Imagine a life completely free of stress, with as much tender-loving-care you could ever want, an endless supply of food and the occasional beer or two thrown in... Sound too good to be true? It’s everyday life if you’re a Wagyu.
Wagyu is a Japanese breed of cattle that produces highly marbled beef of astounding flavour and tenderness which can command retail prices in Japan in excess of $400 per kilogram. There are two types of Wagyu: Black and Red. The Red is a distinctive breed in its own right and is probably related to Korean cattle. Black Wagyu is considered far superior as it produces finer marbling in the meat.
Ironically, for such an aristocratic animal, it has very working class origins. Its ancestors were beasts of burden whose lot in life was to plough fields, log timber, cart heavy loads in mines or provide general transportation. And it is the history of hard yakka that have endowed the Wagyu with its unique marbling capability that is unmatched by any other breed of cattle.
Cattle were first brought into Japan from the Asian continent during the second century. Over time these early breeds developed distinct characteristics due to the geographic isolation of the country. Other factors are that the rugged terrain made travel difficult and resulted in many isolated pockets of "closed" populations; and that from the years 1635 to 1854, no new genetics were introduced into Japan because the Shogun banned the importation of any new breeds into the country.
After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the new government was keen to promote western food habits, including eating beef and drinking milk. Traditionally, beef consumption in Japan has been very low due to the strong influence of Buddhism and Shintoism. To encourage this shift in diet, prohibitions on eating beef were lifted. At the same time, the government also encouraged the importation of new genetic lines in an attempt to improve animal size and milk production of the Japanese herd. Breeds such as Brown Swiss, Shorthorn, Devon, Simmental, Ayrshire, Korean, Holstein and Angus were introduced into Japan during the late 1800s and this resulted in even greater regional diversity in Japanese cattle. However, by 1910 the cross-breeds were found to be inferior and the demand fell dramatically. Eventually the practice of cross-breeding was terminated.
In 1919, the Japanese government initiated a program of selection and registration of cattle that exhibited the superior traits of both its native and foreign breeds. Work on identifying and establishing successful modern strains exhibiting the desirable traits began in 1950. Out of nine possible groups of modern strains, only four were successful, with the others either showing certain genetic weaknesses or lacked adequate numbers. A highly systematic program of "in-crossing" (crossing between the four strains) began in 1959 and continues to this day. The results of this work has paid off. By 1977/78 a marked improvement in the quality of Japanese cattle was clearly evident and this upward trend has been maintained.
Export of Wagyu genetics is prohibited by Japanese law. By maintaining a monopoly over the genetics, Japanese farmers can retain their competitive edge over other beef producing nations such as Australia and America. (Feed costs alone would render them uncompetitive--the Japanese have to import approximately 90% of their feed, which costs around $640 per tonne compared with $150-180 per tonne in Australia.)
However, Wagyu genetics have been exported on two occasions this century--in both instances to America. The first instance was in 1976 when neither the US nor the Japanese government anticipated the liberalisation of global trade and approval was given for the export of two Black and two Red Wagyu bulls. These were crossed with Angus and several other breeds to produce the American Wagyu (which is a distinct and separate breed from the full-blood Japanese Wagyu). The second instance occurred during the trade war between Japan and the US in 1992. After two lengthy periods of quarantine--first in Japan and then in America--two hundred cows and fifteen bulls were released onto the American market in 1993. This latest release created a huge furore amongst Japanese farmers and the issue has become a political hot potato. Mr Takeda, one of Japan’s top Wagyu breeders, who was responsible for their export, was expelled from the Wagyu association because of his involvement.
David Blackmore is a multi-talented sixth-generation farmer who has been, amongst his other bovine-related activities, importing embryos and semen of different breeds of cattle into Australia since 1986. He first came across American Wagyu in 1988 whilst consulting to the Mexican Government. The cattle were being used for research by the A & M University in Texas. At the time these were the only Wagyu genetics available and Blackmore began importing some of them into Australia. However, by 1993, with the availability of Japanese full-blood genetics, he began to concentrate on importing only this new genetic material.
Breeding 100% full-blood Japanese Black Wagyus from frozen embryos is a long process: a cow’s pregnancy takes 9 months and another 15 months pass before the calf reaches an age when it can start breeding. Blackmore started his breeding program in 1994 using Angus as a base (because of the breed’s beef quality). The first five calves--50% Wagyu, 50% Angus--were born in 1995. Through selective breeding, Blackmore has increased both the size of the herd and the purity. After five years, he now has about 350 cattle that are 75% Wagyu, 25% Angus and plan to increase the herd size to 1000. Ultimately, his aim is to only have 100% full blood Black Wagyu.
There are around 300 Wagyu breeders in Australia, but few, if any, have achieved the results Blackmore has. He is fortunate in that Mr Takeda has taken him under his wing and has been extremely forthcoming with ongoing advice as well as recommending which specialist Japanese universities Blackmore should contact to assist him in his endeavours. (So sacrosanct is the industry in Japan, one of the university professors who has been assisting Blackmore has requested that his name never be quoted because in the eyes of the Japanese he would be labelled a public enemy.)
Blackmore is working with three strains of Wagyu--Tajima, Shimane and Totori--to achieve a combination that is suitable for Australian conditions and maintain the best Wagyu traits. Tajima originated from the Hyogo prefecture, which is the home of the famous Kobe beef, and was originally used for pulling heavy wooden carts. It is the most renowned line, being the best marbling cattle of all Wagyu lines; 70% of all cattle in Japan have a percentage of Tajima breeding in them. However, these relatively small framed animals have the drawbacks of being extremely slow growing and of lacking the appropriate body structure to withstand the time required in the feedlot. As Blackmore explains, "It’s no good having an animal that has great marbling if, after 200 days, it can’t stand up any longer. All you can do then is send them off to the dog food factory." Shimani cattle are larger and faster growing and produce the most milk. Blackmore considers them the most suited to Australian conditions because they have a greater capacity to eat grass due to their larger stomachs. Totori cattle, which represent only 7-8% of the total Japanese herd, are similar to Shimani but taller.
However, the right genetics alone do not ensure the final eating quality of the beef; feeding and husbandry play important roles. Correct feeding is critical to ensure that the animal achieves its maximum marbling potential without throwing off excessive subcutaneous fat. Research has shown that certain breeds have the ability to synthesise and deposit mono-unsaturated fatty acids (the good fats) in both intra- and extra-muscular tissue. Black Wagyu are unique in their genetic ability to deposit marbled fat and are extraordinarily high in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (the ratio of mono-unsaturated fat to saturated fat is about 2:1). A totally trimmed rib eye muscle from Wagyu may contain twice as much extractable fat than that in a USDA Prime and it is this marbling propensity that sets the Wagyu apart from any other breed of cattle.
Furthermore, the mono-unsaturated fat in Wagyu is almost 50% oleic acid. Meat with higher oleic acid content has been found to score higher in taste evaluations. From the health perspective, oleic acid is considered to reduce, or at the very least not increase, the low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (this is the "bad guy", whereas high density lipoproteins (HDLs) are the "good guys"). Eating marbled beef, particularly one containing a high concentration of oleic acid, may actually be beneficial in lowering LDL.
The critical period for the formation of marbling is from 13 to 22 months of age; thereafter, the animal is just putting on weight. (For some unknown reason, the marbling effect tends to occur in the front half of the animal first and then progressively moves towards the back half.) The key to maximising marbling without the formation of excessive subcutaneous fat is a slow, steady daily weight gain from birth until slaughter, which is around 26 months (but sometimes up to 33 months) for Wagyu. American beef is generally consumed at around 24 months whilst Australians tend to eat their beef at around 12 months, but in both cases the animals are fattened rapidly. Rapid weight gain results in short, fat animals with a substantial build-up of subcutaneous and seam fat instead of the desirable marbled (or intramuscular) fat.
Standard Australian practice is to fatten beef cattle over a 70-100 day period, with a weight gain rate of about 1.8 kg per day. (Blackmore notes that, in America, for the first three months a steer’s weight gain rate would be about the same but is reduced considerably thereafter to 0.2 kg per day, and by the end of the 300-day fattening period they are often so fat that they can’t even be bothered walking around.) Under the Japanese feed regime, weight gain is restricted to around 1 kg a day for their entire life. An Angus will marble more heavily using the Japanese method than one fed the Australian way. However, it will still not achieve the same degree of marbling that Wagyu does because it doesn’t have the same genetic marbling potential.
The difference in the rate of weight gain is a function of diet. Under the Australian regime, the feed is largely grain (85%) whereas the Japanese ration contains more than 50% roughage. Blackmore notes that the Japanese are extremely sophisticated and scientific in their approach to feeding: "When it’s costing them $640 a tonne, they don’t waste anything."
The only variation between Blackmore’s feeding regime and that used in Japan is that he leaves the calves on their mothers until about 10 months, whereas in Japan they would go into a feedlot at 2 months of age (this is due to Japan’s lack of grazing space as well as climatic conditions, which preclude grazing cattle outdoors during winter). The cattle then spend around 400 days in a feedlot on a special ration that is high in roughage, to ensure that weight gain does not exceed 1 kg a day.
Husbandry is also a major factor in ensuring quality. To produce beef of the highest standard, all forms of stress throughout the life of the animal must be eliminated. Apart from the well-known pre-slaughter stress, other forms of stress will affect quality including weather extremes and feed stress. The environment must be peaceful and the cattle relaxed at all times. "The Wagyu at Mr Takeda’s are allowed to rest, lying down, for 18 hours a day. It’s so quiet, that when you walk in, you start to whisper," according to Blackmore. "They also have toys to play with--tyres hanging from the roof--in case they get bored."
The cattle also have to be protected from weather extremes and feedlots in Japan are covered, unlike most in Australia. Blackmore is presently sending his cattle to a feedlot just outside of Wangaratta, but he intends to build his own Japanese-style feedlot eventually. At the farm, he stresses to his staff the need to keep the cattle calm at all times; all movement of cattle is done slowly, allowing them to wander quietly in the required direction instead of being chased around.
A constant supply of good food is also essential so that the cattle never suffer feed stress. As Blackmore explains: "Most cattle for the domestic market have suffered feed stress some time in their life because they’re reliant on seasonal conditions. One day it’s spring and the grass is green and lush; in a few more weeks it turns to summer and the grass dries out which means their gut organisms have to change and adapt to the different ration. Then autumn comes around and the pasture is very short and sweet with no bulk to it, but a lot of moisture and very high protein." Blackmore also notes: "because our cattle are not stressed we have been able to achieve a 65% success rate in transplanting frozen embryos, which is well above the international average of 50%."
Despite the long breeding program and the highly disciplined feeding and husbandry requirements, Blackmore is now producing Wagyus successfully for the notoriously demanding Japanese market. He has chosen to pursue the exacting Japanese market for several reasons.
Firstly it is an existing, established market which is prepared to pay a premium for top quality Wagyu (more so than any other market). At present his 50% Wagyu, 50% Angus carcasses are fetching on average $2200, although the best carcasses have fetched up to $4000. And obviously as the purity of the herd increase, so too the price in Japan. In contrast, the same carcass in the Australian market would sell for around $1000 to $1200.
And secondly, whilst he would like to sell his carcasses into the Australian market, it would require a lot more work. "Restaurants only want to buy certain cuts. What would I do with the rest? Even if I sold the best 70 kg of a 400 kg carcass at $35 per kilo, I still wouldn’t get the same price as I can get in Japan... And it’s so much easier--the Japanese take the whole carcass in one go."
The Japanese use the carcass in totally different ways. For example, the muscles around the shoulder would be turned into mince in Australia, yet they are highly prized in Japan for the Korean barbecue. In contrast, rump is considered to be one of the worst, if not the worst, cuts in Japan. "If you talk to the old time butchers in Australia, they will tell you that it is the most variable cut. It‘s very good or it’s very bad--there’s basically no in-between. The rump is all muscle and is the part that drives the whole animal and if the animal is under stress or worked hard, that muscle is going to be a lot tougher." Blackmore also noted that his wife Julie has found that just about every cut of the Wagyu produces tender grilled steaks (even those that did not qualify for the Japanese market) whereas with our standard domestic beef, the lesser cuts had to be turned into casseroles.
In Japan, beef is graded for 18 different traits, compared with 8 in Australia. The carcasses are judged at between the sixth and seventh ribs (near the shoulder), whereas Australians judge between the eleventh and twelfth ribs (near the rump). The meat at the cut point is assessed for: (i) intensity of marbling (running from a score of one to twelve compared with a scale of one to six in Australia; Australian Grade six is the equivalent of Japanese Grade five); (ii) meat colour and brightness; (iii) firmness and texture of meat; and (iv) colour, lustre and quality of fat. Carcasses that meet the highest grades are very highly sought after (Blackmore has witnessed a high-scoring carcass being sold for $24,000).
What about the story of the Japanese massaging their cattle and feeding them beer to improve meat quality? "It’s a good story but it’s a myth," laughs Blackmore. "It sort of happens but not for those reasons. A lot of farmers in Japan only raise 2 cattle and these would be standing around in a shed at the back of the house all day. They get bored and go off their food and stop eating. The yeast in the beer gets their gut organisms going again and stimulates their appetite, so that’s why they feed them beer. As for the massage, because the cattle are standing on rice straw and they lie in their own manure, the farmers get the rice straw to wipe the manure off them. People have seen them do this and think that they are massaging them."
Australia has had a history of plentiful, cheap meat. However, our zeal to keep prices low is often at the expense of quality. Abundance and low cost have also resulted in culinary laziness, where little regard is given to the vast potential of the lesser cuts. Prime cuts represent approximately 17% of the carcass. Unless and until the Australian market is prepared to pay prices that deliver a decent return to the growers for their produce, and are prepared to explore the culinary potential of all of the beast, there will sadly be no wonderfully marbled, juicy, flavoursome, tender Wagyu beef here. And such healthy meat too! | 