US Wagyu Cow & Calf

- Overview
- Climbing The Grading Ladder
- A Genetic Fix For Better USDA Marbling Grades
- Size Matters
- Selection Tools
          - Strain Analysis
          - Feedlot Performance Data
          - EPDs/EBVs
          - Gene Marker Analysis
- Herd Health Benefits

Overview

Black Wagyu genetics, now readily available at competitive prices to US cow/calf operators, can make a valuable contribution to mainstream herd improvement and build longterm profitability, without risky focus on volatile niche markets.  These unique bloodlines can also help eliminate dystocia from herds with calving difficulties see Herd Health Benefits.

Selecting the correct bloodline from the range of Wagyu options is key to success in a meeting a range of herd improvement targets.   In this section, dedicated to US cow/calf producers, buyers and feeders, we identify and discuss improvement opportunities.

Downunder Genetics, an AWF member run by Paul Redner and Alan Gordon from the heart of the South West, can help you to identify the right genetics mix.    You can download a copy of their special introductory catalog/ price list right from the Downunder  website.  This is a premium range of Wagyu genetics from Australia – home of the largest national herd outside Japan.  But selected using contemporary Japanese methodology to address the emerging US cow/calf opportunities.
So let’s look at some of these opportunities ….

Climbing the Grading Ladder

Even in a period of consumer focus on ‘economy cuts’, a steady program of meat quality improvement can pay worthwhile dividends – and in the essence of every global Wagyu success story is: superior meat quality.

With its focus on marbling, maturity and yield, the tier system of USDA beef grading is highly compatible with a cow/calf herd improvement program using Black Wagyu genetics to gain measureable results. 

Source: USDA
Relationship Between Marbling, Maturity and Carcass Grade*

* Assumes that firmness of lean is comparably developed with the degree of marbling and that the carcass is not a "dark cutter.
** Maturity increases from left to right (A through E)
*** The A maturity portion of the figure is the only portion available to bullock carcasses

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A Genetic Fix For Better USDA Marbling Grades

Relative abundance of marbling is a primary USDA quality grade parameter.   Maturity and yield are the other key parameters.   Our focus here is on young feeder cattle (target Maturity Grade A) with high yield grade (1 or 2).

Now compare the photo series below by opening the embedded file with Japanese Meat Grading Association (JMGA) reference photography for Black Wagyu meat grades in Japan (see pdf attachment).  As you see, median USDA Prime marble scores are equivalent to JMGA Marble Score 3-4.  USDA Select and Choice marbling is significantly less.  (For Meat Science magazine comparisons of the Standards see Harris et al, 1995 and Cameron et al, 1994.)

So by Japanese Black Wagyu standards, USDA marbling scores are generally low and even median Prime is just 33% of a top grade JMGA marble score.  This means climbing the grading ladder with Black Wagyu genetics does not require massive infusion.
Here’s what USDA marble score grading looks like in prime cuts:

Six ribeyes that exemplify three USDA quality grades. Moderate, Modest and Small correlate with the three levels of Choice beef; Slight marbling is Select grade; Abundant (not shown), Moderately Abundant and Slightly Abundant marbling are initial indicators of Prime grade beef.
Photo: NCBA/USDA

You can start planning a move now to get some of your harvest up into the 2-3% of all US beef that will grade USDA Prime.  No genetic infusion is likely to help you more than Black Wagyu.

Finally, there are those exotic special niche markets where supreme eating quality and extraordinary prices have made Wagyu legends.  It might be a long term goal, but as you select every replacement female with measured Wagyu infusion and known marbling heritability, you make an important step in that direction.

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Size Matters

Targeting ‘moderate marbling’ infusion from an F1 Black Wagyu cross breeding program over any dam breed also enables sire selection from the larger Wagyu sub-strains – Kedaka and Itozakura in particular.   Mature bulls from these strains can weigh from 1900lb to 2400lb and will definitely not be the source of any neighborhood derision.

This addresses the key issues of growth, weaning weights and calf sale weights.   Even in fullblood production in (unsupplemented)  Australian extensive pastoral systems, male weaning weights in the 550s are enabled by sire selection from the larger sub-strains.  Heterosis (hybrid vigor) should also deliver significant benefits when cross breeding with medium/large Bos taurus or Bos indicus females in South Western range conditions.

However, unless targeting high marbling niche markets; or in terminal joining over high marbling females, the small (Hyogo-style/Tajima, with mature weights from about 1200lb) Black Wagyu bull is probably not the appropriate selection for commodity-level grade ladder climbing.  The penalty for such a selection will be reduced growth and sale weight.

The important exception is in local vertical or value-add markets, where the producer is supplying to a high-end marbling specification for specialist butcheries or food service - and earning a meat quality premium.    There are many significant opportunities (and successful operations) in this niche.

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Selection Tools

In this section we are talking primarily about sire selection for cross bred joining.  Generally, the modern day beef producer is deluged with information to enable better genetics decisions.   But Wagyu production is one market segment where many of these contemporary tools have yet to mature (although a lot of progress is being made).  The available tools are:

Strain Analysis
Highly fixed traits and consistent heritability are the key features of Japanese Black strains (or tsuru).  Although mixed now in Japanese breeding, both the strains and their persistent traits can be identified within virtually all individual Wagyu.

So when you identify key sires from a strain within a pedigree, and the percentage component of the strain within the individual animal, this is likely to be an accurate performance predictor for that animal.
Translate this to broadbrush selection:  Kedaka and Itozakura dominant animals will have greater growth and maternal ability, higher weaning and carcass weights but less marbling (in X-bred production.  In fullblood production, the balance is addressed in the female side of the joining.)  For high marbling/long feed niches, or over large Bos indicus or Holstein cows, the Tajima line comes into its own.
We believe selection by pedigree analysis/strain is mission critical.

Feedlot Performance Data
This is the proof of the pedigree’s promise – and it is not always delivered.  Consistent heritability enables selection within Black Wagyu based on the performance of sibling carcass data where no progeny data exists.  Analysis of progeny data across cow families provides vital input for appropriate sire combinations.  Not all combinations work – so not all sons of leading sires subsequently deliver to the promise of their sires.
A well-assessed animal and a well-understood pedigree with sound feedlot data on both sides is as good as it gets.  See some indicative carcass data for strain combinations in our Hyogo Prefecture (Tajima) section.

EPDs/EBVs
Data collection for Expected Progeny Differences (USA) and Estimated Breeding Values (Australia) is well under way and will eventually provide essential cross-herd measurement data for fullblood herds.   Extending this into the fragmented cross-breeding environment is currently fraught with difficulty.

Gene Marker Analysis
Huge investment continues in unraveling the bovine genome and enormous progress has been made (see AWF Gene Markers).   In Wagyu, the key marker requirement is for marbling and in Australia it is currently believed that there is insufficient evidence to give statistical credence to markers that may influence marbling outcomes.

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Herd Health Benefits

One of the outstanding benefits of Wagyu sire programs is the immediate reduction in dystocia difficulties.   In over 700 calves at the Ginjo operation in Australia – where the broad gamut of Kedaka, Itozakura and Tajima sires have been used -  only one calving intervention has been required.

Cow/calf experience in the US South West supports this outcome.    For first calvers, or where there is a history of dystocia,  using Wagyu bulls will provide immediate relief. Downunder will be happy to provide local South Western reference sites.

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