Frequently Asked Questions

Wagyu is a Japanese word that simply means Wa – (Japanese) Cow (Gyu). It would be like saying American Cow. 

In the USA, we have distinct breeds of cows such as Angus and Hereford. They are for the most part European breeds. Wagyu in Japan also consists of several distinct breeds. The Japanese national herd is comprised of 90% black cattle (Kuroge Washu) with the remainder being of the red strains Kochi and Kumamoto that we call Akaushi.

Realizing the value of their unique product, the Japanese Government in the late 1990's banned further exports of Wagyu genetics and declared Wagyu a national living treasure. Zenwa is the Government held entity in Japan that oversees the WAGYU registry for Japanese Black, Brown, Polled and Shorthorn.

The intermuscular fat in our Full Blood Wagyu is genetically unique in Oleic acids and has a distinct Umami taste, sometimes considered to be a fifth basic taste, along with the tastes sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Sometimes described as a rich buttery taste. This beef tastes the same as Japanese "Kuroge Washu" or black cattle as they are the same DNA and genetics as Registered Fullblood Wagyu in America.

Animals registered in the Japanese Wagyu Herdbook and animals whose sire and dam are registered as 100% Fullblood Wagyu, and progeny of registered 100% Fullblood Wagyu parents are classified as Fullblood animals. Fullblood Wagyu in the USA have parentage verified back to Japan. All parentage must be DNA verified by an AWA-approved lab or other AWA-accepted facilities. American-registered Fullblood Black Wagyu are the only genetically identical to Japanese Kuroge Washu (Black Wagyu).

Fullblood Wagyu are a very small number in the USA compared to other commercial cattle. There are approximately 96 million head of cattle in the USA according to USDA (US Department of Agriculture) current accounting. There are roughly 25,000 Fullblood Wagyu according to the AWA.

Japanese Wagyu beef typically comes from Wagyu cattle that are bred and raised in Japan. This beef is often referred to as Japanese Kuroge Washu Wagyu or Japanese A5 beef, with the latter term indicating the highest quality grade within the Japanese beef grading system.

American Wagyu beef does indeed come from cattle that share genetics with Japanese Wagyu, as Japanese Wagyu cattle were originally exported to the United States. However, the quality and taste of American Wagyu can vary depending on how these cattle are raised and whether they are crossbred with non-Wagyu cows. When Wagyu cattle are crossbred with other breeds, they are often referred to as "American Wagyu" or "American Kobe" (in reference to the Kobe region of Japan famous for its Wagyu). The quality and taste of American Wagyu can be influenced by factors such as the percentage of Wagyu genetics in the cattle and how they are raised, fed, and cared for.

So, in summary, Japanese Wagyu beef is typically from Japan and known for its high quality, while American Wagyu shares genetic origins with Japanese Wagyu but can vary in quality and taste depending on breeding and other factors, especially if crossbred with non-Wagyu cattle.

All of our beef is processed and labeled at USDA-inspected facilities. The USDA does not yet have a grading scale that can measure beyond “Prime”. 

The intermuscular fat marbling of our Fullblood Wagyu is a much higher quality than “Prime.” 

Often, the term “Japanese A5 beef” is used to describe the best quality and marbling score for Wagyu. We use the “Japanese Beef Marbling Score (BMS)” chart for grading our intramuscular marbling. The best Japanese beef is A5 with BMS 8-12. Our Fullblood Wagyu is BMS 8-12. 

Japanese A5 Wagyu is very expensive in the US. In Japan, the price of this quality of beef is comparable to Prime cuts in the US. The reason why it is higher priced in the US is because of shipping from Japan and import tariffs.

Japanese Wagyu beef typically comes from Wagyu cattle that are bred and raised in Japan. This beef is often referred to as Japanese Kuroge Washu Wagyu or Japanese A5 beef, with the latter term indicating the highest quality grade within the Japanese beef grading system.

American Wagyu beef comes from cattle that share genetics with Japanese Wagyu, as Japanese Wagyu cattle were originally exported to the United States. However, the quality and taste of American Wagyu can vary depending on how these cattle are raised and whether they are crossbred with other breeds. The quality and taste of American Wagyu can be influenced by factors such as the percentage of Wagyu genetics in the cattle and how they are raised, fed, and cared for.

Our cattle is Texas-Bred 100% Fullblood Kuroge Washu Wagyu. This means our cattle has the same genetics as the Japanese Black cattle but bred and raised in Texas. So you can expect similar high degree of marbling for a rich buttery, umami flavor and tenderness. Our cattle are also raised similarly with a focus on high-quality feed and long feed finishing time.

Japanese Kuroge Washu Wagyu is typically considered to be of higher quality than American Full-blooded Wagyu. This is due to a number of factors, including the stricter grading standards in Japan, the more traditional methods of raising cattle, and the unique environment in which the cattle are raised.

So, in summary, Japanese Wagyu beef is typically from Japan and known for its high quality, while American Wagyu shares genetic origins with Japanese Wagyu but can vary in quality and taste depending on breeding and other factors, especially if crossbred with other more common breeds.