Japanese Wagyu Markets Summary - Update December 2015
Mike Buchanan • 7 December 2015
National Japanese Black Calf Market
15 November 2015
The Japanese Black calf market is very buoyant due to livestock shortages, with strong carcass prices driving high demand for replacement feeder cattle.
Record Hyogo prefecture calf pricing is significantly higher than other prefectural markets due to specific demand for calves qualified for the “KOBE BEEF” branded channel, with product mainly destined for export.
National Japanese Carcass Market Summary
September 2015
September 2015 national carcass markets saw Japanese Black fullblood pricing continuing well ahead of 2014 performance.
The internationally successful Ginjo Wagyu breeding herd and fullblood Wagyu genetics business has been purchased for an undisclosed sum by the Roma-based Hancock Family Trust, managed by Peter and Karen Hancock, of ‘Ardentrive’, via Roma.
Based on exchange rates in early March 2018, current prices for Japanese Black steer calves are around $AUD9750hd, with heifers around $7300hd.
Citing ‘issues and unfortunate misunderstandings’ relating to registration types and Wagyu definitions, the US Wagyu Association has announced sweeping changes in registry structure to ‘clarify the breed’.
No news is possibly good news in relation to the suspended live trade in Australian F1 to Japan. High Japanese beef prices reflect shortages of local slaughter cattle, so there may be some economic incentive to re-open the trade once biosecurity issues are resolved.
The 2015 Japanese National Carcass Competition winner is a ‘master class’ the value of breeding and feeding to the genetic potential of the Japanese Black. Overall, the 30moa champion steer carcass graded JMGA A5.
As expected, the descriptor ‘Kobe Beef’ has been afforded GI (Geographical Indicator) protection under Japan’s revised 2015 GI legislation (See December Japan Update on this site).