Are Wagyu cattle any good?

yellowbelly

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Lincs
This is what worries me - how much are they worth in reality? They look like Angus crosses with really poor conformation! I'd go as far as to say the Friesian part is actually improving them!
:eek::eek:

Perhaps, instead of massaging the beer into them (or whatever you're supposed to do), you drank it instead, the 'beer goggles' might improve their conformation:scratchhead:

;):)
 

GenuineRisk

Member
Location
Somerset
We only use Wagyu on the odd pedigree heifer to ensure easy calving. We love them for about two weeks,,as they shoot out, are exceptionally vigorous and they'll make any heifer's mind up about fact she loves the job. After two weeks, we lose the love - barsteward little things who even with the Blue in them are very contrary. We seem to get mostly heifers and we retain those as recips, which they are excellent for - surprisingly milky. The marbling will not appear on a dairy crossbred - it doesn't on a Blue much. Probably different if crossed with something like a Hereford, I would think. To make any money, you'd need to be on a premium sire scheme.
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
We have one that is 50% wagu 50% British blue, he must be coming up to a year old now and not so good as some of his mates that are a few months younger but he is ok, we will be killing him in a year or so
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Watched an online video somewhere of some chap up scotland using pedigree wagyu embrios in angus cows, finishing the wagyu beasts at 36 months then exporting the carcasses to the usa for over £10k a piece, or it was something along those lines dont shoot me if the figures are slightly different

When I spoke to Steve in 2011 he was quoting £4-6k a carcass to a wholesaler. He could achieve the £10k mentioned by direct selling. Unfortunately the online shop appears to be closed.
 

Whitepeak

Member
Livestock Farmer
Only time I've had wagyu was at @Davy_g place, it was a wagyu x blonde. It did taste very good and Davy had made fantastic job of cooking it, but I'm not sure it tasted any better than some pure blonde beef I've tried. He did have a few more wagyu crosses, which i saw, not sure what he was for with them though.
 

Cowcalf

Member
This is what worries me - how much are they worth in reality? They look like Angus crosses with really poor conformation! I'd go as far as to say the Friesian part is actually improving them!
Only about 35 - 40 k is worth £40 p/k ( at the best ) the rest is basically burgers, looked into it and came to conclusion to stick with cattle that grow and can be sold anywhere
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
Only about 35 - 40 k is worth £40 p/k ( at the best ) the rest is basically burgers, looked into it and came to conclusion to stick with cattle that grow and can be sold anywhere
That was the conclusion that we came to, as well, for now at least..
I like the look of those US $150 steaks though :hungry:
Think the place here is Firstlight Foods that does the marketing and breeder relations/ logistics work "Grass-Fed Wagyu" -that is possibly part of the design of the beast- slow growing, so fed outdoors for life.
Judging by the couple of steaks l ate, you could probably market the brisket as 'steak' :whistle::hungry::hungry:
 
so wagyu steaks are meant to be great for selling but what about the mince and stew and sausages, wouldn't be anything different , a box of steaks won't pay for the costs .
Now you are getting to the knub of it! Wagyus are fairly front end heavy, so a big proportionof cheaper cuts, mince etc. The marbling makes them almost impossible to trim to a level of fatness that is generally acceptable to most consumers. I'd be the first to say that the taste and texture of the Wagyu meat is fantastic, but from a butchers point of view, it's doubtful whether or not the extra that the good bits command make up for the rest of it.
 

had e nuff

Member
Location
Durham
There is an open day at a farm in West Woodburn, Northumberland on the 14th Aug. Don't know any details. FIL was wanting me to go along but I'm busy.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
So how do they kill out? What will they be worth as commercial beef in the end?
What are they worth at 10-12 months?

They will be worth very little as commercial beef. They are a niche product which needs selling to a niche market. That niche maybe the global community of ultra high net worth foodies, but it is a niche non the less.
Now you are getting to the knub of it! Wagyus are fairly front end heavy, so a big proportionof cheaper cuts, mince etc. The marbling makes them almost impossible to trim to a level of fatness that is generally acceptable to most consumers. I'd be the first to say that the taste and texture of the Wagyu meat is fantastic, but from a butchers point of view, it's doubtful whether or not the extra that the good bits command make up for the rest of it.

See above. These cattle are not going to suit the majority of consumers. It's a market and breed which intensely interests me. On the feedlot thread some have said we should produce less meat, with higher profitability. Waygu cattle are an extreme example of this.

I read about Australian Blackmore Waygu years ago, shortly after meeting Steve. It's an amazing story, and I am in awe David's business accumen. He's a cattle farmer who doesn't own any land. Most of his stock are bred and finished on contract to his exact specification.

A great example of a lateral thinker who is maximising the power of his capital and integrating his supply chain. He adds value at every stage.

Would you like to know more?

http://www.blackmorewagyu.com/the-wagyu-story-in-australia/
 

Davy_g

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co Down
Only time I've had wagyu was at @Davy_g place, it was a wagyu x blonde. It did taste very good and Davy had made fantastic job of cooking it, but I'm not sure it tasted any better than some pure blonde beef I've tried. He did have a few more wagyu crosses, which i saw, not sure what he was for with them though.

Thanks WP, They are for me a guaranteed easy calving option on my pedigree heifers. An easy introduction to motherhood. They are nothing to look at - at any stage in their life - and need a lot of time to mature and fill out. They taste fine enough but no better than hung blonde beef.

Might be a better job on natives but would be exceptionally fatty. A niche market and a market one probably needs to grow them selves. I have no interest in them except one for the freezer now and again as a bit of a novelty. Ai'd one wagyu x blonde back to Wagyu when I found some unrelated commercially available and sensibly priced semen (and that took some doing). If the calf is a male it will end up in the freezer if its a female will breed it again to 7/8 Wagyu.

Taken to ai'ing heifers with speckle park, just as easy calving and very nicely marked with better confirmation. Don't have the attitude of the Wagyus either. Sell blooming well coming off the cow.
 

RobP

Member
Location
Herts/Beds/Bucks
IMG_0896.jpg

These are some shoulder steaks from a home bred Wagyu x. The Denver & flat iron steaks are two of our most popular steaks & usually sell out first.
We can get extra value out of the lesser cuts because the meat is so tender. Our Wagyu burgers have a noticeable texture/flavour difference to normal beef burgers.
 

Cowcalf

Member
Thanks WP, They are for me a guaranteed easy calving option on my pedigree heifers. An easy introduction to motherhood. They are nothing to look at - at any stage in their life - and need a lot of time to mature and fill out. They taste fine enough but no better than hung blonde beef.

Might be a better job on natives but would be exceptionally fatty. A niche market and a market one probably needs to grow them selves. I have no interest in them except one for the freezer now and again as a bit of a novelty. Ai'd one wagyu x blonde back to Wagyu when I found some unrelated commercially available and sensibly priced semen (and that took some doing). If the calf is a male it will end up in the freezer if its a female will breed it again to 7/8 Wagyu.

Taken to ai'ing heifers with speckle park, just as easy calving and very nicely marked with better confirmation. Don't have the attitude of the Wagyus either. Sell blooming well coming off the cow.

the Speckle Park look like they would work well as sucklers, seem popular in NZ
 

Davy_g

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co Down
View attachment 562530
These are some shoulder steaks from a home bred Wagyu x. The Denver & flat iron steaks are two of our most popular steaks & usually sell out first.
We can get extra value out of the lesser cuts because the meat is so tender. Our Wagyu burgers have a noticeable texture/flavour difference to normal beef burgers.

What are the crossed to? What age are they killed at? What are they finished on? What weight and grades do they kill at? Any issues with temperament?
I finished mine off grass, the fat is definitely more flavoursome than grain finished beef. Didn't think the steak texture was any better than normal, any tips for me?
 

RobP

Member
Location
Herts/Beds/Bucks
Wagyu x Dairy Shorthorn cow sired by Wagyu bull.
We try to kill as near to 30 months as possible
Carcass weight 300-340kgs, we normally creep feed on Mum, then store them for year 2 & then start feeding concentrate for their last 100 days. I should feed more but I'm too tight! Feeding approx 5kgs of GLW beef finisher.
Ours seem to be very quiet & docile, need to push them out the way to get to the hay feeder.
We find the steak has to be cooked no more than medium/rare & hung for minimum 21 days.
We do not get as much marbling as many breeders but I guess we don't feed as much as most.
We sell a side of beef a week from home & the general consensus is that our Wagyu is a noticeable improvement on supermarket beef, however, a good local traditional butcher selling Hereford heifers has a very good following as well.
We price similarly to M&S & Waitrose premium Angus range but nowhere near the fancy London Wagyu prices.
I hope this helps, I still have an awful lot to learn but I do think the Wagyu will gain a greater market share in years to come
 

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