby’ than usual. They are typically brown, orange brown or dark brown close to brownish black in colour and can be oval, spherical, triangle or square in shape. They can be up to 4.5 cm in diameter, sometimes even larger.

The biggest drawback of gallstones is that they are prone to blockage, as they grow in size as the bile continues to wash over them. This can be a serious issue for the health of cattle and their owners, and can lead to costly medical treatment.

Why Ox Gallstones Are So Popular?

Ox gallstones are an excellent pharmacopeia raw material that has an incredible pharmaceutical value thanks to its sedative, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties. They are a treasured raw material in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and are known for their calming, rejuvenating, detoxifying and purifying effects on the body and mind.

They are also widely used in herbal medicines to help treat a number of medical conditions, such as headaches, high fever and coughing up blood. Moreover, they are an effective ingredient in homeopathic remedies to clear the bowels and liver of phlegm, toxins, and infections.

Several factors contribute to gallstone formation, including genetics, diet, and environmental exposures. For example, a western diet that is high in cholesterol and saturated fats can lead to gallstone formation and development of symptoms. In contrast, a low-fat diet, physical activity, and consumption of foods rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent gallstone formation and reduce its severity.

In addition, various medications can increase the risk of gallstone formation, including estrogens, octreotide (Sandostatin), ceftriaxone (Rocephin), thiazide diuretics, and statins. Some drugs, such as melatonin, vitamin E, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), may also decrease the risk of gallstones.

Gallstones are common and largely asymptomatic, but they can cause pain and blockage of the bile ducts in the abdomen. Symptomatic gallstones are more likely to require treatment, and may include surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) or to reduce their size through oral bile salts that soften and dissolve the stones.

Where Can I Buy Ox Gallstones?

One of the hottest trends in cattle byproduct marketing has been gallstones. They’re the newest fad in the world of meat processing, and they’ve got the internet going wild with claims that they can be worth $20,000 per kilogram. They’re also a rare commodity, and can only be harvested from animals that have been fed a disease-free diet.

Despite their popularity, there’s still plenty of confusion about how gallstones are procured and what they’re worth. The most popular theory is that they’re a valuable pharmaceutical raw material for Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM. They’re reportedly a sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic, meaning they can treat everything from strokes to persistent fevers.

There are a number of ways in which you can obtain these precious gems, and most have their own advantages. Fortunately, it’s not hard to find a reliable supplier and a reasonable price.

The best place to start your gallstone hunting is with a trusted broker in your local region. They’re a good source of information about the industry and can help you navigate the minefield of suppliers, allowing you to secure the quality ox gallstones that you need for your production.

There are a handful of online portals claiming to offer the nifty gallstone, but you’ll be better off checking with local brokers or reputable traders. You’ll also want to see if they can supply the aforementioned ox gallstones in the quantities you need, as well as the best prices and service. For those who are in the market for an ox gallstone that’s a bit larger or heavier, they can be obtained from any of the top South African abattoirs.

Ox Gallstones South Africa