NUMBER 8 WAGYU

0226255904

FAQ

Here are answers to the most common questions that we receive. If you have any more questions, or wish to hear a more in depth explanation, give us an email, text or call. 
Are Wagyu easy calving?

​In general, yes, wagyu are easy calving with low birthweight. There are exceptions however, especially where recording may be minimal and pedigrees are unknown. We are one of the only studs that breed specifically for easy calving, as well as short gestation lengths to benefit dairy farmers. Most of our calves are within 27-30kg, with usual gestation lengths of 280-286 days (breed average is 289).

Should I get fullblood or purebred Wagyu?

​Fullblood wagyu are of 100% DNA verified Japanese descent. Purebred wagyu have a wagyu content of greater than 93.75% (4th cross). Purebred wagyu may have a lower level of DNA verification than fullbloods. If you are a dairy farmer looking to reduce bobby calves, purebred bulls are an easy option (or leasing either PB or FB). If you want to breed wagyu for meat, purebred cows and fullblood bulls are an ideal combination. If you are interested in selling stud stock, fullbloods may be a better option.

However, a better question may be "why is performance testing important?"

Why is performance testing important?

It is a fundamental principle of any breeding - from evolution, to modern cattle breeding, that progeny of a mating are all individuals with different characteristics. Performance testing using Breedplan allows farmers and processor generated information in many areas to be analysed and create EBVs that predict how progeny will perform in real life.

This EBV data can be used to compare individuals within our herd with the Wagyu population in Australia. For example, imagine we have a heifer with an IMF EBV of 2 and a mature cow weight EVB of +10. If the breed averages are around 1 and 20 respectively, our heifer is exceptional for IMF but predicted to be smaller than average. We combine these forecasts with our own data based on IMF scanning and weight gain to decide what sire to use. If she qualifies for our elite breeding program in other areas, we might use a bull that is higher on growth, even if we sacrifice IMF.

Our perspective is that breeding without performance testing is like driving at night without headlights - while nothing will give you complete data, headlights allow you to go faster, with a greater chance of reaching your destination.

However, if our own performance monitoring doesn't agree with EBVs, we remove animals from our breeding herd.

Do our EBVs include Genomic data.

Yes. The AWA has a genomic program that we use. However, we are wary of using young sires that have extreme genomic values for difficult to measure such as IMF unless they come from extremely well proven families.

Are Wagyu polled?

​There are no fullblood polled wagyu outside of Japan as these genetics were never released. Purebred polled wagyu can exist, however many animals sold as polled wagyu may not have a high wagyu content. To complicate things further, polled animals may or may not have polled offspring - they may be homozygous or heterozygous. Mating two heterozygous polled wagyu will result in 25% horned offspring. In spite of this, we are committed to our polled program, aiming to have homozygous polled calves born in 2024.

What is the difference between red and black Wagyu?

​Black wagyu are the breed standard - easy calving, moderate size and high marbling. Red wagyu are more similar to standard beef breeds with bigger birth weights and faster growth. Our red wagyu are from a genetic line that shows good growth and marbling performance in Australia. We are waiting to see what happens here.

Are our cattle registered?

​Yes. There are two options for registration - the NZWBA (New Zealand Wagyu Breeders Association) and the AWA (Australian Wagyu Association). The NZWBA is great for simple registrations with cheaper fees. The AWA offers more services such as EBV’s, inbreeding predictors and genomic screening. We register most of our cattle with both organisations. While we would be happy to just register in NZ, the extra services that the AWA offers are essential for us. To get EBV data, we need to register with the AWA.