Wagyu (pronounced ‘wag-you’), is the name given to the four main native Japanese breeds of beef cattle, that were crossbreed with the importation of some 2600 cattle from Europe between 1868 and 1887, including Ayshire, Holstein, Devon, Simmental, Shorthorn and Angus.
Translated it means Japanese beef, ‘wa’ means Japanese and ‘gyu’ means beef.
Native Wagyu, almost totally isolated from outside influence for several hundred years, were originally used as draft animals in agriculture and selected for their physical endurance and for cultural and religious reasons, meat was not eaten.
Despite the Japanese Government encouraging it, there was not much interest at first in cross-breeding the European breeds with the native cattle. It became more popular around 1900 but ceased ten years later when it was discovered that even though the crossing of the breeds was producing a larger animal with better milking qualities, their work capacity and meat quality was lower.
Then in 1919, the cattle that resulted in the short period of cross-breeding were registered and selected at “Improved Japanese Cattle”. The four Wagyu breeds that had the most influence with the cross-breeding were the Japanese Black (translated it means Japanese beef; ‘wa’ means Japanese and ‘gyu’ means beef).
Wagyu are bred all over the world and are renowned for their supreme meat, high marbling and tender with delicious flavour. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of Wagyu beef with the largest fullblood herd outside of Japan and is the main source of the genetics that have come into New Zealand.
The first Wagyu calf to be born in New Zealand from a Wagyu cow was in 1992. They are
black or red with horns and are known for their peaceful nature. They are very fertile, with most females cycling before 12 months of age and to top that off, Wagyu bulls can reliably service 50% more females than other breeds.
New Zealand Wagyu are born and raised on farms with a diet of green grass with minimal supplements throughout their lifetime, compared with Wagyu in other countries which can end up being fed on a high grain diet and finished on a feedlot.
Apart from their ability to produce the finest beef, grass fed Wagyu meat has many health benefits. It has double the amount of vitamin A and three times the amount of vitamin E.
Grass-fed Wagyu have the richest levels of beta carotene and Omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce the risk of cancer, cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, along with up to four times the amount of Omega-6 which can help with the vital brain function.
