All About Wagyu

History.

Full-blood Wagyu cattle were first imported to the USA in 1976 when two black and two red bulls were imported.

In the 1990’s, several additional importations of full-blood Wagyu cattle were made, allowing for the first full-blood Wagyu to be bred in the US. Most of these imports were Japanese Black wagyu.

With less than 200 full-blood Wagyu exported to the US, in 1997, Japan declared Wagyu a national treasure and reinstituted it’s export ban, stopping any more full-blood Wagyu genetics from leaving Japan.

All Wagyu genetics exported prior to this ban are the basis for the Wagyu genetics in the USA today and the reason they are so highly prized and sought after.

Wagyu Today.

In the USA today, Wagyu genetics are known to improve beef quality and value. As a result, beef with Wagyu influence, from percentage to full-blood, is marketed using a variety of terms such as “American Wagyu”, “American Kobe”, “Kobe-style” or most incorrectly as “Kobe” beef.

“American Wagyu” is used to describe a cross-bred (F1, F2, F3) or pure-bred (F4) Wagyu animal (see chart above). Full-blood Wagyu are Wagyu animals from a full-blood Wagyu cow and full-blood Wagyu bull with no other breed influence. All of our Wagyu animals are DNA parent-verified full-blood black Wagyu meaning their genetics can be traced back to the full-blood Wagyu animals that were first imported from Japan.

All Kobe beef is Wagyu beef but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe beef. Kobe beef is beef that has been raised and harvested in Kobe, the capital of Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture. For that reason, any beef that has been raised in the USA, no matter of its percentage of full-blood Wagyu influence, can not be “Kobe” beef. Oftentimes “Kobe” is used because it is more recognizable than “Wagyu”. “Kobe”, “American Kobe” and “Kobe-style” are often used in restaurant settings for that reason.

It is important to differentiate full-blood Wagyu products from these other products so that consumers know what they are getting.

Health Benefits.

Full-blood Wagyu beef naturally contains more Omega-3, Omega-6, and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (“healthy” fats) than any other beef on the market. These types of fatty acids are known to protect against heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure, cardio vascular disease and more, making full-blood Wagyu beef not only tasty but beneficial to one’s health.

Resources.

Visit the American Wagyu Association for countless Wagyu resources, recent news and access to the herd book.