If you’re a fan of wagyu beef, you know that there’s no denying its differences from your usual meat. Wagyu Beef Cattle is one of the most popular and luxurious sources of meat you could ever find in this world. Wagyu beef cattles are bred to produce extravagant and tasteful dishes. However, not all people know what wagyu beef cattle is.
If this type of world-class luxurious meat is new to you, then be our guest. In this article, we will talk about wagyu beef cattle and everything you need to know. So, get your senses ready and enjoy the treat, as you will be learning some of the finest sources of meat in the world.
Understanding Wagyu Beef Cattle
Before you get into those intricate and tasty facts of Wagyu Beef, you first must know what a Wagyu Beef Cattle is. Wagyu Beef Cattle is where you get all those marbly fat and tenderize meat. It’s Japanese beef cattle that were once used for agricultural purposes, owing to their strength. In fact, the word “Wagyu” came from the Japanese terms “Wa” and “gyu” meaning Japanese and cow, respectively.
Is Wagyu Beef the same as Kobe Beef?
Kobe beef is a type of Wagyu beef. Kobe Beef is perhaps one of the most common Wagyu Beef in the entire world. From their strict regulations, Kobe Beef came from the small province of Hyogo, Japan, but not all beef from Hyogo can be considered Kobe Beef. That said, even the finest wagyu beef can rival what Kobe beef brings to the table in terms of taste and consistency.
Simply put, for a Wagyu Beef to be considered a Kobe Beef, it must originate from Kobe. From the moment Wagyu beef cattle are butchered and taken to different kinds of restaurants, they have to have a license from the Kobe Beef Association before being dispersed.
Why is Wagyu Beef so Popular?
As mentioned, the Wagyu Beef Cattle produces some of the finest meats that the world has known. Wagyu beef is very popular, thanks to its juicy, tender, and flavorful meat. Wagyu Beef Cattle breeds four breeds that produce the best marbling effect, the Japanese Black, Japanese Shorthorn, Japanese Polled, and the Japanese Brown.
These cattle store fat content inside of their muscles, creating that ‘marbling’ effect inside the muscle tissues. Its marbling is one reason why Wagyu beef is tender, juicy, and packs a flavorful content.
Why is Wagyu Beef Cattle Expensive?
The wagyu beef that the wagyu beef cattle produces is expensive because of various factors. From the first moments when they are born and raised, these cattle are pampered and cared for like a baby. Wagyu beef cattle are raised in a humane and stress-free environment.
A stress-free environment means less population of cattle in a pen and a daily meal intake that contains high energy nutrients found in hay, wheat, and grains. When wagyu beef cattle are sold in an auction at around 7 to 10 months, they are raised for 2 to 3 years or until they reached 1,500 pounds.
Another thing that makes Wagyu beef expensive is that Japan’s law requires cattle farmers to rear these animals according to strict rules and regulations. Those are decade-long methods and techniques on how to successfully rear cattle.
Every wagyu cow should have a birth certificate that can trace its bloodline and what farm it came from. Rumors are spiraling that wagyu cows are fed with beer and massaged daily to achieve that perfect marbling effect, but this is not true. However, some cattle growers tend to brush their cattle using a stiff brush to pamper them every once in a while and relieve stress.
What are Wagyu Beef Ratings?
If you are new to wagyu beef, chances are, if you are looking into a menu, you will find some ratings such as A5, A4, and A3. A5 is the highest rating of wagyu beef; what this means is that you are getting that exceptional and world-class type of beef at your disposal.
There are two corresponding factors one how this beef is rated. The first part, to differentiate A and B, is how much meat can yield from the bones. This means that when it is rated as “A,” you will be getting the most meat compared to the Wagyu Beef that is rated as “B.”
The other factor is the number; as you can see, A or B numbers. Five is considered the cream of the crop, whereas 1 is the lowest point. The BMS or Beef Marbling System is the factor that grades the meat from 1 to 5. If a Wagyu Beef is rated as A5, the meat should have a beef marbling system ranging from 8 to 12.
By 12, it means you get the best possible marbling effect meat could potentially offer. A4 means the meat has a beef marbling rating at around 6 to 8; an A3 has around 4 to 6. Simply put, if you have an A5-12 Wagyu, then you have the best possible meat you can ever chew on at your disposal. Find out more about Wagyu beef here!
Conclusion
Wagyu Beef Cattles are becoming more and more popular among the masses. But with decade-long techniques and meticulous growing methods, they are still quite expensive. In most instances, they are mostly served in fancy restaurants around the world.
Since Wagyu beef is a luxurious type of meat, once you taste them, you will then know why it is impressive, popular, and palatable.