The Origin of
Japanese Black Wagyu and Major Bloodlines
It is the
accepted view today that cattle were brought over to Japan a long
time ago from China, via the Korean peninsula, although it is not
known exactly when. Horse-drawn carriages did not exist until the
Meiji Era (1868-1912). An ox-drawn cart was the established form
of transport for nobles in the Heian Era (794-1868), so we presume
the first cattle imports were before that time and for draft
purposes.
In 1830 "Tsuru-ushi"
was developed in the Chugoku Mountain region of west Japan. "Tsuru-ushi"
was a breed improvement system particular to Japan, based on a
social system where a Shoya (village headman) had control of the
breeding sires to which tenant farmers brought their cows. The
system was common across Japan especially in the Chugoku region.
These Shoya developed the first inbred bloodlines, originally for
draft purposes.
In the
Meiji Era, the government’s policies started to encourage
improvement of these bloodlines. After repeated trial and error
such as crossbreeding, with a range of foreign breeds such as
Simmental, Aberdeen Angus, Shorthorn and others, the Japanese have
concentrated on producing Wagyu cattle with a worldwide fame for
beef quality. This breeding has been conducted under a
standardised registration system.
Main Bloodlines
of Japanese Black Wagyu
The
regional improvement programmes mentioned in the previous
paragraphs are still maintained in the three major Black Wagyu
seedstock districts:
Okayama
Prefecture - Fujiyoshi line
Hyogo
Prefecture - Tajiri or Tajima line
Tottori
Prefecture - Kedaka line
While each
of the breeders of these lines continues with improvement of those
lines, the commercial development of production animals usually
uses a combination of two or three lines to blend the strengths
and weaknesses into a predictable product. It should also be
remembered that the three main lines originate from inbred lines
and the outcross factor is important not only for small levels of
heterosis but more importantly to reduce the inbreeding depression
or advent of deleterious genes which can be produced in highly
inbred cattle. The level of inbreeding can be calculated and is
called the coefficient of inbreeding, reported as a per cent (%CI)
Fujiyoshi
Line
Generally
well balanced cattle. Calves of relatively good growth rate and
meat quality are produced. The prefecture is relatively level in
topography and historically cattle with a balance of traits have
been sought after.
The
bloodline started in the Tomada District of the Okayama
Prefecture. The male descendancy began with Dai 13 Hanayoma and
progressed from son to son until the sire Morizumi. Morizumi was
used in Tomada district were he was bred with Dai 1 Fujiyoshi of
the Akebono bloodline to produce the famous bull Dai 6 Fujiyoshi.
Descendants
of Dai 6 Fujiyoshi form the Fujiyoshi bloodline
While the
number of key sires is relatively small compared to other lines,
this line is listed as one of the major bull strains because of
the excellence of its beef.
The
Fujiyoshi line was in time introduced to other prefectures. Dai 7
Itozakura was born in the Shimane prefecture, a son of Dai 14
Shigeru, which was introduced from Okayama. Dai 7 Itozakura
is therefore a Fujiyoshi line bull, probably the most famous of
the line, himself the sire of many sires that in turn produced
many descendants.
These
descendants pass on good growth rates, quiet temperament and a
strong maternal ability in dams, which also have high fertility.
Westholme Fujiyoshi line Sires
Tajiri Line
Tajiri or Tajima line cattle are descendants of Tajiri, a sire
born in 1939 in the Mikata District of the Hyogo Prefecture. This
is a large, influential sire line to which almost all strains
within the Hyogo Prefecture are related to some extent.
This
line is famous for good temperament, transmitted by a large number
of sires as well as cows. A large number of descendants have been
produced in the Tajiri line, especially from a sire called
Tafukudoi. Some of the strains bred away from the Tajiri line and
formed new lines. Other prefectures like Miyazaki (Kyushu) and
Kagoshima, looking to improve the temperament and meat quality of
their cattle, introduced Tajiri line cattle to their breeding
programs. Those introductions worked well and contributed strongly
to the overall improvement of Japanese Black Wagyu in Japan.
The Tajiri
line has outstanding genetic excellence of meat and finely marbled
beef but in combination with smaller frame and low growth rates.
The Hyogo Prefecture is a mountainous one and smaller, nimbler
cattle were more useful as draft animals. Famous are the names of
"Kobe-beef" or "Matsuzaka-beef" from beef produced in Hyogo
Prefecture using Tajiri bloodlines.
Westholme Tajiri Line Sires
The grand dam
and great grand dam of the above two sires is Kikutsuru a famous
dam of sires. Although growth rates in her descendants may be a
little poor, their meat quality is outstanding. These sires are
therefore important for improvement of meat quality traits
including fineness of marbling.
Kedaka Line
The Kedaka line was formed in
the Tottori Prefecture from descendants of the sire Kedaka born in
1959 from the Eiko strain. Thus the Kedaka line is a branch of the
Eiko line.
Typical characteristics of the
line include good growth, larger frame type, good topline and
overall balance. They are known for their fine, loose skin.
Sons of Kedaka were introduced
to many prefectures for their genetic potential for higher growth
rates combined with high meat quality. Their conformation, good
temperament and fertility have contributed a lot to breed
improvement. Improvements based on the Kedaka line in the Miyazaki
and Kagoshima prefectures are especially important.
Dai 20 Hirashige is an important
sire of the Kedaka line. His semen is still used although the
price per straw is higher than US $1000 each. He gained 84.7
points as an "Ikushu-Toroku" bull which was the highest honour in
Japan at the time. The number of registered sons by this bull is
very high.
Westholme owned Kedaka line Sires
