€30,000 HEIFER TOPS EUROPEAN WAGYU GALA

EUROPEAN WAGYU GALA – SALE REPORT & SYMPOSIUM REVIEW

• ·     €30,000 Heifer Top Price

• ·      Five-month-old calf makes €12,000

• ·         Breeding Bulls to €11,500

• ·         Semen to €3,600 per straw

• ·         Embryos up to €3,600 each

  Saturday 12 September 2020 saw the annual European Wagyu Gala take place in Muenster, Germany, with a high-achieving online auction grossing €445,000 preceded by a symposium featuring two international speakers: Scott de Bruin, Mayura Station and former Australian Wagyu Association President; and PJ Budler originally from South Africa but now more often found in Fort Worth, Texas.

Sale Spectacular

The sale achieved a full clearance with females sold to €30,000, bulls up to €11,500, embryos at €3,600 and a tremendous €3,600 per straw figure for five straws of Mayura Prologue, a son of the top-ranking Australian-bred sire Mayura Itoshigenami Junior, realising a whopping €18,000 for the five-straw bundle with a further five straws going under the hammer for €14,000. This was perhaps the headline price and eclipsed the AUS$4,500 paid for Mayura Prologue semen at this spring’s Australian Elite Wagyu Sale. Prologue has a marbling score EBV of +3 and an SRI (Self Replacing Index) of AUS$287.

Itsuko -Leading Price at €30,000

Topping the sale at €30,000 was Itsuko, a July 2018-born heifer with outstanding genetic heritage, from Wagyu breeder Alexander Looshen. Sired by Aizatzuru 10.201401, the paternal side is dominated by the foundation bulls Fukutsuru and Kikutsurodoi both well-known for marbling; whilst the maternal side boasts Itozurudoi, a sire for growth, frame and milk, as well as the 100% Tajima cow, Kinu Y385, coming from Blackmore breeding.  

Miss Pepper €21,000 pictured with her grandsire Mayura Itoshigenami Junior, Number One sire worldwide

Next best female at €21,000 was the June 2019-born Ms Pepper, by the Mayura Itoshigenami Junior son, Peppermill Grove, and out of a dam with good maternal traits combined with top carcase figures. Seller was Marblelution Genetics. Mayura Itoshigenami Junior is the Number One ranked sire with an SRI of AUS$+343. 

Third-highest heifer was another Peppermill Grove daughter, again from Marblelution Genetics, this time in the shape of Ilka, a January 2019-born in-calf heifer featuring bloodlines from two prominent Australian breeders, Westholme & Blackmore. Ilka sold for a healthy €14,500.

Two further animals made €12,000 apiece in the form of the five-month-old heifer calf Ms Kanitoshi and the yearling heifer Miss Reeves. Another four females made €10,000 per head. Two bulls reached five figures with the leading price of €11,500 paid for Mr Nikuru, a son of Itozuru Doi with his great combination of growth and marbling, sold by Wagyu DE. At €10,000 was the red Wagyu bull Mr Garant from the same home.

The trade in embryos was strong with a leading price of €3,600 per embryo for a mating of Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku and out of a Mayura dam with top 1% figures from Marcel Merz/Mayura Farms.

Averages:

• 39 Females                 €7,567

• 3 Bulls                         €8,833

• 73 Embryos                €1,254

• 10 Semen Straws       €3,200

• Total Sale Gross         €445,150

Symposium Review

Wagyu Breeders Association Company Secretary, Richard Saunders, writes:

“It was great to hear Wagyu cattle perspectives from one of the foremost Australian cattle breeders, Scott de Bruin, who runs Mayura Station on the Limestone Coast in SE Australia. This Wagyu operation was established in 1998 with the import of 25 females and 4 bulls and now numbers 8,500 Fullbloods marketing 40,000kg of retail beef per month. Exports account for 70% of production mostly to China, the Far East and Middle East. Key to the success of the Mayura brand has been data collection: DNA for analysis, 8-weekly weighings and carcase assessment for marble score, eye muscle area and rib fat with a big emphasis placed on identifying the top 5% performers within the herd. According to Scott, creditable data means minimum carcase numbers for sire and dam; consistent feeding programmes; and evaluating the performance of management groups. Profitability is the key strategy at Mayura with the specific objective being to reduce age to slaughter (24-26 months versus the Australian average of 36-40 months) but still maintaining a superior carcase. Scott recognises Breedplan as the most advanced genetic evaluation system in the world – this being the vehicle for increased performance and predictability. ‘Don’t be afraid of cattle that carry recessive disorders’ was a final message noting that these could be the best performing commercial cattle. By way of conclusion, Scott summed up his three tips for a successful future breeding strategy: a) get your data assessed by a third party; b) use high-accuracy performance-proven sires; and c) collect data and progeny test.”

WAGYU ELITE SALE 29 OCTOBER - MEMBER FOCUS

Wagyu Elite Sale 29 October - Focus on UK Breeder Philip Maddocks

Looking ahead to the next AWA Elite Wagyu Sale being held online on 29 October 2020, we focus on one of the prominent buyers at the last sale at the end of April, UK breeder Philip Maddocks. This article is courtesy of the August 2020 Australian Wagyu Update where it first appeared.

Philip Maddocks pictured with his father David

As with other prominent international buyers, Philip Maddocks shares the understanding that quality Wagyu needs marketing and education in order for European Wagyu beef producers to realise true reward given many British consumers are more likely to be deterred by the appearance of the higher marbling.

 A third-generation farmer from the North-West Midlands, Philip’s grandfather and later his father were well-respected breeders of British Friesian and Holstein cattle – gaining reputation throughout the UK and the Continent under the Wyndford Herd brand. 

However, Philip and his brother chose not to follow that path and Philip established a salad leaf business, a success in its own right.

With the dispersal of his father’s herd of 500 cattle in 2017, Philip knew that his father would miss the world of cattle, so searched for an alternative – and found Wagyu.

“The original plan was to have 10 animals and keep them in a field, but my father’s interest in genetics was piqued with Wagyu, to learn more about pedigrees and bloodlines. A meeting with a US breeder at a Wagyu sale in Germany ended up with a purchase of embryos using Holstein as recipients – we had to buy more Holsteins,” said Mr Maddocks. 

The principal focus for Mr Maddocks is to establish a Fullblood Wagyu pedigree herd, to sell genetics, but he appreciates that producing beef will be the ‘proof in the pudding’ on the quality of those breeding decisions. 

To date, he has purchased genetics from the US and Australia and owns cows in the US for the purpose of flushing, but acknowledges it is early days yet. Currently, there are 100 Fullblood Wagyu cattle on the farm.

For Mr Maddocks, the Australian Elite Wagyu Sale and AWA BREEDPLAN gave someone with very little knowledge or history with Wagyu a window to what is available and a starting point for quality genomics. 

“The British Wagyu Breeders Association is still in its relative infancy, but as a UK member we are automatically members of Australia given the reciprocal arrangement that the WBA has with the AWA. Most of us understand that genetics are not the full story; phenotypes are part of it.

“Germany and the US tend to focus on SCD scores, but I aim to gain more balance across the animals rather than just focus on one trait. Nutrition will be the other consideration – what works in Japan and Australia may not be the perfect blend here in our colder winters. Time will tell once we finish some cattle. 

“Establishing the brand is the other consideration. We will go under the Wyndford Wagyu brand for beef and genetics as it will strengthen our recognition and reputation, and educate consumers on what Fullblood Wagyu is, compared to some of the cheaper beef on the market that may have false claims about Wagyu content.” 

Ultimately, Mr Maddocks aims to sell Wagyu genetics throughout Europe and the Middle East.

Now with two sales per year, AWA’s next Elite Wagyu Sale will be held online on 29 October 2020. The most recent sale held on 30 April 2020 performed strongly with 63 of the 96 lots sold to a total gross of AUS$1.31 Million. Vendors and bidders participated from around the world with 146 bidders from 11 countries registered for the online auction with 10 of the 20 female lots sold overseas to a top of AUS$105,000 to US breeder Jeremy Freer of Double 8 Cattle Company. Two polled Wagyu purebred heifers sold to a Swiss buyer for AUS$65k & 62k who purchased a further 6 lots. Overall, 6 lots went to the UK and a further 6 to the USA. Look out in due course for catalogue on www.wagyu.org.au.

FULLBLOOD REGISTRATION GUIDE PUBLISHED

The British Wagyu Breeders Association has today published a Members’ Guide to registering Fullblood Wagyu animals, and has been put together in partnership with the Australian Wagyu Association, Neogen & Caisley Tag. For the full step-by-step guide please click HERE or check out THE BREED/REGISTRATIONS section on the website.

NEW BRITISH WAGYU ASSURANCE SCHEME

NEW BRITISH WAGYU ASSURANCE SCHEME LAUNCHED

New British Wagyu assured logo

A new British Wagyu Assurance Scheme - due to start from 1st July 2020 - has been established by the Wagyu Breeders Association (WBA). With a branded tissue punch ear tag and sire verification at its core, the novel scheme unites all parts of the supply chain in assuring the integrity of the British Wagyu brand.

All rearers, growers, finishers, processors and retailers will benefit from membership of the scheme as consumer demand for premium British Wagyu-assured beef grows – backed up by the distinctive new logo on packaging. It will be financed through agreements with the WBA’s major tag and DNA partners, from logo royalties alongside membership fees.

WBA Director, Chris Dickinson, North Netherscales Farm, Skelton, Penrith says: “This is a hugely exciting time for the premium end of the beef industry with customers demanding not only superior eating quality but also animals that are fully traceable and reared to the highest welfare standards. The new British Wagyu assurance scheme puts out a very strong marker.”

The principles of the scheme are:

• All animals sire verified to a registered Fullblood Wagyu bull

• Dams either dairy-bred or native breeds

• All animals born in the United Kingdom

• All animals tagged with British Wagyu-branded DNA tissue-punch tag

• All animals DNA sire verified

• All animals BVD tested negative

• All animals whole-life Red Tractor assured

• Minimum age at slaughter 24 months; no maximum age

• No bull beef

The scheme will:

• ·Lead the industry in terms of traceability, animal welfare and consumer trust

• Enhance the integrity and value of premium Wagyu beef

• Be at the forefront of data collection for meat quality, performance efficiency and climate change

• Increase the profile and demand for British Wagyu

The new Caisley British Wagyu branded tissue punch ear tag

Integral to the success of the scheme are data collection and analysis which will underpin the financial return on investment. With a world-leading partner in place to carry out DNA and genomic testing, and with access to carcase and performance data linking back to all sires, the whole supply chain will quickly have at their fingertips a valuable marketing and breeding tool to maximise efficiency and profitability as well as ticking wider environmental boxes. From the outset, these will include standard carcase information such as days to slaughter, DLWG, carcase weight, killing-out %, and over time will expand to key economic traits like retail yield and feed efficiency. In the short term, important management factors such as calving ease, birthweight, gestation length and (semen) fertility can be incorporated with the longer-term ambition being to add marbling (marble score and fineness), tenderness and taste into the equation.

Please visit the BRITISH WAGYU ASSURED tab for full scheme rules and how to order the various Caisley tag combos

BRITISH WAGYU INCREASES SHARE IN PREMIUM BEEF MARKET

2019 BCMS FIGURES RELEASED

Figures released by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) for 2019 show that British Wagyu has established a small but increasingly significant foothold in premium British beef production. The figures, for beef cattle born in England, Wales & Scotland reveal over 5,000 Wagyu-sired calves were born in the year.

Of these, 4665 were crossbred (sired by a Wagyu bull) and 1034 purebred or Fullblood - totalling 5,699 Wagyu animals. Please click HERE for breakdown by country and type. The last comparative figures were 2014 where there were 2,405 births recorded.

Backed by a new British Wagyu quality assurance scheme from 1st July 2020, these figures are set to increase as demand grows for what is considered the world’s finest beef and as consumers look for quality over quantity.

NEW QUALITY ASSURANCE SCHEME

From 1st July 2020, the Wagyu Breeders Association (WBA) will be seeking to further protect the integrity of the marketing of its Members' unique British Wagyu beef by introducing a Quality Assurance (QA) scheme. Once the QA scheme rules are fulfilled, Members will be able to use the new “WBA-approved British Wagyu” and “Fully WBA Assured” wording and logo on their packaging and in their marketing materials. The WBA is currently consulting its Members on the scheme rules which include tagging, DNA sire verification and a minimum age to slaughter. Please click HERE for the new logo.

3,000GNS TWICE TOPS HEXHAM WAGYU SALE

3,000GNS TWICE TOPS HEXHAM WAGYU SALE

The second annual Wagyu collective sale held at Hexham & Northern Marts on 27 August 2019 on behalf of the Wagyu Breeders Association (WBA) saw a joint top price of 3,000gns.

Fullblood bull Redewater Itoshigenami 486 consigned by Northumbrian Wagyu, Monkridge, West Woodburn made 3,000gns.  This June 2018-born young bull is sired by Redewater Itoshigenami 452 who combines Kumanami Tajima superior Marble Score from Itoshigenami with additional Marble Score and Fineness EBVs from Kitaguni Jr who is the dam’s grand-sire. Purchaser was R Fox, Gordon House, Wigton.

From the same home was another at 3,000gns this time for a purebred heifer again sired by Redewater Itoshigenami 452 and out of a very good purebred cow from David Wyn Finch breeding. This one heads to JC Frost & Co, Rookery Business Park, Attleborough.

The first lot in the ring, Uprising Daisy, from Uprising Properties, Park Farm, Ashill, Bishopsteignton, Devon made 2,500gns when going under the hammer to JC Frost & Co, Rookery Business Park, Attleborough. Sired by Uprising Kobe Akihito and out of Tyddewi F 6996, this two-year-old heifer boasts strong influencers in her pedigree. Fukutsuru is on both sides of her lineage, and milk production is her strongest trait that comes through the extended predicted EBVs from midpoint from parents. Growth gets progressively stronger after a desirable light birth weight. 

Trade in semen was strong with 10 straws of Sumo Cattle Co Shikikan N211 from Delta Wagyu, Warrendale Farm, E Yorks making 100gns per straw. First time on the market, this bull is a rare outcross with Terutani and Michifuku on the dam side as well as a double dose of Itoshigenami IMUFQTF148. Buyer was Steve Ramshaw, Monkridge, West Woodburn. At the same price was 10 straws of Redewater Itoshigenami 452 semen from Northumbrian Wagyu which was bought by JC Frost & Co, Rookery Business Park, Attleborough. Another from Delta Wagyu, Peppermill Grove, made 65gns per straw to Bruce Deppe, Chelmsford.

Two embryos from Chris Leith, Springwood Lodge, Tillyeve, Udny, Ellon made 300gns apiece. These combined the rare mating of sire Itozurudoi FT151 with a WAGUSA dam F001172. New owner is R Fox, Gordon House, Wigton. 

Grateful thanks are extended to auctioneer Drew Patrick and his team at HNM, and to sponsors Davidsons Animal Feeds, Carrs Billington & Grass Science. Thanks also go to Steve Bennett of Wagyu International, one of the foremost authorities on Wagyu seedstock, for providing in-depth breeding notes within the catalogue.

 Averages

2 Females £2,875

1 Bull £3,150

2 Embryos £315

30 Straws Semen £93

Auctioneer: Hexham & Northern Marts

WAGYU SALE 27 AUGUST - CATALOGUE NOW AVAILABLE

The catalogue for the second Elite Wagyu Sale being held at 3pm on Tuesday 27th August 2019 at Hexham Mart is now available by clicking HERE. 30 lots are being put forward for sale comprising Fullblood females, bulls, embryos and semen in addition to some purebred animals. The sale is being held jointly by the WBA & Hexham & Northern Marts in the Tynedale Farmers Suite, Hexham Mart, Tyne Green, Hexham, NE46 3SG. Please note this is a sale via the internet with bidding possible either online or in person on the day. Please register in advance if bidding online. Thank you to our sponsors Carrs Billington, Davidsons Animal Feeds & Grass Science for their support. Wishing all vendors and purchasers good luck!

Wagyu Newsletter July 2019

Please click HERE for the most recent Wagyu Newsletter. Members will by now have received their subscription invoices for membership of the WBA which runs from 01.07.2019 to 30.06.2020 which includes Overseas Membership of the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA). However, AWA has in error already auto-generated its own membership invoices which has caused some confusion! AWA has, as always, moved quickly to rectify this and have sent the following NOTE to WBA Members. Please therefore disregard the AWA invoice. Thank you for your understanding.

UK WAGYU SALE (27 AUG) ON THE BACK OF GROWING DEMAND WORLDWIDE FOR WAGYU BEEF

UK Sale on the back of growing Wagyu beef demand worldwide

British Wagyu Sale, Hexham, 27 August

The UK demand for Wagyu beef continues to outstrip supply. As processors continue to decrease the maximum weight of carcase, along with possible changes to beef grading systems away from the EUROP grid, the Wagyu will be an ideal choice of bull for suckler beef production, producing a medium-sized carcase with great eating characteristics.

To that end, the British Wagyu Breeders Association will be holding its second virtual sale of Wagyu cattle, embryos and semen at Hexham Auction Mart on the 27th August at 3pm. Among the lots will be bulls offered for sale in the top 5% of the breed worldwide with exceptional breeding potential. The use of Breedplan from Australia will give extensive information on the lots offered and help assist potential purchasers with their selections.

The Australian Wagyu Association recently held its own elite sale of Wagyu cattle, embryos and semen with sales to South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and the UK. The top priced females made AUS$280,000 (£157,000) and $200,000. Excluding those two, 13 other cows averaged $42,692. 14 bulls sold to average $25,393. The top prices in the bulls were $55,000, $52,000 and $50,000.

This Elite level sale has become a global sale with international buyers and sellers playing big roles. The countries involved are USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK. The Canadian vendor, Ken Kurosawatsu produced the top priced embryos. They will be exported to Australia for use in the Hewitt Pastoral Wagyu enterprise, based in Queensland.

The top price female was a heifer from Mayura Station, Millicent, South Australia by the famous Itoshigenami Jnr, who also sired the top price bull last year. Mayura N1229 was bought by Brian Stamps, Tuttle, Oklahoma, USA. Mr Stamps bought well at the November Premium Wagyu Sale and this heifer will join his other cattle at an export centre in Victoria. He also bought the top price semen of the day at $6730 per straw (x 10) from Macquarie M0546 a high performing son of Y408.

The other high flyer was a Trent Bridge cow, PTIC to a son of Y408. Trent Bridge K0034 is just under five years and by a home bred sire in TB F0126 and has a double cross of Itoshigenami TF148.  Her claim to fame is her marbling data both for marble score and marble fineness. The top female in the breed with an MS of 2.4 and MF of 0.48. Being in calf to a son of Y408 will make the calf something special. She was purchased by the under bidders of the top priced lot, Geneflow, who are new entrants in the IVF embryo industry, based at Tocumwal, on the Murray River in southern NSW. She will go into their quarantine for production of embryos. Geneflow will offer breeders and investors a chance to buy a share in the cow. Syndicate details are being prepared. Overall it was a very strong result for the Wagyu breed and values will continue to increase.

Here in the UK, demand is increasing from chefs and beef-loving consumers for high eating quality beef. With Wagyu beef steak restaurants opening in Scotland and Yorkshire, many chefs are now sourcing Wagyu beef to put on their menus as more Wagyu beef comes available from UK producers.

Wagyu bulls with high IMF (marbling) are ideal for producing high-quality, well marbled beef from both dairy and native breeds of cattle.  It is said Wagyu bulls have the ability to improve the eating quality of beef produced from all breeds of cattle and with the use of IVF and embryo transplantation Fullblood herds can be established in a reasonably short time.

On the morning of the sale (27 August) there is an opportunity to visit Steve Ramshaw’s Northumbrian Wagyu farm near Hexham to look at Wagyu Fullblood, purebred and F1 production. Steve brought his Wagyu cattle from the USA over 12 years ago and has seen the demand for stock grow year-on-year. The beef produced from his herd sells for up to £125.00 per kg in local butchers. 

For more information on the sale, contact Drew Patrick 07854361967 (Hexham & Northern Marts) www.hexhammart.co.uk or to visit the farm before the sale Steve Ramshaw on 07599392976.