German police have requested help from the public in solving the baffling case of a bull sperm heist in the town of Olfen, the Associated Press reports.
According to authorities in western Germany, approximately 60 containers containing bull sperm were stolen from a farm at the start of the week. Olfen is around 56 miles or 90 kilometers northeast of Cologne, the fourth-biggest city in the country. Police working on the case are stumped as to how the theft went down, as bull sperm needs to be cooled with liquid nitrogen at -320 Fahrenheit to prevent spoiling. They are seeking tips in helping with the recovery of the sperm, which was to be used at the farm and other locations for artificial insemination.
The sperm of just one breeding bull can inseminate thousands of cows, according to the National Library of Medicine’s National Centre for Biotechnology Information. "Cryopreservation of semen and artificial insemination have an important, positive impact on cattle production, and product quality," reads one study from 2019. “Through the use of cryopreserved semen and artificial insemination, sperm from the best breeding bulls can be used to inseminate thousands of cows around the world."
Bull semen is a highly lucrative business for farmers, and frequently sells for high prices throughout the world. As reported by ABC, 10 vials of sperm from one bull sold for over $67,000 in 2019 at a sale in Australia. Needless to say, there’s clearly a market for the German heist’s illicit load.
