New Premium Product! World Famous ‘Wagyu’ Now Raised in Mindanao

On Thursday, during a visit to the Adelaide River Farm of Paul Alcoreza and Arnel Corpuz in Polomolok, South Cotabato, I saw at least 10 heads of the world famous “Wagyu” cattle breed which produces some of the most expensive steaks.

Arnel told me that raising “Wagyu” in the very hot climate of South Cotabato is just an experiment and that there is a bigger ranch in Libona, Bukidnon, the Umalag Farms of RAMCAR, which has about 3,000 heads.

The company is now producing “Wagyu” beef for the Philippine market.

The Umalag Farms, Arnel said, has proven that “Wagyu,” a coined Japanese word with means “Japanese Cattle” could be raised in Mindanao.

I took photos and shot a video of the Mindanao “Wagyu” but I thought that posting these without first educating people on what “Wagyu” is would raise a lot of clarificstory questions, like on the confusion on “Wagyu” snd “Kobe.:

So, I decided to check the internet for an easy to understand article on “Wagyu” and “Kobe” cattle and I found out posted in mychicagosteak.com website.

“Wagyu & Kobe Beef: The Difference

(credits to mychicagosteak.com)

Every ribeye is a steak, but not all steaks are ribeyes. A similar rule applies to Kobe and Wagyu beef: Every Kobe steak is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe.

What You Need to Know About Kobe Beef

Kobe, in short, is a variety of Wagyu. Wagyu, loosely translated, means “Japanese cattle” (“Wa-” meaning Japanese or Japanese-style, and “-gyu” meaning cow or cattle). So “Wagyu” refers to any cattle that is bred in Japan or the Japanese-style. Kobe beef is comprised of a very particular strain of Wagyu called Tajima-Gyu that is raised to strict standards in the prefecture of Hyogo. (Hyogo’s capital city is Kobe, thus the name).

So what sets Wagyu apart from other kinds of cattle? And what makes Kobe beef so special that it regularly commands the highest per-pound prices on the market?

The difference comes down to selection, care, feeding, and the obsessive, extraordinary efforts of Wagyu breeders.

What is Wagyu Beef?

The roots of Wagyu’s superiority can be traced to the late 1800s. During the 1880s, several breeds of European cattle were introduced to Japan and crossbred with native Japanese breeds. The four strains of cattle that resulted dominate the Japanese beef trade to this day.

These four varieties are the only true strains of Wagyu cattle:

– Japanese Black: Originally raised as work cattle, Japanese Black beef is prized for its intensive marbling.

– Japanese Brown: A leaner, healthier breed of cattle, known for its light, mild taste.

– Japanese Shorthorn: While also lean, Japanese Shorthorn is rich in inosinic and glutamic acid, highly prized for the savory flavor they give beef.

– Japanese Polled: Similar to Brown and Shorthorn in leanness, Japanese Polled is known for a gamier texture and rich, meaty taste.

– Over 90% of all Wagyu are Japanese Black strains, so when someone says “Wagyu,” they are usually referring to Japanese Black cattle.

In developing Wagyu cattle, breeders took extraordinary care. Special feeds were created out of forage, grasses, and rice straw, then supplemented with corn, barley, soybean, wheat bran, and in some cases, even beer or sake. It is sometimes said that herders would massage their cattle to alleviate muscle tension caused by cramped spaces (though many people consider this only a myth).

Marbling: The Wagyu Difference

As a result of these breeding methods combined with longer periods for fattening, Wagyu cattle have an unparalleled level of marbling.

Wagyu marbling is also better tasting. Wagyu fat melts at a lower temperature than any other cattle’s, resulting in a rich, buttery flavor unseen in other strains of beef. This fat is also unsaturated and high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, meaning not only is Wagyu marbling more delicious, it’s also more healthy. Genuine Wagyu beef can be difficult to find in the U.S. Check out these beautifully marbled Kobe-style Wagyu steaks you can get shipped to your door.

There are several strains of Japanese Black cattle, including the highly prized Tajima-Gyu strain. The most sought after regional varieties of Wagyu all come from Tajima-Gyu cattle, including Matsusaka, Omi, and – you guessed it – Kobe beef.

Kobe beef is the crème de la crème – it is the most sought after and most expensive beef in the world, with single portions often selling for more than $200.

Why are Kobe beef prices so high?

Because Kobe beef exemplifies everything that makes Wagyu better. Kobe beef is considered the most abundantly marbled in the world, brimming with the creamiest, most decadent, most flavorful streaks of fat a steak can have.

A major factor in the quality of Kobe steaks is the uncompromising regulations the region uses for its cattle. To be labelled Kobe, cattle must meet the following seven standards upon slaughter:

– Bullock (steer) or virgin cow.

– Tajima-Gyu born within Hyogo Prefecture.

– Fed on a farm within Hyogo Prefecture.

– Meat processed within Hyogo Prefecture.

– Marbling rating (BMS) of 6 or higher on a 12 point scale.

– Meat quality rating of 4 or higher on a 5 point scale.

– An overall weight not exceeding 470 kg.

Because of these stringent standards, only between 3,000 and 4,000 head of cattle qualify as authentic Kobe cattle each year.

There’s also a limited number of farms that raise these Japanese cattle – somewhere between 200 and 300 of them – compared to the thousands that raise regular, non-Japanese Wagyu cattle. The meticulous care of these cattle easily bump up the price. Not only are they fed a strict, top-of-the-line diet, these cattle are bred for greatness and taken excellent care of.

Out of all the cattle raised on Wagyu farms, the ones that can pass as certified Kobe beef are fewer. And, since the majority of these cattle are only shipped within the country after slaughter, the prices can soar for those exclusive cuts that export to other countries.

Is True Kobe Beef Only Found in Japan?

Japan is the creator of Kobe beef. That goes without argument. In fact, a foodie names Larry Olmsted wrote about the fake Kobe steak scam in an in-depth Forbes article that shines a light on the Japanese Wagyu industry in other countries outside of Japan. Olmsted noted that Japanese beef, at the time, was not allowed by the United States as an import, which debunks the so-called ability of many restaurants to sell what they labeled as genuine Kobe beef.

However, a couple of years later, Olmsted wrote an update to his article to say that some small amounts of Kobe beef now being available in the United States. In 2012, the USDA began allowing Japanese beef to enter the country, meaning the genuine Kobe beef was no longer off the table for Americans.

There has also been production of Wagyu beef in the United States since the 1970s, when the first Japanese Wagyu cattle were imported into the country. Since then, the U.S. has had its own version of Wagyu beef within its own borders. Now, the raising and registration of Wagyu in the U.S. is managed by the American Wagyu Association, which also registers Wagyu cattle in Canada and other countries.”

#DiscoveringMindanaoPotentials!

#KungGustoMaramingParaan!

(Photos of the local “Wagyu” steak cuts were provided by Arnel Corpuz while photos of the Wagyu cattle in the Adelaide River Farm were taken by Mayette Tudlas, MinDA OC)