Japan
Wagyū were initially introduced to Japan as a beast of burden to help cultivate rice. By order of the Sh**un, the cattle herd in Japan was closed and eating meat from any four legged animal was prohibited from 1635 to 1838. Because of Japan's rugged terrain and isolated areas, different breeding and feeding techniques were used such as massaging or adding beer or sake to their feeding regim
en. It is suggested that this was done to aid in digestion and induce hunger during humid seasons but appears to have no effect on the meat's flavor. Massaging may have been to prevent muscle cramping on small farms in Japan in which the animals did not have sufficient room to use their muscles.[2]
There are five major breeds of wagyū (wa means "Japanese" and gyū means "cow"): Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, Japanese Shorthorn, and Kumamoto Reds. Japanese breed names include: Tajima, Hida (Gif Pref.), Tottori, Shimane, Kochi and Kumamoto. The more famous black variety has their origins in Kobe. Australia
Australian Wagyū Association is the largest Breed Association outside Japan.[citation needed] Both Fullblood and Wagyū cross cattle are farmed in Australia for domestic and overseas markets, including Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, the U.K, France, Germany, Denmark and the U.S.A.[3]
Australian Wagyū cattle are grain fed for the last 300–500 days of production. Wagyu bred in Western Australia's Margaret River region often have Red Wine added to their feed as well. Although less than 100,000 of the 28.8 million head of cattle in Australia are Wagyū or Wagyū infused, the long feed nature of Wagyū production takes up 40% of Australian feedlot space in any given 12 month period.[dubious – discuss]
