Issue 88 | Wagyu Quarterly Update, Winter 2024

Page 1

WAGYU

QUARTERLY UPDATE

Top 5 meat myths… BUSTED Navigating the global trade landscape

International Wagyu office opens in Texas Wagyu markets - green shoots appearing

PROMOTING, ENHANCING AND CELEBRATING THE WAGYU SECTOR

Wagyu: an unparalleled culinary experience

Wagyu: an culinary experience

VOL 88 WINTER 2024
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WAGYU World’s Luxury Beef
Worlds Luxury Beef

Thank you to all the buyers and under bidders, new and longterm customers; who collectively made our inaugural 2024 bull sale so successful.

BULLS SOLD

20
Top of $42,000.00 Average of $19,500.00 WAGYU BREEDPLAN JUNE (RUN 1) 2024 LTCFR112 GL BW 200 400 600 MCW MILK SS CWt EMA FAT RBY MS MF EBV -1.8 +5.0 +32 +54 +71 +67 +4 +0.9 +54 +1.4 -0.7 -0.2 +1.9 +0.32 Acc 67% 72% 74% 71% 70% 64% 64% 64% 68% 66% 67% 56% 67% 58% SRI +$291 FTI +$261 F1 TI +$220 BFI +$323 13 sons with an average MS of +2.6. Sell at our ANNUAL WAGYU BULL SALE APRIL 2025 Jeremy Cooper 0427 549 261 Charlie Hart 0428 658 457 www.circle 8 bulls . com B3F, CHSF, CL16F, F11F, IARSF

Editorial

Emily Rabone − emily@wagyu.org.au

Contributors

Laird Morgan, Dr Matt McDonagh, Simon Quility, Dr Tim Ault, Dr Anneline Padayachee and Jim Barker.

Art Director

Heather Frazier − heather@squishcreative.com

Print

29

40

49

On the cover

World's Luxury Beef was showcased at the 2024 Wagyu Branded Beef Competition (WBBC). Find out more about this year's WBBC Grand Champion and Reserve Champion on page 33.

Lighthouse Print Group (Printed using soy vegetablebased inks with alcohol free solutions. The magazine is fully recyclable and printed in Australia).

Publisher/Distributor

Australian Wagyu Association communications@wagyu.org.au

Disclaimer

All content subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission. Opinions expressed in The Wagyu Quarterly Update are not necessarily those of the Association. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of any product or service by the magazine or the association, nor support any claims by the advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure information contained in this magazine is correct at the time of publishing.

Contents Features 6 President report 8 CEO update 11 International office officially opens 16 The new norm - Positive signals for Wagyu's future 25 Benchmark your herd - Improve EBVs for your cow herd and their progeny
sits at very top of offering
top
Beef Competition
Wagyu
33 Terroir, genetics and expertise - Mayura Station and Shiro Kin take out
spots in Wagyu Branded
Beef nutrition - Top five meat myths
Navigating the global trade landscape 25 29 40 16

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President's report

A rolling stone gathers no moss

Dear Members,

“A rolling stone gathers no moss” aptly describes what is happening in Australian Wagyu at the moment. The last few months have been hectic, exciting, and very rewarding, with no indication things are going to ease up in the near future. Our competent team at HQ in Armidale have been tasked with driving this business forward... and they have been doing just that!!

We were all heading to the 2024 Conference in Cairns last time you heard from me. What a show! Record numbers of 650 delegates, world class presenters and an atmosphere of enthusiasm that's cemented the WagyuEdge Conference as a premier event on the calendar and is now the envy of it's industry peers. As with all events of this size and scale, it is a continuous learning process. Some modifications and alterations will be made to the program to ensure it’s an even a better event in 2025, when we descend upon Perth, Western Australia from 9 to 11 April 2024 . Put this date in your calendar as it promises to be another highly anticipated event.

Congratulations must go to Emily Rabone on organising this firstclass event. A great deal of work (unpaid overtime) and stress go into achieving an outcome of this calibre so I’m sure it's with great pride she looks back on her accomplishments in Cairns.

After the conference, a small but enthusiastic group of international guests did a tour of some Wagyu operations on the eastern seaboard. From all reports the visitors had a very informative and enjoyable tour. Thank you to all hosts for your time and energy in accommodating these guests.

After a small break that was really only long enough to get the laundry done, the team was off to BEEF 2024 in Rockhampton, Queensland. The resources, both human and financial, required to hold this event are considerable. The effectiveness of an event like this is very difficult to quantify and measure. However, with the massive migration of Wagyu genetics in northern Australia, it was deemed by the Board that a major presence at BEEF2024 was not only justified but necessary. The Wagyu Long Lunch, with 450 guests was a sponsored event by the AWA and as an attendee I can

report it was a huge success. A marquee was manned by our competent staff members eight hours per day for five days, fielding all manner of questions relating to Wagyu. The result of the week is that many many more beef producers have now been exposed to Wagyu, and any perception that Wagyu is anything other than a major force to be reckoned with in the future is being quickly dispelled.

Another quick laundry day!... our CEO Matt McDonagh, Emily Rabone, Director Jeremy Cooper and I travelled to Fort Worth TX, on May 16th. The purpose of this trip was twofold. The official opening of our Australian office in Texas, and the finalisation of a business partnership with the Texas Wagyu Association (TWA).

The new international office has been established in the Stockyard Precinct, in Fort Worth. This precinct is about as “cowboy” as you can get and it was an absolute coup to find a vacant premise in which to locate our Australian Office.

This office has been opened to service the members of the AWA that live in the northern hemisphere/different time zone to Australia. This will allow us to service these members at a level that has become an expectation of all AWA members. The office is being headed up by an extremely capable young lady from our Armidale office, Hannah Kirkwood. A further two MSO’s will be employed in the near future. By all reports things are running smoothly at this point. A big thank you to our American counterparts who made us feel most welcome and we look forward to closer relationships as we go forward in this exciting venture.

Our latest Board meeting in Sydney on June 4th was preceded by a strategic planning day. This event was facilitated by Mr Andrew Roberts (Farm Owners Academy), the session attended by the AWA Executive team and Board members. A five-year plan which will align with the tenyear road map that is due to expire in 2030, was initiated. Communications when this is finalised will be done at the AGM in November.

VOL 88 WINTER 2024

As a Board, it is incumbent upon us to make many decisions. The decision to increase the AWA's service and membership fees is not taken lightly or without intense deliberation. Membership fees have not been increased since 2017. When considering CPI and the array of extra services and technologies that are supplied to our membership, it was determined that a significant increase is now necessary. This will allow for the continued investment in improving AWA systems, delivery of improved technologies and efficient services that have driven the incredible advancement in Wagyu in recent years. Increases to fees for DNA testing, registration and other AWA services will also be increasing from 1 July 2024.

If anyone has any questions regarding any of the issues, please feel free to make contact with me or any member of your Board at any time.

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CEO update

Major events 2024: WagyuEdge and BEEF2024

Once again we have seen the positivity and vibrance of the Wagyu sector on display at our WagyuEdge’24 conference and BEEF2024 during the April to May period. Both events were our largest ever, with 650 total attendees in Cairns and the AWA being a Major Sponsor of BEEF2024 in Rockhampton.

Wagyu was an undeniable influence in this year’s BEEF2024. The increased presence of AWA with its ringside stand and Wagyu Long Lunch event on Day 1, set up the event with high interest in Wagyu and the use of Wagyu cattle in the north.

Where it had been impossible to get a Wagyu steak in past events, Wagyu was on the menu at multiple major evening events and Wagyu beef was available through our fine-food BEEF2024 partner – The Phat Wag

IWC office opening and TWA Partnership

A key milestone for AWA in 2024 was realised with the official opening of the AWA’s International Office in Fort Worth Texas and the execution of a partnership agreement with the Texas Wagyu Association.

The AWA has now established a registered company in the USA (the International Wagyu Corporation) that allows the AWA to have staff based in the USA and employ US staff to use AWA systems, increasing our ability to provide service provision to more than 500 international AWA members. This will enable more timely responses and engagement with international members through spreading the workload across complimentary time zones.

AWA Board Strategic Planning

The Board Directors and AWA Executive staff met in Sydney 3 June 2024 to commence strategic planning for the period 2025 – 2030. The strategic planning workshop was facilitated by Mr Andrew Roberts (Farm Owners Academy) and focused on defining the vision for the AWA 2025-2030 Strategic Plan alongside projected business growth, strategic opportunities and threats.

The work commenced with review of the 2020 – 2025 AWA Strategic Plan and forward alignment against the AWA 10year road map to 2030, identifying major targets and goals for the organisation to 2030. The AWA 2025-2030 Strategic Plan will be developed through future workshops and communicated to all members around the AWA 2024 Annual General Meeting. Details to be confirmed.

AWA Board Update – 4 June 2024

The AWA Board met to review of the AWA FY 2024 Quarter 3 performance against the FY2024 operational plan, assess statutory items and consider key items as follows:

1. REVIEW OF FEES AND SERVICES

In 2023, the AWA conducted a review and analysis of fees and services alongside CPI and increasing AWA business costs. At that time, the AWA increased prices for animal registration and transfers at CPI, but withheld changes to membership prices and DNA testing costs to members whilst the development and implementation costs of new systems was being determined. The AWA has now completed the same process in 2024 as part of its budget cycle and finalised fees for the coming year.

Effective from 1 July 2024, the AWA is increasing its fees commensurate with increased costs of business. Registration and DNA testing charges will be increased by 5% and Advertising charges will be increased by 10%.

AWA values the contribution its members make to developing new data platforms, technologies and innovations being implemented by the AWA to improve business efficiency and value delivery for AWA members.

Within the 2024 and 2025 Financial Year periods, the AWA is funding development and implementation of:

The new AWA Helical DNA and Registration platform to streamline services;

Significant improvement in selection indexes for Wagyu cattle, including completion of the new Breeder Feeder Index (BFI) and new FTI and F1 Index underway; and

An independent analysis of AWA’s complete genetic evaluation pipeline.

To support AWA’s ongoing commitment to investment leadership in Wagyu Industry R&D which benefits every AWA member, Membership fees will be increased for Full Australian members to AU$500 + GST, and for Full Overseas members to USD$350. This increase reflects AWA’s continued investments on behalf of its members and that membership prices had not changed since 2017.

The AWA will publish its revised fee schedule to all members shortly. The AWA reviews pricing on all fees on an annual basis and expects all fees future changes will be aligned to CPI ± 2% on an annual basis.

VOL 88 WINTER 2024

2. FY 2025-2029 Budget was approved: The Board reviewed the EOFY 2023 budget forecast, business strategies and projected operational activities underpinning the FY 2025 – 2029 period in line with the AWA strategic planning and 10-year Road Map. The meeting approved the AWA forward budget noting satisfactory maintenance of operating reserve ratio and projected financial metrics to 2029.

3. AWA Slaughter Register is for slaughter cattle only: The Board discussed the current application of rules around registration of animals in the Slaughter Register. It was noted that the Slaughter Register is only to be used for animals that are only intended to be slaughtered and that will be managed accordingly within contemporary groups to enable this.

As soon as males are not castrated for commercial carcase production, they have no place in the Slaughter Register and they are to be moved to the Herdbook Register with payment of the normal AWA Herdbook registration fee.

Should the transfer of males from the Slaughter Register occur after 12 months of age, an Upgrade Fee is also applied (currently $30.90). Castrating males at this age and trying to collect data from them in contemporary groups is of no value to the AWA membership, nor is it an appropriate use of the Slaughter Register.

Breeding from females in the Slaughter Register is not an appropriate use of the register. Any female upgraded from the Slaughter Register to the Herdbook Register will incur both the Registration Fee and the Upgrade Fee at any age.

4. 80 new AWA Member applications were approved for the third quarter FY2024. It is a Constitutional requirement that the AWA Board consider applications to AWA members and determine admission or rejection of the applicants. Election of the 80 members takes the total membership to 1,251 full members and 151 associate members.

AWA-PROGENY TEST PROGRAM UPDATES

2021-2031 AWA-PTP COHORT 3 BREEDING PROGRAM COMPLETE

Over the last three years, the AWA team have been working with nine different participant herds and have used semen from 90 nominated sires across three breeding years.

A total of 1,016 calves have been registered with the AWA so far from Cohort 1, with all breeding data, gestation length, birth weaning and yearling weight data for these calves already entered into Wagyu BREEDPLAN. Cohort 1 steer progeny have commenced with Stockyard Kerwee feedlot, with NFI testing underway and slaughter data to be collected commencing January 2025.

Calving for Cohort 2 calves is complete with 969 progeny born and registered with the AWA. Breeding of 1,000 Fullblood females for Cohort 3 has been completed.

2021-2031 AWA-PTP COHORT 4 SIRE NOMINATIONS CLOSED

The Australian Wagyu Association – Progeny Test Program (AWA-PTP) aims to test 250 sires across 2,000 Fullblood females over a seven breeding cycles. Thirty sires have been nominated for Cohort 4 of the AWA-PTP. These will be recommended to the AWA-PTP Consultative Committee to be used across large contemporary groups to maximise the value of genetic information to compare and prove the genetic merit of bulls.

2021-2031 AWA-PTP SEMEN SALE

The AWA will hold its fourth annual AWA-PTP semen sale will be from 29 July to 31 July 2024, with semen lots from Standard PTP sires to be offered for sale by tender and set price. The AWA-PTP semen sale provides all members the opportunity to access sire genetics that will be proven to high accuracy levels through the AWA-PTP. Members can use these genetics in their herds to link their herd to the AWAPTP and improve the accuracy of EBVs in their breeding operations over future years.

AWA-PTP sire EBV and Selection $Index averages significantly out-perform the breed averages for calves born each year. This year, limited numbers of semen packages will be available for each AWA-PTP Standard Sire.

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 9

International office officially opens

Fort Worth Texas, USA

The Australian Wagyu Association (AWA) has become a leader in the International Wagyu Industry and has a rapidly expanding global membership.

It is with great advancement to all our members that the AWA announces the opening of its International Member Service Office in Texas USA.

The Texas office was officially opened in front of 180 International members, on 17 May 2024 to deliver improved services to our members in the UK, EU, USA and Canada. The office will deliver:

Equivalent service standards for all AWA members

Increased access for all members to global Wagyu genetic diversity

Improved management of the limited global Wagyu gene pool

Opportunities to better understand and manage inbreeding depression

Enhanced benchmarking of diverse genetics to the global reference population

Increased business efficiency for AWA Australian and international members

AWA international membership

International Wagyu breeder membership has been part of the AWA since the Takeda Farm membership was created in 1996. There has been a global trade of Wagyu genetics into and out of Australia since then and a continual increase in AWA international full membership as Wagyu breeders around the world have shared genetics with Australia and visa-versa. In May 2023, the AWA Board approved establishment of an international office to improve service provision and engagement with 450 international Wagyu breeders from 30 different countries who are AWA members.

Improved business efficiency

AWA has previously managed support of all Australian and International members through its Australian office business hours. Services to international members will be significantly improved through operation of AWA’s international office within the USA, which will allow us to better assist USA, UK and EU members. International members will benefit from increased turnaround time in addressing service requests within USA office hours. Australian members will benefit from increased turnaround time with Australian based staff primarily addressing Australian member requests within Australian office hours.

The global Wagyu gene pool

Understanding the need for global access to Wagyu genetic diversity, the Australian Wagyu Association brought together representatives of international Wagyu Associations in 2015 to form the World Wagyu Congress. This enabled streamlining of DNA parentage and registration systems for most global Wagyu registries under common processes, information sharing and reciprocal recognition between Associations.

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 11
AWA / TWA OFFICE
INTERNATIONAL OFFICE OFFICIALLY OPENS
>>>
180
International members attended the opening of Australian Wagyu Assocation's (AWA) International Member Service Office in Texas USA.

The AWA maintains formal service partnership arrangements with many international Wagyu Associations.

The AWA Herdbook now contains more than 300,000 registered Wagyu cattle from our members in more than 30 countries. Increasing the contribution of international animals to the AWA Herdbook will expand AWA pedigrees further and secure the AWA’s position as the most diverse, comprehensive and accurate Wagyu registry globally.

Managing inbreeding depression

Inbreeding depression is the reduced phenotypic performance in animals within a population over time resulting from increased inbreeding. It is the opposite of heterosis, which is observed in crossbreeding of cattle. Negative effects of inbreeding depression can be observed at levels higher than 5%. Based on pedigree relatedness across all Wagyu animals within the AWA database, the average pedigree inbreeding coefficient is 6.6%. However, this calculation is based on shortened pedigrees that fail to recognise ancestral inbreeding of Wagyu cattle in Japan prior to exportation of the global Wagyu herd. Actual inbreeding calculated using genomic relatedness within the AWA database estimates true average inbreeding closer to 10%, indicating that strategies to enable improved management of inbreeding and increased genetic diversity are of immediate importance. A globally accessible database of all available genetic diversity is a necessary tool for enabling future security of the Wagyu gene pool.

Optimising genetic diversity

The global Wagyu gene pool is a narrow and shared resource across all counties able to export and import Wagyu genetics following the original exports from Japan. Through increased inclusion of internationally bred Wagyu cattle, we are better able to examine the genomic differences between every single animal in the population. We will shortly be providing new tools (genetic diversity and inbreeding measures) to assist all Australian and International members to identify genetic diversity with the global Wagyu population and use this within their breeding programs.

Expanding the benchmarked Gene Pool

Increased international member animal registration and genomic testing has improved the ability for International AWA members to contribute their genetics into benchmarking programs. This includes benchmarking their performance within Australian herds through collaborations and through the AWA-PTP. Increasing participation and active exchange of genetics between international members and the Australian Wagyu population through the AWA-PTP will enable access to outcrossed genetics that have quantified performance estimates in the globally accepted Australian trait scales.

Maintaining the AWA genetic analysis as the accepted global standard

AWA International membership growth and use of AWA published EBVs and selection indexes has created a common language for breeders around the world to work together and share genetics. The AWA’s genetic analysis is the globally accepted and by far the most comprehensive and accurate analysis for Wagyu cattle. Expanding the international engagement with the AWA’s registry and genetic improvement tools will aid stable future genetic progress for all members through continued use of AWA’s tools as the global benchmark for Wagyu.

VOL 88 WINTER 2024 INTERNATIONAL OFFICE OFFICIALLY OPENS
At the official opening, TWA Board Member Bryan Milburn addresses 180 International members with AWA CEO Dr Matt McDonagh. In May 2024, AWA staff and board members joined Texas Wagyu Association (TWA) board members at the Fort Worth, Texas official office opening.
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WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE BULLS & SEMEN FOR SALE MORE MILK FASTER GROWING CALVES LARGER TESTICLES BETTER FERTILITY STRONGER STRUCTURE BETTER FEET AND LEGS HEAVIER CARCASS WEIGHTS SECOND GENERATION BRINGS MARBLING BACK Barbara Roberts-Thomson Academy Wagyu, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia 0447 777 122 | b.robertsthomson@bigpond.com www.academyredwagyu.com WHY CROSS BLACK WAGYU & AKAUSHI ACADEMY WAGYU’S since 1998 CALF AWSF22T0079 CALF AWSF22T0077 +4.8 +28 +49 +74 +81 +7 +2.8 +65 +2.2 +1.3 +0.8 +0.9 73% 70% 72% 69% 59% 53% 53% 62% 53% 57% 54% 50% +4.1 +20 +33 +53 +58 +6 +2.5 +43 +0.6 +3.0 -0.5 +0.8 74% 71% 73% 70% 60% 56% 55% 63% 55% 58% 55% 55%

The new norm

Positive signals for Wagyu's future

By far the most applauded seminar at WagyuEdge’24, Simon Quilty delivered an engaging and humorous session on exactly what Australian farmers want to hear: That prices are going to go up, and up, and up.

For the past year, Australia has been in what I call the “holding pattern”: steady prices with a small uptick overall. It’s as we move into next year that prices will really start to improve. 2025 will be a year of momentum, as tight supply and what we believe will be a pickup in global demands extends into 2026, sustaining from 2027 through to 2030, if not even later.

The backdrop to it all

I believe cattle prices today are truly undervalued, and that within the next two years, commodity cattle prices (flat backs) in Australia are going to double. Let me explain.

A key part of why this is going to happen, is weather. Moving from a quick El Niño to another hot and wet La Niña summer in Australia, we expect the US to dry up at the same time. It’s been a troublesome three and a half years for America – rain finally comes for them, but the belief is it will be short-lived.

Looking at Australia’s supply situation, we have a lot of states liquidating their stock, while Queensland and Tasmania rebuild their numbers. It’s this liquidation now and into the future that will eventually see a rebuild that will continue driving prices up just as demand also starts to rise given the US’s coming dry spell.

With our national herd dropping as we liquidate, then growing as we use the coming favourable weather to rebuild numbers, coupled with the drop in slaughtering as we retain those females necessary for breeding, we begin to see the picture of a tightness in the market which lends itself to higher prices.

Cattle on feed numbers sit at record levels today, driven by the liquidation across our states: There are 1.294 million total cattle on feed around Australia. There has been lots of talk about how amazing global demand has been lately, but that’s simply not true.

Last year was a challenging year and the movement across into cattle on feed is driven by the dryer Australian states.

Global Agritrends forecasts 2022 - 2026

VOL 88 WINTER 2024
2022 25,500 25,000 26,000 26,500 27,000 27,500 28,000 2023 2024 2025 2026 HERD SIZE '000 head 25,380 26,520 25,600 26,400 27,750
Simon Quilty, Global AgriTrends
Figures first presented at the WagyuEdge '24 Conference in April 2024. ABS

APRIL 2024

1.294 m

TOTAL CATTLE ON FEED

JUNE 2024

1.350 m

TOTAL CATTLE ON FEED

I actually see the number of cattle on feed growing over the next few months, to 1.320 million head. (Recent figures now confirm 1.350 million head) With strong numbers of cattle on feed to remain in Australia, prices will be supported for the feeder sector.

Onto the Wagyu sector, and I estimate there are currently 208,000 head of Wagyu on feed in Australia. When we had that downturn last year, people exited the market and our numbers fell from 230,000 head to where they are today. The good news is that this time around we have been far more reserved than the downturn in 2018/2019, where there was mass exodus from the market and collateral damage to pricing as a result. This time, we have done a much better job as a more mature industry.

Looking to the global markets, we know that 2023 was a challenging year for Australian red meat: volume came on because of the dry conditions, but export beef values fell

21% in America

11% in Japan

18% in both South Korea and China

The US is key to all of this, and where I see the recovery of, and improvement to, Australian beef prices over the next five to seven years. The US and Australia compete with one another in those key markets of Japan, Korea and China. For instance in Japan we own 83 per cent of their market with America. When the US exports lower volumes, such as they have in the past year, Australia steps in to fill the void.

Globally, Australia has stepped up in markets other than Japan, Korea and China, producing an additional 49 per cent of volume while the US has gone down 6 per cent.

We are truly the one nation in the world that can step up and fill the void left behind by the US when their stock is tight.

Green shoots appearing Wagyu export prices out of Japan give us an interesting window into what’s going on around the world. There’s no other data available that tells us this except out of Japan.

Each year, they ship about 8,500 tons around the globe. By comparison, Australia ships around 70,000 tons.

Since June of 2021, Japanese Wagyu export prices fell about 35 per cent, bottoming out in October of 2023 – a date familiar to Australians as that’s when our market also bottomed out. It wasn’t just Australians feeling the pinch: the Japanese felt it too, though their prices have recovered 10 per cent since.

China is a truly challenging market. Currently their freezers are full, mainly with South American meat from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Nonetheless the challenges in the Chinese market remain – consumer confidence has fallen off a cliff since COVID 19. Thankfully their market is improving, but we need to see still more improvement.

In Korea we can see our exported beef prices fell dramatically by 24 per cent, but the good news is the worst is over and in the last twelve months prices have mildly improved by 3 per cent. In 2020 Korea introduced a culling program for its Hanwoo herd, but given it wasn’t compulsory the herd instead continued to grow, impacting Australian Wagyu greatly.

The figures belying green shoots starting to appear comes out of North America. In May last year, volumes fell as tightness occurred in the market as numbers fell (producers are yet to go into a full rebuild): They simply do not have the beef. Australia is attempting to fill the vacuum with our quality grass-fed beef. One of our biggest competitors in this marketplace is that China is looking for quality and value for money. Taste, but at the right price. I think that as we go forward, the challenge for Australian Wagyu is affordability.

>>>

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 17
THE NEW NORM

It is in the US where the key lies in terms of recovery and improvement in prices for Australia over the next 3, 5 and 7 years. Currently, the US herd is at a 73-year low and we’re starting to see price signals reflecting this in the market. The American forward futures market is predicting a 2 per cent increase in pricing by April next year, which I think is vastly undervalued. The key driving this increase is the weekly production figures and female kill rates. For the last 28 months this has sat at 51 per cent, and the break even number is 48 per cent: They’ve been shrinking their herd for a long time, to the point that meat supply is now holding up dramatically.

Taking a closer look at their kill figures, we see the US is now slaughtering fewer than 600K head a week. This is a critical number for the US, because in the past when we have seen this occur, prices improve automatically. Watch this figure in the future because it flows on into all other markets.

In terms of total US production, we are expecting a drop of almost 10 per cent between last year and this year and expect that in 2026 that will translate into a 26 per cent fall in global exports out of America. When you look back at my earlier point that Australia shares 85-90 per cent of the Japanese and Korean markets with the US, when the US drop 24 per cent of their exports into those countries, Australia is going to be the one stepping in to fill that shortfall.

Natural disasters, natural opportunities

In the last year, even among the headwinds of higher cost of living in the US, beef remained king of the castle generating $36B of the $68B fresh meat market – that’s almost 53 per cent of total fresh meat sales. The next closest meat was poultry, with $18B and it is a sharp slide in numbers from there.

It is in the US where the key lies in terms of recovery and improvement in prices for Australia over the next 3, 5 and 7 years.

In April, Simon Quilty from Global AgriTrends shared his insights at WagyuEdge '24 in Cairns.

Let’s now talk about the US market and Australian Wagyu’s position within that market. Looking at prices for US Tenderloins against Australian Wagyu beef with marble scores of 4-5, we can see the US Prime is almost the safety net for our beef in that market. Whenever Australian Wagyu falls slightly below US Prime’s price, it doesn’t take long to get back above it. This is one of our lowest grade marbling scores, yet it out competes the best of US Prime beef. Where the US is a highly sophisticated market, which pays higher premiums for better and better qualities of beef, the Asian market is all about brand. In those Asian markets we compete against the US in, we’re putting our Australian brand against their Prime brand.

When we look at some of the dramatic events in recent times, Australian Wagyu has seen an extraordinary fall in US pricing since June of 2022. Hurricane Ian hit the US market in late 2021 – the worst natural disaster in Florida for 90 years, causing deaths and $50B worth of damage. Florida, being one of the major outlets for Australian Wagyu, backed up everywhere and forced our product into the other markets, like Chicago, New York and onto the West Coast. This overloaded those markets and for one full year we had to freeze down the chilled meat that would have gone into Florida. The good news today is that those stocks are down to almost nothing, but it’s because of this stock being held in the US that we’ve seen such poor pricing for our meat over there.

As we look forward in 2024, it looks like we’ll hit a peak in the US Prime market value come June, then move sideways. Instead of coming off here due to lack of supply, I expect we’ll see a fairly flat line to the back end of this year.

>>>

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 19
THE NEW NORM

How the US compares to other global markets

All the trimmings

The Wagyu trim market is critical for the profitability of the Wagyu sector, because as prices go higher and consumers are challenged, we must ensure we’re getting the most bang for our buck in every animal. We saw in America over the last year that trim was on the rise, and in fact all meats went up in terms of both volume and value.

The key here is that if consumers can’t afford a Wagyu steak, we want them to buy the Wagyu burger; that the eating experience doesn’t disappear and that the customer stays with you.

The US market is sophisticated in that marble score is truly rewarded. Australia’s own domestic market is critical and through COVID we made a huge effort to sell our Wagyu here, and today producers try to keep 20 per cent of their sales local as a safety mechanism. Asian markets are ultimately driven by brands and establishment numbers. Australian Wagyu competes in Korea directly with Hanwoo, where there’s a large Hanwoo herd that’s not declining quickly enough. In China, US Prime and upper Choice is what we compete with – though as US supply restricts it will open up opportunities for Australia. In the US we are competing Prime, Choice, CAB and Select, and as their numbers dwindle and prices move higher, our Wagyu prices will move with it. Other key markets such as Taiwan, Mauritius and Saudi will continue to be important, as the less US product there is, the more demand there will be for Australian beef.

Looking at Japanese Wagyu exports again, we can gain insight into global Wagyu markets by volume. 87 per cent of their total volume is snapped up by the top ten countries Japan exports to, starting with Hong Kong, Taiwan, the US, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Tajikistan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Netherlands.

But volume isn’t everything. When we look at pricing, what’s interesting is that out of the top five countries three of them are Middle East, due to strong resources-based economies. Of the remainder of the top twenty countries Japan exports to, Europe makes up half. The importance of Europe cannot be understated for the Australian Wagyu sector: while those smaller Euro markets might be hard to gain entry into, they pay vastly higher prices for your product when you do.

VOL 88 WINTER 2024

Key drivers leading to a new, elevated price norm

Globally, cattle and beef prices are currently undervalued. We've bounced back from a low of AUD$3 per kilo in October 2023 to around AUD$4.55 for F1 Wagyu today. Unlike the 2018/2019 crash where prices stayed low for 18 months, we've seen faster recovery due to improved genetics, stable market presence, and a stronger, more diverse customer base. Our industry has matured, showing resilience and better management of market downturns.

Let’s quickly walk through why and how we’re going to get to a new norm of higher prices.

If you looked at the nominal value of cattle you’d see that every ten years we reach a new peak in the market. Then we see seven years of stable pricing, then another ten years to reach a new peak, and so on. By the end of 2025 we’ll be at the end of the latest upward cycle, enjoying market stability until 2032, and at much higher prices than today. Part of this is driven by inflation input costs moving higher.

Looking at grinding meat, over in America today they’ve hit new record levels of 352 usc/lb for Fresh 90s. A rising tide lifts all boats, and when grinding meat lifts, it takes everything with it: Round cuts, tenderloins, everything. If the product does not sell it ends up in the grinding meat pack, and the pack will lift and it will lift the value of carcase, animals and global meat prices.

Which is where Wagyu comes into the picture. We’re at the start of the demand season, not at the end. In my

Figures first presented at the WagyuEdge '24 Conference in April 2024.

opinion we’re going to see Fresh 90s continue to rise to 410 usc/lb by 2026, which will lift global beef prices, in turn lifting US cattle prices. The same holds true for Australian cattle prices: We’ve seen challenges lately but are due an uptick to come back in line with global beef prices. Australia is at the end of ten-year rise in prices which will be reached in late 2025, which will then see a period of stability for the next seven years, finally settling at a new feeder steer LW price of $5.20 on average. This year is to be a slight move sideways, but when we make it to next year it’ll be a strong year all the way through to eventually find the new norm by late 2025.

It should be noted that the doubling of cattle prices in Australia in 2026 is for commodity type animals, it will be in 2027 when I expect Angus feeders to follow suit and for Wagyu F1’s it will be 2027 when prices will be double (todays level of 430 ac/kg LW). The consumer needs to time for their incomes to improve so they can afford Wagyu at these levels.

Can consumers afford this? They already are. The retail price is about 40% higher than the wholesale price. As wholesale prices tighten, this gap remains. Retail prices won't drop because retailers anticipate a meat shortage for the next five years. Lowering prices now would mean raising them later, which isn’t necessary with the current tight supply. So, customers are already paying top dollar; it's just a matter of wholesale prices catching up.

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 21
>>> THE NEW NORM Jan 1996 USD/lb Fresh 90's price USD/LB cattle prices US cattle Vs Fresh 90's 1996 - 2028 Jan 2000 Jan 2004 Jan 2008 Jan 2012 Jan 2018 Jan 2020 Jan 2024 Jan 2028 4.00 COVID 19 US DROUGHT 2.50 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 3.50 3.00 2.50 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.50 1.75 2.80 3.30 4.10 Domestic 90's US cattle price
What is the biggest threat to Australian Wagyu? The real threat is keeping producers, producing Wagyu.

The next big question is, will chicken and pork be an issue? While chicken and pork cannot be ignored, they too have gone through high-cost restructuring over the last three years and they’re up almost 30 per cent. The fact is that their threat is nowhere near as strong as it could be, if their prices had remained low. Could alternate meats pose a threat? No, in actual fact alternate meats – fake meats – make up about 0.3 per cent of total sales in the meat department, and it’s been on the decline each quarter since 2020.

Overall, we’re expecting grass-fed beef numbers to fall as Brazil goes into rebuild. Grain-fed is expected to fall as the US contracts, and Indian Buffalo, well I think that will fall as well. For the first time in my life, we have four cattle cycles moving into a rebuild come 2025.

What is the biggest threat to Australian Wagyu? The real threat is keeping producers, producing Wagyu. Meaning, if they don’t get the premiums required to produce Wagyu, they will exit the industry and go elsewhere.

DISCLAIMER

This article, including the information contained in this disclaimer, is given in strict confidence. By reading it, you agree that no part of the article may be disclosed, distributed or reproduced to any third part without the consent of Global AgriTrends. No representation, express or implied, is made to the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of information contained in this article, including the accuracy, likelihood or achievement or reasonableness of any forecasts, prospects, returns or statements in relation to future matters contained within. Such forward looking statements are by their nature subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies and are based upon a number of estimate and assumptions that are subject to change (and in many cases are outside the control of Global AgriTrends) which may cause the presented results or performance to be materially different from any future results of performance expressed or implied by such forward looking statements.

To extend permitted by law, Global AgriTrends does not accept any liability including, without limitation, any liability arising from fault or negligence, for any loss arising from the use of this presentation or its contents or otherwise arising in connection with it. You represent and confirm by reading this article that you accept the above conditions.

VOL 88 WINTER 2024
THE NEW NORM
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Benchmark your herd

Improve EBVs for your cow herd and their progeny

For AWA Australian members with registered Fullblood and Purebred cow herds, the AWA-Progeny Test Program (PTP) enables close genetic linkage to the AWA-Wagyu reference population to ensure that research outcomes, particularly in the genomics area, will have high relevance to your herd.

By participating in the AWA-PTP as a Contributor Cow Herd, you play a crucial role in benchmarking your herd within the industry. This involvement allows you to contribute to the efficacy of data, leading to improved EBVs for your cow herd and their progeny, thereby enhancing future genetic gain.

The AWA-PTP is at the forefront of developing Wagyu-specific meat quality traits, including retail meat yield and fatty acid profile data. This initiative will collect data on as many progeny as possible, making your dams among the first Wagyu animals to have carcase data recorded for these new high -value traits.

The Project will include the natural mating of female Project Progeny to your sires so that the genetic merit of the highvalue Project sires can be retained within your female herd through breeding as you decide. The natural mating of female Project Progeny will give your herd early access to new highvalue maternal trait performance EBVs. By participating in the Project, you will receive analysis of herd data showing the progeny performance, allowing you to rank the performance of your females with within the Project for all traits analysed. Involvement in the Project will allow you to participate in the

largest formal Progeny Test Program for Wagyu cattle outside of Japan.

Entry requirements

To be at the forefront of genetic improvement for the Wagyu sector, Australian-based Herdbook registered cow herds with a minimum of 100 females can access leading new industry sires and high-accuracy breeding values for current and new traits.

When selecting females, consider genetic linkage within the Wagyu breed, EBV diversity and accuracy, age (preferably second calf or older), and the nominating herd’s BREEDPLAN completeness of performance rating.

Contributor herds must also agree to the following:

will join the these females for a minimum of two calving years via fixed-time AI to sires as directed by the Project; and

will retain all female Project Progeny to be naturally mated for two calving cycles and agree to the collection of data for the Project from the females and their progeny until they have weaned their second calf.

will retain ownership of all male Project Progeny (steers) from birth to feedlot entry.

The AWA-PTP aims to remain flexible and allow Contributor Herds to continue their normal process of selling, feeding, or retaining ownership of Steer Progeny within their supply chain

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 25
SALE BY TENDER 29 - 31 JULY 2024 SECURE HIGH QUALITY SEMEN LINK YOUR HERD WITH THE CORE GENETIC IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM wagyu.org.au/sales/semensale >>>

- your preference will be discussed with you. If herds wish to capture Net Feed Intake (NFI) data on their progeny, they must feed their Steer progeny through one of the AWA-nominated feedlots. Steers must also remain in their management groups (contemporary groups) from birth until slaughter.

Who owns the Project Progeny?

The Contributor Herd retains ownership of all Project progeny but is required to capture all trait measurements (in cooperation with the AWA for some traits).

Trait Recording

For majority of contributor herds the data collection required for traits within the Progeny Test Program will fall into standard operating practices.

Data collection points for Project Progeny are 200, 400 and 600-day weights, Mature Cow weights during weaning, along with joining and pregnancy testing information for females that are subsequently naturally joined.

The most significant adjustment for many contributor herds is the capturing of birth data including tagging calves, recording of birth date, sex, birth weight, calf fate code, calving ease score and collection of a DNA samples.

The AWA will work in conjunction with Feedlot and Slaughter partners to ensure that the required data is collected and supplied to the AWA from Feedlot Induction to Slaughter.

What are the AWA's contributions to Contributor Herds?

The AWA will make the following contributions/payments to the Contributor Herds through the Project:

The cost of all consumables required for the synchronisation program and semen straws for artificial insemination of the cows will be supplied by the AWA in conjunction with Vetoquinol’s Repro360 team,

DNA testing (Standard Bundles) and AWA registration fees will be paid by the AWA,

$20.00 per cow inseminated will be paid to compensate extra labour required to implement the FTAI program,

$5.00 per cow pregnancy tested in calf will be paid to compensate technician fees,

$20.00 per calf for each calf sired by the Project’s AI bulls will be paid for tagging calves, recording of birth date, calf sex, birth weight, calf fate code, calving ease score and collection of a TSU sample,

$10.00 per Project calf will be paid for yard weaning of calves, collection of weaning weights and collection DNA recollect samples,

$5.00 per Project calf will be paid for the recording of yearling weights of steers and heifers,

$5.00 will be paid for each Project heifer calf retained and subsequently joined for its first calving cycle by natural service and pregnancy tested in calf with a further $20.00 per calf paid for the subsequent recording of the Project Heifer’s natural-born calf birth date, calf sex, birth weight, calf fate code and calving ease score.

$5.00 will be paid for each Project heifer subsequently joined for a second calving cycle by natural service and pregnancy tested in calf. A further $20.00 will be paid per calf for the subsequent recording of calf birth date, calf sex, birth weight, calf fate code, calving ease score and calf weaning weight.

One TSU sampling kit including TSU vial, NLIS tag and 2 management tags per Project calf will be supplied by the AWA in conjunction with Allflex Australia.

Assist the Contributor Herd in establishing an animal health program, in consultation with the Project Animal Health Partner Zoetis.

A proportion of Animal Health Products for Project Progeny will be supplied in conjunction with Animal Health Partner Zoetis.

VOL 88 WINTER 2024
FIND OUT MORE BENCHMARK YOUR HERD
Commercial Livestock Stud Sales Wagyu Sales & Marketing Online & Special Event Sales Rural Property Sales Client Focused Results Driven Ray White Livestock Dalby Ph: (07) 4573 7868 166 Drayton St Dalby QLD 4405 raywhitelivestockdalby.com.au Let our experience be your advantage!

Wagyu sits at very top of offering

Q and A with legendary specialty butcher shop co-owner Troy Wheeler from Meatsmith

AWA recently chatted with the legendary co-owner of Meatsmith: Troy Wheeler. A specialty butcher shop with four locations across Melbourne, Meatsmith cut onto the scene in 2015, offering high-quality service, expertise and exceptional meats and wines to its discerning audience, with Wagyu featuring prominently in their windows.

A high-end butcher, providore and wine merchant all under the one roof, Meatsmith specialises in high-quality meats sourced from ethical and sustainable producers, offering a range of cuts and prepared products. Their philosophy centres on respect for the animals, traditional techniques, and collaboration with local farmers who share similar philosophies on their own properties.

Troy started his career as a butcher at 22 years of age. Having grown up in a small town on the Murray River, Troy chose butchery after yearning for a greater understanding of where produce comes from.

Making the move to Melbourne to further his understanding of the trade, he later embarked on a partnership with chef Andrew McConnell to create one of our nation’s most unique butchers. Troy, and Meatsmith, have gone from strength to strength ever since.

We spoke with Troy to get his thoughts on all things Wagyu.

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 29
>>>
Images courtesy of Troy Wheeler Meatsmith co-owner, Troy Wheeler.

Q Let’s start simply: What distinguishes a Wagyu from a non-Wagyu steak?

Due to the genetics of Wagyu, and the characteristics of the breed, it yields very high intermuscular fat which elevates the eating quality over other breeds of cattle. Cooked simply, the texture and mouthfeel sit well above a traditional non-Wagyu steak.

Q What influence does Wagyu have on your inventory? Where does it fit?

Wagyu sits at the very top of our offering, in the dual sense of being the best quality eating beef and the highest in the price range. We sell Blackmore's Wagyu and firmly believe David and Ben’s Wagyu is the absolute best that is produced in Australia.

Q When sourcing Wagyu beef for your operation, what factors do you consider and how do you communicate these to the consumer?

With all the producers we work with, a healthy and mutually beneficial relationship is paramount. We respect the hard work and dedication that goes into growing and raising cattle, and it is our job to showcase all that work. It means meticulously preparing each cut and guiding our customers through the best experience.

Q What consumer demand do you see for Wagyu in your venue? Is this growing or contracting over time?

The last couple of years have been a little unstable in the retail setting. The language around the economy and cost of living has included the message around reduced spending on non-essential items. With Wagyu being a luxury product, there have been times where sales have declined because consumers are simply choosing to spend less.

Q What's the best piece of feedback you've received from a consumer who ate your Wagyu?

Anyone trying Wagyu with a marble score of 9+ is blown away with the eating quality and that iconic texture of highly marbled beef.

VOL 88 WINTER 2024
The Meatsmoth team is getting ready for a day of trading. Images courtesy of Troy Wheeler

Q What are the benefits of cooking with Wagyu?

It is versatile and traditional cuts can often translate well in non-traditional cooking methods.

Q What are the downsides?

It can be very rich, so you need to be mindful of portion sizes.

Q What are some of the more unusual dishes you've tried to create with Wagyu?

Grilled Wagyu tongue with sauce gribiche, or Wagyu croquette sliders where Wagyu tail is braised, the meat picked from the bone, shaped into small patties, lightly fried and served in a small slider.

Q What advice can you offer home cooks when it comes to elevating their Wagyu cooking skills?

Don’t over complicate it! It should be cooked and served simply. The Wagyu is the champion and doesn't need much more to elevate it.

Q What five ingredients are essential for you when cooking Wagyu?

Good quality salt and oil (preferably a neutral-flavoured grapeseed oil). I often serve Waygu with a pickle of some sort as the acid helps balance out the richness. I also like a great mustard, and some freshly ground pepper.

Q If you could create the ultimate Wagyu beef dish without any limitations, what would it be, and what elements would you incorporate to showcase the meat's exceptional flavour and texture?

I think I would choose to make a dish from the spinalis dorsi, which is the outer cap of the scotch fillet. I would make a rich jus from the bones that I would serve alongside the steak.

I would grill the steak over coals until it is perfectly caramelised with a gentle smoky flavour from the grill. I would finish the steak with a butter made with the marrow from the bones to enhance the rich flavour and texture.

For more information about Meatsmith

Integrated Animal Production

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 31
 CARCASS QUALITY
Providing Customised Nutrition, Operation & Training Programs for Clients in the Wagyu Industry  PERFORMANCE  PROFITABILITY  MANAGEMENT NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMS From Conception to Carcass FEED MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS Management of feeding systems, feed manufacture & delivery PERFORMANCE AUDITS Assessment of factors impacting animal & carcass performance TRAINING & EDUCATION PROGRAMS Maximising staff commitment & compliance within operations A 70 West Street, Toowoomba Qld 4350 T +61 7 4659 6900 | E admin@iapnutrition.com | www.iapnutrition.com IAP assists producers to maximise the efficiency & profitability of their feedlot investment. We achieve this by the development and implementation of sound management tools and programs tailored to our clients’ unique operations. These include: Focusing on... CONSULTING NUTRITIONISTS John Doyle BS, MS, DVM, PhD Phil Dew BRurSc, MS Robert Lawrence BRurSc(Hons), MRurSc, PhD Stephen Bonner BAgSc(RuralTech), PhD WAGYU SITS AT VERY TOP OF OFFERING
�� meatsmith.com.au
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Terroir, genetics and expertise

Mayura Station and Shiro Kin take out top spots in Wagyu Branded Beef Competition

This year’s Wagyu Branded Beef Competition Grand Champion and Reserve Champion hail from different ends of our wide, brown land. But South Australia’s Mayura Station and their Signature Series entry, and Southeast Queensland’s Reserve Champion Andrews Meat Industries’ Shiro Kin entry are separated by more than just kilometres – their winning entries were separated by a mere 7.2 points.

Out of a possible 1200 points that’s a difference of 0.006 per cent between the two, giving you an idea of the quality steaks at the pointy end of Fullblood Wagyu breeding. Both entrants set records on the night: Mayura for biggest eye muscle area at 154cm 2 and Shiro Kin for highest marbling percentage at 71 per cent.

Differences aside, it’s their commonalities which speak volumes about their impressive wins: brilliant terroir, superior genetics and dedication to excellence paired with an abundance of expertise.

Mayura Station’s entries into AWA’s WBBC have garnered perhaps the most awards of all in the competition’s thirteenyear history: Three-time Grand Champion (and the only branded steak to achieve this lofty position) and a whopping ten Gold Medals. Andrews Meat Industries’ Shiro Kin has collected a modest though no less astonishing one Grand Champion, one Reserve Champion, three Gold Medals and one Silver Medal in the same time.

For a domestic industry merely decades-old, taking its cues from traditional practices which are centuries-old and a breed millennia in the making, it’s operations par excellence like Mayura and Andrews which continue blazing trails so that others may follow. Their continued practices over time is the tide which raises all Wagyu boats.

In

representatives

The tallies may differ though the takeaway is the same: Australian Wagyu is in safe, skilled hands. Hands capable of producing – and setting new standards in – world class beef.

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 33
>>> TM
April, from Andrews Meat Industries and Mayura Station received their 2024 WBBC Award in Cairns. L-R: Terry Donohue (Ariat Australia), Jeremy Stuart (Andrews Meat Industries) Kristy and Scott de Bruin with Mark Oliver (Mayura Station). Mayura Station crowned the 2024 Wagyu Branded Beef Grand Champion with a Class 1 Fullblood Wagyu entry of their Signature Series steaks.

Jack’s Creek Wagyu programs have been internationally recognised through multiple World’s Best Steak wins at the World Steak Challenge!

BUYING
F1- FULLBLOOD WEANERS, FEEDERS & CARCASES
WAGYU
Contact Victor Rixon 0418 763 857 | victor.rixon@jackscreek.com.au

The majesty of Mayura Station’s operation

Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Limestone Coast in South Australia lies Mayura Station, a beacon of excellence in the world of Wagyu beef production. With its composition of sprawling, mineral-rich landscape, pristine environment and high annual rainfall, Mayura Station has carved out a niche for itself as a purveyor of some of the finest Wagyu beef in the world, particularly renowned for its Signature Series steaks.

Established in 1998 as one of the first producers to import 100% Fullblood cattle into Australia, Mayura has spent the decades since identifying and breeding superior genetic lines to suit their unique terroir. The resulting operation has produced some of the best Wagyu Australia – and indeed the world – has seen outside of Japan.

At the heart of Mayura Station's success is its harmonious commitment to animal welfare and sustainable farming practices. The Wagyu cattle at Mayura Station are first fed specially formulated diets and rotated through a series of one-hectare paddocks, which themselves are located on the limestone hills the region is named for. Grazing in this manner guarantees the cattle their calcium requirements when needs for the mineral are at their highest, in turn setting them up for strong future growth.

In addition to mineral requirements, the region's rich limestone soils impart a distinct profile to the grasses the cattle graze on, resulting in beef rich in flavour and complexity. Additionally, the temperate climate and abundant rainfall of the Limestone Coast create an ideal environment for raising cattle, allowing them to grow and mature at an optimal pace.

Following the free-range feeding, Mayura cattle are ushered into their affectionately titled “Mayura Moo Cow Motel”; a sheltered barn designed to maximise the animal’s comfort

WBBC MEDALS AWARDS TO MAYURA STATION

2024 Grand Champion

Gold medal

2022 Grand Champion Gold medal

2021 Gold medal

2020 Gold medal

2019 Grand Champion Gold medal

2018 Gold medal

2015 Gold medal

2014 Gold medal

2013 Gold medal

2012 Gold medal

while they are fed a traditional slow-growth diet to improve meat texture and overall carcase weights. The ingredients of this diet are grown on-farm in a dedicated grain and fodder operation, making use of rotational cropping methods deployed in a sustainable manner to produce outputs which ensure quality control and traceability.

But it's not just the natural and built environments which set Mayura Station apart – it's also the innovative techniques and processes employed by the station's team. A state-ofthe-art genetics program is meticulously managed to ensure consistency and quality. They aim to breed cattle that are early maturing, profitable at all levels of the supply chain and productive in all environments. This is reflected in the outstanding EBV’s of Mayura cattle.

Mayura Station's commitment to sustainability and ethical farming practices shine as the backbone to why they continually create award-winning Wagyu. The ensemble of water conservation initiatives, carbon sequestration programs and a dedicated rotational cropping system ensures Mayura’s dedication to minimizing its environmental impact and preserving the natural beauty of the Limestone Coast for future generations, while still maximising their incredible outputs.

Mayura Station's dedication to excellence has earned it numerous awards and accolades, cementing its reputation as a world leader in Wagyu beef production. Of their win in this year’s WBBC, Mayura Station’s Scott DeBruin said: “It is an exceptional honour to be awarded Grand Champion in the illustrious Wagyu Branded Beef Competition for the third time, and testament to the work of our incredible team as well as the world-class environment of the Limestone Coast.”

>>>

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 35
TERROIR, GENETICS AND EXPERTISE
Mayura Station

The quest for "White Gold" in Australia

In the realm of culinary excellence, few experiences rival the exquisite pleasure of sinking one's teeth into a perfectly cooked Fullblood Wagyu steak. And when it comes to elevating this timeless delight to new heights, Shiro Kin is regularly regarded as one of the best in the business. Its operator, Andrews Meat Industries epitomises the marriage of tradition, innovation, and a deep respect for country.

Shiro Kin, which literally translates into Japanese as “White Gold”, was established in 2012 and its name chosen for the fact it’s both a precious metal and that it speaks to the product’s marbling. Its 100% Fullblood Wagyu cattle are selected from Australian farmers throughout the fertile Darling Downs of Southeast Queensland to the picturesque Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. From there, the cattle undergo a minimum of 450 days on a specially designed Japanese diet to allow the slow development of the fine marbling.

Andrews Meat Industries’ Jeremy Stuart, General Manager - Export says: “We specifically work with local farmers who have proven their commitment to both the cattle and the land they raise it on. The Trent Bridge family in New England has been supplying beautiful cattle into the Shiro Kin program since 2016. We partnered with them because they use a number of farming practices to improve the soil health of the land and they capture production data to demonstrate that their meat is actually carbon positive.”

The New England, with its fertile soil and climate, provides an idyllic setting for raising cattle of exceptional quality. Blessed with abundant rainfall and a rich tapestry of grasses and forage, the region fosters an environment that is conducive to the health and well-being of the Shiro Kin cattle. Here, amidst rolling hills and sprawling pastures, the cattle roam freely, exposed to pastures with a mixture of temperate species and legumes including cocksfoot, clover, rye grass and plantain, giving Shiro Kin cattle that beefier flavour while still retaining the rich and tender texture that makes Wagyu so sought after.

At the heart of the Shiro Kin steak's allure lies the dedication and expertise of the farmers entrusted with raising the Fullblood Wagyu cattle. These guardians of the land are stewards of a legacy spanning generations of cattle, their connection to the earth and its bounties ingrained in their very being. With a reverence for tradition and an unwavering commitment to quality, these farmers nurture their herds and the land they walk upon with a level of care and attention that is truly unparalleled.

VOL 88 WINTER 2024
TERROIR, GENETICS AND EXPERTISE WBBC MEDALS AWARDS TO ANDREWS MEAT INDUSTRIES 2024 Reserve Champion Gold medal 2018 Silver medal 2014 Grand Champion Gold medal 2013 Gold medal Images
of Andrews Meat Industries
>>>
courtesy

FEEDLOT COVERS

The land’s best Wagyu

The triumphant crescendo of Mayura Station, their Signature Series steaks are more than just a meal –they're a symphony of flavour, craftsmanship, and dedication to excellence. The harmony of their lush Limestone Coast pastures, the skilled hands of their farmers and their passion for sustainable practices elevates Mayura Station beyond farming, and into the realm of artistry. From lush pastures to expertly crafted diets, every aspect of the Shiro Kin cattle's upbringing is meticulously managed to ensure

GRAND CHAMPIONS

2024 Signature Series by Mayura Station

2023 Jade Wagyu by Kilcoy Global Foods

2022 Signature Series by Mayura Station

2021 Stone Axe by Stone Axe Pastoral

2020 Stone Axe by Stone Axe Pastoral

2019 Signature Series by Mayura Station

2018 The Phoenix by Mort & Co

2017 Tajima Wagyu by Andrews Meat Industries

2016 Pardoo Wagyu

2015 Master Kobe by AACo

2014 Shiro Kin by Andrews Meat Industries

RESERVE CHAMPIONS

2024 Shiro Kin by Andrews Meat Industries

2023 Kiwami by Stockyard Beef ~ New class in 2023 ~

CLASS ONE CHAMPIONS

2024 Signature Series by Mayura Station

2023 Jade Wagyu by Kilcoy Global Foods

2022 Signature Series by Mayura Station

2021 Stone Axe by Stone Axe Pastoral

2020 Stone Axe by Stone Axe Pastoral

2019 Signature Series by Mayura Station

2018 Signature Series by Mayura Station

2017 2GR Premium Fullblood Wagyu

2016 Master Kobe by AACo

2015 Master Kobe by AACo

2014 Shiro Kin by Andrews Meat Industries

the highest quality standards. It is this unwavering dedication to excellence that sets Andrews Meat Industries apart and elevates the Shiro Kin steak to a league of its own.

Whether separated by thousands of kilometres or a few points in a competition, the two are joined in their passion for perfection, and our industry is all the better for them.

CLASS TWO CHAMPIONS

2024 Eight Blossom Beef by Starzen Australia

2023 Jack’s Creek by Jack’s Creek Wagyu ~ New class in 2023 ~

CLASS THREE CHAMPIONS

2024 Margaret River Wagyu Beef by Stone Axe Pastoral Company

2023 Okan by Pardoo Wagyu

2022 WX9 by Rangers Valley

2021 Connors Wagyu by Direct Meat Company

2020 Jack’s Creek Wagyu X by Jack’s Creek

2019 Strathdale Wagyu

2018 The Phoenix by Mort & Co

2017 Tajima Wagyu by Andrews Meat Industries

2016 Pardoo Wagyu

2015 MasterBeef by Hamblin Pty Ltd

2014 MasterBeef by Hamblin Pty Ltd

CLASS FOUR CHAMPIONS

2024 Jack’s Creek Wagyu F1 by Jack’s Creek

2023 Tajima by Andrews Meat Industries ~ New class in 2023 ~

CLASS FIVE CHAMPIONS

2024 Icon XB Wagyu by Paradigm Foods

2023 Diamantina Wagyu by Stanbroke Beef

2022 WX by Rangers Valley

2021 Okan by Pardoo Wagyu

2020 Okan by Pardoo Wagyu

2019 Jack’s Creek F1 Wagyu by Jack’s Creek

2018 Stockyard Silver by Stockyard

2017 Westholme Wagyu

2016 Darling Downs Wagyu by AACo

2015 Hughes Pastoral Co

2014 Goorambat Wagyu

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 39
TERROIR, GENETICS AND EXPERTISE
WBBC
TM
HONOUR ROLL

Beef Nutrition

Top five meat myths

It seems almost everyday there is a new misnomer aimed at meat producers, and omnivores who consume meat. Given the prevalence of chronic health conditions, nutrition and health are often used as weapons against meat consumption.

There are many factors that need to be explained and taken into consideration when talking about health including individual health status, family history, food accessibility and stage of the life-cycle. However there are some fundamental truths that cannot be ignored or overlooked when we engage in conversations about nutrition and health.

The information below is designed to help you understand the science of nutrients and digestion, and provide evidence-based content for use in conversations. It should not be used as an alternative to health advice received from a medical practitioner.

“ Plant-based = plant-exclusive. Also, plant-derived foods are healthier. ”

The facts

“Plant based” does not equal “Plant exclusive”.

Dietary guidelines from either government agencies or health care providers have a higher component of plant derived foods like vegetables, fruit, legumes, and wholegrains as these foods are a great source of vitamins (especially the water-soluble vitamins B-group and C), phytonutrients and antioxidants as well as unsaturated fats. They also contain a high proportion of water and are the only source of dietary fibre in the human diet. Fibre is especially important role in digestion, and bowel and gut microbiome health [1-3]

Conversely, plants are a poor source of other nutrients like B12, minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, and (apart from quinoa and tofu) contain an incomplete amino acid protein profile. Plants also contain detractors like phytates and oxalates that decrease the body’s ability to absorb certain nutrients [4-6]

You need to a lot more plant-foods to get a similar amount of protein found in beef, and other animal derived foods. Flipside: meat is a poor source of dietary fibre, antioxidants, phytonutrients and vitamin C.

Plant AND animal derived foods like meat, seafood, dairy, and poultry consumed in the right proportions play an important role together in providing a range of nutrients needed for health.

A nutritionally complete plant-exclusive diet is possible with the help of supplements.

Conclusion

Nutrition is not about one component. Nutrition is about total diet quality where different foods contribute different nutrients. Plants AND animal-derived nutritionally dense foods play a complimentary role in a healthy diet.

one myth
Dr Anneline Padayachee
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myth
“ Cows eat grass, and they are fine. Humans should just eat grass too, and get the same nutrients. ”

The facts

Grass is about 83% water [7] . The remaining dry matter (17% of total weight) is split into crude fibre (35-75%) and nutrients including protein (7-28%), and trace amounts of minerals (including magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, sulfur, copper, selenium, iodine and zinc) [8] . Nutrient content of grass varies between seasons, from young to drought grass, grass variety and even geographical location (E.g. Ireland vs Australia) [7, 8]

While humans are able breakdown and absorb nutrients from different foods, we’re largely unable to digest dietary fibre [9, 10]

Nutrients are absorbed in our small intestine, and whatever is not absorbed ends up in our colon heading for elimination. Fibre makes its way through our digestive tract largely intact, cleaning our small intestines, trafficking phytonutrients to the colon where these compounds can have a beneficial health effect, and bulking our stools for easy passage out [9, 11-13] . Fibre is fermented by our colonic gut bacteria on its way out of the body. During this stage short chain fatty acids are produced which can be used in a range of functions including energy for microbiome and colon cells, and decreasing the pH of the gut (important in maintaining colonic health) [13-15] Nevertheless unlike other nutritional components in food, we are unable to digest fibre.

There are about 150 species of ruminants in the world including buffalo, deer, giraffes, camels, sheep, cattle and goats. Unlike humans and non-ruminant animals (e.g. pigs, dogs, cats, poultry, fish), ruminants like cattle have a unique “rumen” section as part of their digestive tract. The rumen contains a range of specific microbial bacteria that are able to ferment fibre, breaking it down so that it can be digested in the stomach. In doing so, cattle are able to derive energy from dietary fibre as well as release nutrients that are trapped in plant cells (and surrounded by a fibrous cell wall). This special adaptation allows cattle to convert grass, a relatively poor nutrient, undigestible food source for humans, into a nutrient rich food source – i.e. meat [16-18]

Conclusion

Humans and cattle have a fundamentally different digestive tract. Just because you can eat grass doesn’t mean we can digest grass and absorb the nutrients. Cattle can digest foods we can’t, absorb nutrients we can’t, and convert it into a food – meat – that is rich in bioavailable nutrients that are easy for the human body to digest and absorb.

three myth “ Alternative and plant proteins are the same as proteins from red meat. ”

The facts

Protein is a broad term used for large organic compounds that contain nitrogen and one or more amino acids. Proteins are essential in all living organisms and perform a range of roles in the human body from forming structural components of tissues (e.g., skin, muscle, and organs) to enzymes and anti-bodies of the immune system [19, 20]

Nutritionally, proteins are not all the same. The nutritional quality of proteins is based on amino acid profile, digestibility rate, and degree of absorption [21, 22]

Although there are over 500 amino acids in nature, 22 are needed to create proteins. The human body can manufacture 13 of these amino acids. The nine the human body cannot manufacture are called “Essential Amino Acids” and can only be obtained from food [19-22]

While many foods contain different amino acids, not all contain all essential amino acids.

Animal derived foods - like red meat, chicken, dairy, fish, and eggs - contain all essential amino acids and are consequently considered “complete protein foods” [21, 22]

Apart from tofu and quinoa, plants do not contain all essential amino acids and therefore a considered “incomplete protein foods”. It is possible to pair incomplete protein foods together to make a complete protein (e.g., baked beans on wholegrain bread provides the complete protein amino acid profile) [22, 23]

Conclusion

One of the main factors that affect protein quality is amino acid content. Red meat conveniently contains all essential amino acids. You don’t need much to get full benefits.

two

four myth

“ The World Health Organisation (WHO) said red meat causes cancer like cigarettes. ”

The facts

Cancer is a disease caused by abnormal cells replicating themselves in an uncontrolled manner [31, 32] . These abnormal cells can lead to ill-health and death if untreated. Genetics, cell injury, lack of diverse & sufficient nutrients to cells, prolonged exposure to carcinogens (i.e. compounds that can lead to cancer cell development - e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cigarettes) - are causes of cancer.

Carcinogen means a substance that can cause cancer [33]

The WHO’s classifications are based on all meatbased products: sausage rolls, salami, frankfurts, deli cuts, sausages, pizza toppings, corned beef, jerky as well as whole cuts of meat [34]

Processed meat products are part of “Group 1 carcinogens” [34] where the epidemiological evidence shows a stronger relationship between high intakes of processed meats and the prevalence of cancer rates.

This does NOT mean that processed meats are the same as cigarettes (where carcinogen

compounds are well established). The classification does not look at the risk rate, dose or mechanism of action (i.e. cause).

Whole cuts of meat are in Class 2A [34] , meaning some relationships between cancer and meat consumption have been noted in epidemiological studies, but it is inconclusive as to why or how meat is involved.

Meat does not cause cancer per se [35-37] . The main risk factor for cancer after aging is smoking and obesity, as well as sedentary behaviour, alcohol consumption levels, and total diet quality. A lack of plants and a high intake of discretionary foods are also risk factors of a range of chronic health conditions including certain cancers [37-40]

Conclusion

A healthy diet is more than just meat or vegetables: It is total nutritional quality. We need to understand the mechanism of what is in meat that can cause cancer, and if so, the dose leading to this outcome.

>>>

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 43 BEEF NUTRITION - TOP FIVE MEAT MYTHS
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“ Spinach has iron in it, it’s basically the same as red meat. ”

The facts

Iron is used in a range of functions in the human body, including the important-oxygen transporter role as part of the haemoglobin molecule in blood. While the human body recycles iron in dead red blood cells, we cannot manufacture iron and therefore require adequate dietary iron intake [24, 25]

Iron is found in both animal and plant foods, but it varies in amount and absorbability. The key factor that affects the bioavailability of iron is the chemistry form of the iron.

Foods that contain haemoglobin (i.e. blood) like animal derived foods including red meat, poultry, pork, fish and offal contain haem iron. Non haem iron is found in plant based foods like green leafy vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, fortified cereals. Egg yolk contains both forms of iron [24, 26]

Iron in the body is in the ferrous structure (i.e. Fe2+). Haem iron is in the ferrous form (i.e. Fe2+) while non-haem iron contains both ferrous and ferric (Fe3+) iron [24, 27]

Iron must either be in the ferrous (Fe2+) structure or be attached to a protein molecule (like the haemoglobin structure) in order to be absorbed in the body. Consequently, haem iron is more bioavailable (i.e. available for absorption) than non-haem iron.

The bioavailability (i.e. amount available for absorption after digestion) of haem iron is relatively high, between 15-40% [27] . Non haem iron in plant foods requires transformation in the body to the ferrous structure (Fe3+ → Fe2+), and can also be affected by the presence of other anti-nutrient compounds (called

inhibitors) resulting in less 2% - 10% bioavailability (dependent of the type of food) [27]

“Inhibitors” are compounds in the food that limit/ decrease absorption. In the case of haem iron, its chemical structure combined with it being attached to protein protects it from the impact of inhibitors. This is not the situation for non haem iron. Some compounds, such as phytates (found in grains and legumes), oxalates (found in spinach and beet greens), and certain polyphenols (found in tea and coffee), can inhibit the absorption of non-haem iron when consumed in large quantities. Calcium rich foods and supplements can also interfere with non haem iron absorption when consumed simultaneously [27-29]

Conversely, “enhancers” enhance absorption. Vitamin C is a common enhancer for non-haem iron due to its ability to convert ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+). Non haem iron absorption can also be increased with the addition of meat or fish to a meal. While the mechanism of action that causes this needs to be better understood, it is believed that the presence of certain amino acids (namely histidine and cysteine) are able to bind to iron, enhancing absorption [28, 30]

Conclusion

As iron is derived from both animal and plant foods, haem and non-haem iron contribute to the body’s iron stores but with differing amounts. Haem iron from animal based foods has a higher bioavailability, does not need to undergo transformation in the body nor is it impacted by anti-nutrient compounds.

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 45 BEEF NUTRITION - TOP FIVE MEAT MYTHS >>> five myth
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References

1. Herforth, A., et al., A global review of food-based dietary guidelines. Advances in Nutrition, 2019. 10(4): p. 590-605.

2. Cámara, M., et al., Food-based dietary guidelines around the world: a comparative analysis to update AESAN scientific committee dietary recommendations. Nutrients, 2021. 13(9): p. 3131.

3. NHMRC, Australian Dietary Guidelines, N.H.a.M.R. Council, Editor. 2013, National Health and Medical Research Council Commonwealth of Australia: Canberra, Australia.

4. Ertop, M.H. and M. Bektaş, Enhancement of bioavailable micronutrients and reduction of antinutrients in foods with some processes. Food and Health, 2018. 4(3): p. 159-165.

5. Natesh, H.N., L. Abbey, and S.K. Asiedu, An overview of nutritional and antinutritional factors in green leafy vegetables. Hortic. Int. J, 2017. 1(00011): p. 10.15406.

6. Thakur, A., V. Sharma, and A. Thakur, An overview of anti-nutritional factors in food. Int. J. Chem. Stud, 2019. 7(1): p. 2472-2479.

7. What’s in Grass? 2014 [cited 2024; Available from: https://www. teagasc.ie/media/website/animals/dairy/Whats_in_Grass_Todays_ Farm_May2014.pdf.

8. Nutritional value of common pastoral grasses to livestock, S.A.A.L.N.R.M. Board, Editor. 2017, South Australian Government: Online.

9. Padayachee, A., et al., Complexity and health functionality of plant cell wall fibers from fruits and vegetables. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 2017. 57(1): p. 59-81.

10. Gill, S.K., et al., Dietary fibre in gastrointestinal health and disease. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2021. 18(2): p. 101-116.

11. Padayachee, A., et al., Lack of release of bound anthocyanins and phenolic acids from carrot plant cell walls and model composites during simulated gastric and small intestinal digestion. Food and Function, 2013. 4: p. 906-916.

12. Gu, C., et al., Effect of a polyphenol-rich plant matrix on colonic digestion and plasma antioxidant capacity in a porcine model. Journal of functional foods, 2019. 57: p. 211-221.

13. Williams, B.A., et al., Gut fermentation of dietary fibres: physicochemistry of plant cell walls and implications for health. International journal of molecular sciences, 2017. 18(10): p. 2203.

14. Vinelli, V., et al., Effects of dietary fibers on short-chain fatty acids and gut microbiota composition in healthy adults: a systematic review. Nutrients, 2022. 14(13): p. 2559.

15. Alexander, C., et al., Perspective: physiologic importance of shortchain fatty acids from nondigestible carbohydrate fermentation. Advances in Nutrition, 2019. 10(4): p. 576-589.

16. Lozano, R.R., Grass Nutrition. 2015, Bloomington, IN, USA: Palibrio.

17. Mwangi, F.W., et al., Diet and genetics influence beef cattle performance and meat quality characteristics. Foods, 2019. 8(12): p. 648.

18. Cabiddu, A., et al., A quantitative review of on-farm feeding practices to enhance the quality of grassland-based ruminant dairy and meat products. Animal, 2022. 16: p. 100375.

19. LaPelusa, A. and R. Kaushik, Physiology, proteins. 2020, StatPearls Publishing: Treasure Island, Florida.

We eat food not nutrients. But food is our primary source of nutrition.

Farmers are the stewards of food , the creators of nutrition.

20. Morris, A.L. and S.S. Mohiuddin, Biochemistry, Nutrients. 2023, Treasure Island, Florida: StatPearls Publishing.

21. Adhikari, S., et al., Protein quality in perspective: a review of protein quality metrics and their applications. Nutrients, 2022. 14(5): p. 947.

22. Ferrari, L., et al., Animal-and plant-based protein sources: a scoping review of human health outcomes and environmental impact. Nutrients, 2022. 14(23): p. 5115.

23. McClements, I.F. and D.J. McClements, Designing healthier plantbased foods: Fortification, digestion, and bioavailability. Food Research International, 2023. 169: p. 112853.

24. Ems, T., K. St Lucia, and M.R. Huecker, Biochemistry, iron absorption. 2023.

25. Camaschella, C., Iron deficiency. Blood, 2019. 133(1): p. 30-39.

26. Zimmermann, M.B. and R.F. Hurrell, Nutritional iron deficiency. The Lancet, 2007. 370(9586): p. 511-520.

27. Piskin, E., et al., Iron absorption: factors, limitations, and improvement methods. ACS omega, 2022. 7(24): p. 20441-20456.

28. Shubham, K., et al., Iron deficiency anemia: A comprehensive review on iron absorption, bioavailability and emerging food fortification approaches. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2020. 99: p. 58-75.

29. Cappellini, M.D., K.M. Musallam, and A.T. Taher, Iron deficiency anaemia revisited. Journal of internal medicine, 2020. 287(2): p. 153-170.

30. Hallberg, L., et al., The role of meat to improve the critical iron balance during weaning. Pediatrics, 2003. 111(4): p. 864-870.

31. Maman, S. and I.P. Witz, A history of exploring cancer in context. Nature Reviews Cancer, 2018. 18(6): p. 359-376.

32. Hornberg, J.J., et al., Cancer: a systems biology disease. Biosystems, 2006. 83(2-3): p. 81-90.

33. Ashby, J., et al., A scheme for classifying carcinogens. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology, 1990. 12(3): p. 270-295.

34. WHO. Cancer: Carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat. [website] 2015 [cited 2024; Available from: https:// www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/cancercarcinogenicity-of-the-consumption-of-red-meat-and-processed-meat.

35. Yun, Z., et al., Processed meat, red meat, white meat, and digestive tract cancers: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2023. 10.

36. Watling, C.Z., et al., Risk of cancer in regular and low meat-eaters, fish-eaters, and vegetarians: a prospective analysis of UK Biobank participants. BMC medicine, 2022. 20(1): p. 73.

37. Parra-Soto, S., et al., Association of meat, vegetarian, pescatarian and fish-poultry diets with risk of 19 cancer sites and all cancer: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study and meta-analysis. BMC medicine, 2022. 20(1): p. 79-95.

38. Mishra, A., G. Giuliani, and V.D. Longo, Nutrition and dietary restrictions in cancer prevention. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Reviews on Cancer, 2023: p. 189063.

39. De, S., et al., Phenolic Phytochemicals for Prevention and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: A Critical Evaluation of In Vivo Studies. Cancers, 2023. 15(3): p. 993.

40. Anand, P., et al., Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes. Pharmaceutical research, 2008. 25(9): p. 2097-2116.

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BEEF NUTRITION - TOP FIVE MEAT MYTHS
food
FACT
Visit our website to find your nearest livestock representative at J B SSA. C OM. A U Please contact Scott Minnikin or your local JBS buyer for more details 0499 773 878 Scott.Minnikin@jbssa.com.au
Contact us for details so we can understand your requirements: 0408 653 833 0414 271 620 enquiries@koolangwagyu.com.au Michael Katz Email Geoff Cummins KWA breeding objective is Above Average Marbling Good Growth Low Birth Weight High Rib Eye Area Better Bulls Better Beef

Navigating the global trade landscape

Australian producers selling premium beef to the world

Australia is a nation of quality beef producers, sold at a premium around the world. Wagyu sits at the pinnacle of that produce, commanding a higher price than other meats.

In many ways, Wagyu can be seen as emblematic of Australian agriculture in general. By and large, we’re not a cheap agricultural producer. We don’t vie in a race to the bottom on price in global markets. We charge a premium because our produce is high-quality, safe, reliable and sustainably produced using the best farming practices.

And more and more consumers, including in the IndoPacific region, are attracted to those very characteristics, which paints a rosy picture for Australia’s long-term export prospects. The immediate trade landscape, however, is considerably rockier.

It’s been a complicated few years for the global economy. International trade plunged as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic due to widespread lockdowns, border closures and the collapse of global supply chains. The war in Ukraine complicated the recovery from COVID 19. While grains producers benefited from increased global prices, the conflict also prompted rises in the prices of fuel and fertilisers. Severe weather events have also taken their toll on the agriculture sector, and experts are predicting the frequency of droughts, fires and floods to increase due to climate instability.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. The International Monetary Fund is predicting growth in the global economy of 3.2 per cent this year and next, which is roughly a return to the rates of growth prior to the pandemic. Similarly, the World Trade Organization is predicting growth in global trade volumes to increase by 2.6 per cent in 2024 and 3.3 per cent in 2025 after falling 1.2 per cent last year.

However, the global trade landscape remains complex and uncertain, impacted in particular by tensions between the US and China, and a growing tendency towards protectionism in many markets.

Given this uncertain climate, helping businesses diversify their exports continues to be a major focus for the Australian government. One of our biggest markets for exported Australian Wagyu, the United States, has fortunately relatively few barriers to market access. But we can’t take this market openness for granted. Diversification of trade reduces the risk of over reliance on any one market. >>>

WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 49
Dr Tim Ault, Assistant Secretary, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade

June(Run1)2024WagyuBREEDPLAN

TraitsAnalysed:BWT,200WT(x2),Genomics|Statistics:NumberofHerds:17,ProgenyAnalysed:148,ScanProgeny:7

SELECTIONINDEXVALUES

MarketTargetIndexValueBreedAverage SelfReplacingIndex($)+$347+$175 FullbloodTerminalIndex($)+$325+$149 F1TerminalIndex($)+$327+$135 BreederFeederIndex($)+$493+$178

MARBLE SCO
+4.0
RE
Gestation Length (Days) Birth Wt kg) 200 Day Wt (kg) 400 Day Wt (kg) 600 Day Wt (kg) Mat Cow Wt (kg) Milk (kg) Scrotal Size (kg) Carcase Wt(kg) Eye Muscle Area(sq cm) Rump Fat (mm) Retail Beef Yield (%) Marble Score Marble Fineness (%) EBV-1.1-1.6+3+3+3-7+1-1.3+8+9.8+2.1+0.4+4.0+0.51 Accuracy89%94%88%82%81%70%61%66%74%68%67%55%67%59%
EBV-0.2+1.3+11+19+25+25+0-0.1+20+2.8-0.2+0.3+1.2+0.20
BreedAvg.EBV’sfor2022BornCalves

In recent years, many Australian export industries have relied heavily on trade with China, where urbanisation and rising income levels, growth in manufacturing, and massive infrastructure investment have fuelled demand for Australian goods and services. In 2020, however, China began to place restrictions on a range of Australian exports, including beef. The government has been working hard to stabilise our relationship with China and, while some restrictions remain (including on two beef exporters), China has removed most of its curbs on Australian trade.

With the relaxation of trade tensions between Australia and China, beef exporters are well placed to benefit despite the short-term challenges facing the Chinese economy.

Economic growth in China is shifting away from a reliance on cheap exports and investment in fixed assets like real estate, and towards growth led by consumer demand and services. An economic transformation of this magnitude doesn’t happen overnight but in the longer term, as private consumption grows, it will likely bring opportunities to increase beef exports into the Chinese market.

Thanks to the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, Australian beef can now enter China tariff-free as of the 1st of January this year, increasing our competitiveness relative to other countries. The prospects for increasing Wagyu imports into other major Asian markets, such as Japan and Korea, are also positive thanks to our existing FTAs. In these sizable economies, the better the market access for our producers, the better the opportunities for our export industries.

>>>

With the relaxation of trade tensions between Australia and China, beef exporters are well placed to benefit despite the shortterm challenges facing the Chinese economy.
WAGYU QUARTERLY UPDATE 51
NAVIGATING THE GLOBAL TRADE LANDSCAPE

Southeast Asia represents another growth opportunity for beef exporters. As well as population growth, rapid urbanisation, rising consumer incomes and escalating food security concerns will continue to drive demand for Australian agri-food products out to 2040. Even in countries with relatively lower consumer wealth there may be opportunities for Australian Wagyu to find its way into upmarket retailers and high-end hospitality venues.

Australian exporters benefit from a network of 17 FTAs that cover the vast majority of our major trading partners. But there are still some gaps. Currently, the government is negotiating further market access with three partners: India, the United Arab Emirates and the European Union (EU). India maintains a ban on imported beef on religious grounds. The UAE, however, is a strategically important market for Australian beef in the Middle East. It is the region’s most sophisticated food distributor and re-export hub. If we can get a good deal into the UAE, we may well unlock opportunities in neighbouring countries as well.

We were bitterly disappointed we were unable to finalise a deal with the EU last year. Wealthy, discerning European consumers would likely be attracted by the quality, safety and reliability of our ultra-premium Wagyu. We had expected EU negotiators to make a better offer on agricultural market access but at the end of the day, the EU was asking too much and offering too little to conclude a fair deal that benefited both sides.

For businesses interested in entering new markets, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has developed the FTA Portal: ftaportal.dfat.gov.au , which makes it easy to explore the different tariff treatments across various FTAs in various markets around the world.

It's thanks to these FTAs that the average tariffs faced by the Australian beef industry have come down markedly over the last twenty years. But in that same period, we’ve seen a significant rise in the prevalence of non-tariff barriers (NTBs), which now pose the biggest challenge for our exporters. A non-tariff barrier is any kind of ‘red tape’ that unjustifiably restricts the flow of goods, e.g. technical standards, testing and certification requirements, import permitting and licencing, or product packaging and labelling obligations.

One area we’re watching very closely is the emergence of NTBs on environmental grounds. With consumers becoming more concerned about the environment, there’s a growing tendency, led by the European Union, to regulate economic activities to promote environmental sustainability. These regulations are impacting the entire supply chain, including production, manufacturing, transport and distribution, packaging, labelling, recycling and waste disposal. Examples include carbon taxes and tariffs, emission requirements, environmental standards and increasingly stringent ecolabelling obligations. >>>

VOL 88 WINTER 2024
NAVIGATING THE GLOBAL TRADE LANDSCAPE FTA PORTAL �� ftaportal.dfat.gov.au

Of course, Australia too is concerned about environmental sustainability, and there’s a huge amount of work going on across all levels of government to work out the best ways we can deliver sustainability without causing undue harm to our industries. But as opposed to the EU, which is trying to impose its Eurocentric regulations on the rest of the world, we believe the best way to address environmental sustainability is to work together with our trading partners to set environmental standards which are not only effective but fair to all players.

Two particular examples of NTBs my team is currently looking to address are the EU’s introduction of a deforestation regulation, which would apply to all importers of beef (and other specific commodities) to the EU, and changes to Indonesia’s regime of halal certification for food and beverage products, including beef.

For more information on the EU’s Deforestation Regulation, go to DAFF’s Industry Advice Notice on the EU Deforestation Regulation.

For more information on Indonesia’s new halal certification scheme, go to DFAT’s Indonesia country page and select “Complying with Indonesian halal requirements”.

Finally, if you or your industry are experiencing nontariff barriers that are impacting your ability to export, please let us know �� Email ntb@dfat.gov.au

Our consultations with industry are vital to our work. We want to hear from you about the barriers your industry is facing and the challenges you see on the horizon.

INDUSTRY ADVICE NOTICE ON THE EU DEFORESTATION REGULATION

�� www.agriculture.gov.au /biosecuritytrade/export/controlled-goods/organic-biodynamic/organic-notices/2023-08

INDONESIA’S NEW HALAL CERTIFICATION SCHEME

�� www.dfat.gov.au /geo/indonesia/complyingindonesian-halal-requirements

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follow us PETE AND PIP BISHOP Owners of Bishop Wagyu Director of Quality Genetics International contact @ bishopwagyu.com 0429 454 189 0427 454 189 TWO MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS MARKED THIS YEAR GENETIC PERFORMANCE FARM DEVELOPMENT Sires used in Bishop Wagyu breeding program are proven BREEDPLAN sires with plentiful carcase data. Our 2024 bull calves are out performing the breed average by a large margin! MLB BFI SRI FTI F1 TI 1.2 $178 $175 $149 $135 2.68 $338 $276 $232 $223 WAGYU BREED average TRAIT / EBV BISHOP WAGYU average OUR TRAIT MARGIN above breed ave. Vs Vs Vs Vs Vs 2.2 1.9 1.6 1.6 1.7 Our new state-of-the-art yards allow for low-stress cattle handling quick and efficient processing of Bishop Wagyu AI and ET programs Yet to be installed – cappuccino machine! find out more Our 2024 bulls are selling fast!

Macquarie Wagyu

@macquariewagyu

www.MacquarieWagyu.com.au

MARBLE HIGH WAGYU SALE S PRING ‘24

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