Wagyu Breeds

Beyond Black: Dive into the Diverse World of Wagyu Breeds

“Think you know everything about Wagyu beef? Think again! While Japanese Black is the most well-known breed, other Wagyu breeds are equally delicious and worth exploring.

In my previous articles, I provided a concise overview of the origin and definition of wagyu beef and shared an infographic that depicts the various kinds of wagyu crossbreeds. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the four breeds of Japanese wagyu full-blood cattle, which are renowned for their superior quality and flavor.

 

The Unexpected Origins of Japan's Wagyu Cattle

Wagyu beef comes from a special breed of cattle that originated in Japan. In the early 1900s, Japanese farmers crossed their native cattle with imported breeds, mainly from Europe, to create the wagyu cattle we know today.

At present there are four main varieties of wagyu cattle in Japan: Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, and Japanese Shorthorn, each with its own unique features and qualities. Let's take a closer look at each one.

Why the crossbreeding?

Before proceeding to analyze each of the four breeds of Wagyu, let’s try to understand why the native breeds were crossbred with foreign cattle in the first place. To do that, we need to quickly examine the history (Please forgive me for simplifying some historical passages to make this article easier to read).

Cattle were probably brought to Japan from China around the second century AD, during the Yayoi period. To put it in perspective, this was also the time when rice cultivation was introduced to Japan.
Cows were mainly used for agricultural purposes, such as plowing the fields, but also served as a means of transportation, mining, and fertilizer production.
Milk consumption was relatively uncommon and, for religious reasons, meat consumption was off the chart.
Also, cattle had not been regarded as an animal protein source, while draft animals were indispensable for cultivating paddy fields.

The status quo persisted for most of the time until 1868, when the Meiji Restoration occurred. The new government promoted Westernization, which led to the popularization of beef consumption in Japan. To meet the growing demand for beef, local cattle breeds were genetically enhanced in various regions of Japan.

From 1868 to 1887, around 2600 foreign cattle were brought into Japan. Initially, there was little enthusiasm for cross-breeding them with native cattle, but it became widespread around 1900.

Several foreign breeds, such as Simmental, Brown Swiss, Devon, Shorthorn, Ayrshire, Holstein and Aberdeen Angus were imported by the Japanese central government and crossed with local Japanese breeds by local prefectures.

However, cross-breeding practices stopped abruptly in 1910, when it was discovered that the cross-breeds might have larger size and better dairy qualities, but their working ability and meat quality was inferior.

To unify the physical traits and overall quality of the cattle, around 1918 each prefecture implemented registration systems to select and improve the cattle uniformly. The regional populations that resulted from this brief period of cross-breeding were registered and selected as "Improved Japanese Cattle". Four distinct strains were identified, mainly based on which type of foreign cattle had most influenced the hybrids, and were recognized as breeds in 1944.
These were the four wagyū breeds that are still recognized today: the Japanese Black, the Japanese Brown, the Japanese Polled, and the Japanese Shorthorn. 

Japanese Black

Now that we understand the reason behind the need for crossbreeding native cows with imported breeds, let’s dig into the most popular and widespread of them all; The Japanese black.

The Japanese Black (Kuroge Washu  黒毛和種 in Japanese) is a breed of cattle that originated in south-western Japan and was influenced by European breeds such as Braunvieh and Simmental from Switzerland, Ayrshire, Devon and Shorthorn from the United Kingdom, and Holstein from Germany and the Netherlands.

The name Japanese Black was established in 1944.

After World War II, the demand for meat declined due to economic hardship, so the breeders started to improve the breed for meat production again in the 1950s during the High Grow era. The first examination standards were revised in 1962, and have been updated several times since then until today.

In 2023, the Japanese Black accounted for about 98% of the national beef herd. 

Most of the current Japanese Black cattle are descendants of Tajiri, a bull that was born in Koshiro Ward, Kami Town, Mikata District, Hyogo Prefecture (Tajima Province). Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef, and Omi beef, which are widely regarded as the top three Wagyu brands in Japan, also belong to this lineage.

Main Characteristics:

Japanese Black breed of cattle possesses a distinctive black coat with a brownish hue.
It has horns and its black features extend to the nose mirror, hooves, and tongue.
Although relatively petite in stature, with females reaching around 130 cm in height and 450 kg in weight, their carcass yield is approximately 62% (slightly lower than that of typical meat breeds).
Renowned for its exceptional quality, their meat boasts fine muscle fibers and abundant fat marbling.

 

Japanese Brown

Also known as Akage Washu (褐毛和種) or Aka Ushi (赤牛) in Japanese, the Japanese Brown boasts a rich and lengthy history, and its presence is even noted in Japanese mythology.
One theory suggests that the breed originated from Korean cattle imported during the reign of Otomo Sorin (16th century AD).
The Japanese Brown we know today originated from crossing native Japanese cattle from Kumamoto and Kochi prefectures with Simmental breeds introduced in the country during the latter half of the Meiji era.

While the breeding process was largely similar in both regions, some differences emerged. Notably, the Kumamoto line shows some influence from the Devon breed, whereas the Kochi line was later improved through the introduction of selected cattle from Korea (Hanwoo).

With less the 2% of the total wagyu population, Japanese brown cattle account for about 20,000 heads.

Main Characteristics:

With a carcass yield of 60-63%, Japanese browns are typically larger than the dominant black Wagyu strain (Tajima). They also boast higher weaning weights, shorter finishing times, and, in females, greater milk production.

Color-wise, the Kumamoto line displays a distinctive yellowish-brown color with lighter shades on the lower body, inside limbs, and around the eyes and nose. In contrast, the Kochi breed favors black horns, hooves, eyelids, tongues, tail tufts, and other features.

Another key difference lies in the meat itself. Aka Ushi, thanks to their pasture-raised lifestyle, boasts maroon-colored meat with pale cream fat featuring beta-carotene deposits. This translates to a richer flavor, leaner muscle mass, and moderate marbling.
The lower fat content creates an eating experience closer to a traditional Western steak, while still upholding all the qualities expected of Wagyu.

 

Japanese Shorthorn

Native to Japan's northernmost Honshu island, the Japanese Shorthorn (Nihon Tankaku Washu-日本短角種) boasts a rich heritage. Bred primarily in the prefectures of Iwate, Akita, and Aomori this cattle breed has a unique history. While Aomori and Iwate saw influence solely from British Shorthorns, Akita's breeders also incorporated Ayrshire and Devon cattle into their lines.

Japanese Shorthorn cattle descend partly from Nanbu cattle, which were bred in the northern Japanese region of Nanbu (now roughly eastern Aomori Prefecture) during the Edo period (1603-1868).
These animals served as beasts of burden, transporting goods and daily supplies between the Pacific coast and inland areas.
With the arrival of American Shorthorn cattle in 1871, crossbreeding efforts began in Iwate, Hokkaido, and eventually Aomori. As industrial structures evolved and transportation systems improved, the need for work animals declined. Nanbu cattle were gradually transitioned into beef cattle, with standardized body types established for each prefecture in the northern Tohoku region in 1943.
Finally, in 1957, these regional breeds were unified under the single name "Japanese Shorthorn."

Despite their esteemed lineage, Japanese Shorthorns represent a mere 0.5% of Japan's wagyu population, with approximately 7,000 heads remaining. The majority reside in Tohoku, with a smaller number in Hokkaido. Remarkably, 40% of these cattle are raised within Iwate Prefecture, where they proudly carry the regional collective trademark of "Iwate Tankaku Wagyu."

Unfortunately, the liberalization of beef imports in 1991 dealt a significant blow to the Japanese Shorthorn's population. This event triggered a decline in their numbers, a trend that continues to this day.

Main Characteristics:
Japanese Shorthorn cattle have a dark reddish-brown coat with occasional white spots on the groin.
They are large and bulky animals with about 60% of carcass yield.
Compared to other Wagyu breeds, they have less marbling but still produce lean, flavorful red meat. This is due to their genetic background and natural raising system where they graze on mountain grass instead of relying heavily on grains.

 

Japanese Polled

With only about 200 heads remaining, representing a mere 0.01% of the Wagyu population in Japan, the Japanese Polled (無角和種, Mukaku Washu) breed is regarded by the FAO as being in the ‘critical-maintained’ state.
This breed has suffered the most significant population decline compared to other Japanese Wagyu cattle. While efforts like the Japanese Polled Cooperation (established and funded by Yamaguchi Prefecture) help prevent immediate extinction, securing their genetic material (germ cells and body cells) as genetic resources remains crucial.

The Japanese Polled was developed in Yamaguchi Prefecture, southern Honshu, in the early Taisho Era (1912-1926). This was achieved through crossbreeding with Aberdeen-Angus cattle to improve the meat quality and maturity of the native Japanese breed.
Recognizing its potential as a Wagyu beef breed, full-scale breeding efforts began. Initially registered as "Mukaku Gyu" (Hornless Beef) by the prefectural organization, it was officially recognized as a fixed breed in 1944 by the Central Agricultural Association, receiving its current name "Mukaku Washu" (Japanese Polled).

Once a prized possession, the hornless Japanese breed of cattle enjoyed a period of prosperity, even surpassing the value of the Japanese Black. Their abundance fueled a golden age for the breed. However, the winds of change blew in 1965. Consumer tastes shifted towards marbled meat, and the influx of affordable imported beef after trade liberalization presented significant challenges.

The Japanese Polled boasts lean meat, naturally resistant to the marbling preferred by the market. This led many farmers to switch to breeding Japanese Black cattle, which are predisposed to marbling and command higher prices. Furthermore, the oil crisis of 1973 further accelerated the decline in the Japanese Polled population, with annual losses exceeding 250.

Today, only around 200 animals remain. Despite efforts to preserve the breed, its future hangs in the balance.

Main Characteristics:

The hornless Japanese Polled shares its black coat with the Japanese Black breed, but stands apart with a compact build and lean, marbling-resistant meat. This rare breed finds its home solely in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

 

Conclusion
While the Japanese Black is the most recognized and widely available Wagyu breed, there's a whole world of flavor waiting to be explored. Have you had the opportunity to experience the unique characteristics of the Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, or Japanese polled Wagyu?

Let me know the breed you tried, where you found it, and what you thought of its taste and texture. Your insights will help others discover the diverse world of Wagyu and broaden their culinary horizons.