VOLUME NUMBER 6
ISSUE DATE :JUNE/JULY 2019
THE INTERNATIONAL WAGYU BREEDER
Blackmore Wagyu Feature Pg.10
THE JUNE/JULY ISSUE
The International Wagyu Breeder
Table of Contents Pg 6: Herd Health: Vaccinations Pg 9: 1-Page Sire Eval: World k’s Michifuku Pg 10: Blackmore Wagyu Feature Pg 22: Sire Evaluation: JVP Fukutsuru 068 Pg 26: Decision Making: The Value of Elite Females Pg 30: Maternal Line Feature: Aizakura Pg 37: Leading Sires Update: July 2019 Breedplan EBVs & New Indexes
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Wagyu Events 2019 August 16th: South African National Wagyu Sale South Africa September 11th: Chris Purdon Wagyu Production Auction South Africa September 14th: Lone Mountain Cattle Co Production Sale New Mexico, USA September 17th: Premium Wagyu Sale Australia September 25-27th: American Wagyu Association Convention Nashville Tennesee, USA September 26th: Music City Signiture Series Sale Nashville Tennesee, USA October 5th: Wagyu Ranch’s CHR Franchise Female Sale Plainesville Kansas, USA October 12th: 2nd Annual M6 & Friends Bull & Female Sale Texas, USA October 19th: The Western Wagyu ELite Sale Baker City Oregon, USA October 26th: TWA Fall Primed & Ready Sale Texas, USA November 19th: Premium Wagyu Sale Australia December 11th: Wagyu on the Vegas Strip Sale Los Vegas Nevada, USA December 14th: Marble Ranch Genetics Wagyu Production Sale Texas, USA
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Herd Health: Vaccinations
Cattle aquire two types of immunity during their lifespan. One type is passive immunity, which was discussed in the last issue of the International Wagyu Breeder (April/May 2019), and occurs through the consumption of colostrum. The second type of immunity is active immunity. Active immunity is gained through vaccinations, or through the exposure to disease. Managing through a disease outbreak is costly and time consuming compared to implementing a preventative vaccination program. The first line of defensive to preventing disease begins before birth of a calf. A vaccination program must be introduced to the cow prior to birth so that antibodies can build in the cow’s immune system and passive immunity can be transferred to the calf through the production of quality colostrum. Beyond this, however, it is important to be mindful of and plan for situations that increase the stress level of an animal, or pose a threat to the animal’s health. Some examples include weaning calves, introducing an animal into a new group, moving an animal from the farm of origin, and/or changes in weather conditions. These situations warrant an added level of protection in order to preserve the animal’s immune system. When an animal’s immune system is compromised, they are susceptible to contracting disease-causing pathogens. While vaccinations in and of themselves do not prevent an animal from being exposed to disease, they do aid the
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animal’s immune system in fighting pathogens and help decrease the impact of the disease if contracted. Two types of vaccines often used with beef cattle include modified live vaccines and killed vaccines. Modified live vaccines (MLVs) contain live microbes that have been altered so that they have the antigenic components (any substance foreign to the body that evokes an immune response) of the disease-causing agent but do not actually cause disease in the animal. Killed vaccines (KVs) contain antigenic components or killed pieces of the disease-causing agent. Vaccines work to protect the animal by exposing the immune system to antigens from a specific pathogen and tricking the body into thinking is has encountered the actual pathogen. The immune system is stimulated as a result and creates memory cells (a long-lived lymphocyte capable of responding to a particular antigen) for that specific pathogen. Memory cells have the potential to remain in existence for months to years. If the animal is infected by a pathogen that it was vaccinated for, the immune system respondes quickly with the help of memory cells before disease can set in. This process works similarly in an animal that contracted and successfully fought off disease and is exposed to it a second time. In cases where an animal is exposed to a specific pathogen for a second time, whether that be through a booster (second) vaccine or naturally occurring, the immune system becomes even stronger in fighting the disease. Providing boosters to animals, especially young stock, is strongly advised in most cases. Typically, boosters are administered two to four weeks after the initial vaccination and followed by yearly injections thereafter. It is important, however, to follow the directions listed on the label of the vaccine, as it will advise if/when a booster is needed. Disease types vary from one geographical location to another. As a producer, it is important to be aware of diseases prevalent to your area. Vaccines exist for many diseases, however not all need to be used on a routine basis. Your local veterinarian is a great resource for establishing an appropriate herd health program to protect your herd and meet your herd goals. Some common vaccines often utilized include around the USA include:
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Continued - Decision Making: Breedplan and EBVs Cows 45-60 Days Pre-Calving Vaccinations Killed Virus Complex (IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV) Clostridial Complex Tetanus Toxoid Pinkeye Vaccination Open Cows 30 Days Prior to Breeding Modified Live Virus Complex (IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV) Clostridial Complex – for new breeding age heifers only Calves 45 Days Prior to Weaning Modified Live Virus Complex (IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV) Clostridial Complex – also consider Pinkeye Vaccination Pasturella Vaccine Tetanus Toxoid *All calves should receive a booster vaccine 14 – 21 days following the initial vaccinations itemized above. This will improve the level of protection developed by the calves. No matter what herd health program is implemented, it is important that vaccinations be administered according to the label directions in order for the animal to receive the full benefit. Proper timing, type of injection (intramuscular or subcutaneous), dosage, and type of vaccine all play a significant role in preventing disease. In addition, be sure to follow Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines when giving vaccines and/or medications. Additional resources: https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/beef/vaccinations-for-the-beef-cattle-herd/?cn-reloaded=1 https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_b/B222/welcome.html https://extension.psu.edu/beef-herd-health/ https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_b/B224/welcome.html
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1-PAGE SIRE EVALUATION: WORLD K’S MICHIFUKU
World K’s Michifuku Jr (FB1615 or WKSFM0164) is one of the most widely used and proven sires in the Wagyu breed. He was a part of the 1993 World K’s Group export along with Haruki 2, Okutani, Suzutani, and Rikitani. He is widely regarded as one of the best carcass sires to have been exported from Japan. This is due to his consistent ability to produce highly marbled carcasses with large eye muscle areas and fine marbling. He is sired by the famous leading Japanese sire Monjiro and his maternal grandsire is Tanishige, who is famous for his influence through daughters Suzutani and Rikitani. Michifuku is free of all recessive disorders, granting flexibility in mating decisions when using him. However, he is known to have limited growth, lower carcass weights, and poor conformation in some cases. If you look at his Breedplan EBVs which are backed by a large data set from many herds this becomes clear quickly. Therefore, he needs to be protected for growth in non-terminal matings with a typical corrective mating strategy. Michifuku’s raw carcass performance and potential has been recorded and published by leading herds around the globe. In Lone Mountain Ranch’s July 2018 Sire Summary, he averaged 30.14% IMF on 24 carcasses. He also had a high Marble Fineness Score at 28.33, with both MF and IMF being measured with a Japanese Carcass Camera to ensure accurate and objective measurement. On Blackmore Wagyu’s published data from 2013, Michifuku had 100 of 104 carcasses grade AUS-Meat MS 9 and 83 of the 104 graded the highest score MS of 9+. He also averaged a high EMA of 98.8 cm2 (15.3 in2), and HCWT of 439 kg (965.8 lbs.) on an average days on feed of 645 days. Michifuku also has published data in the USA on the WSU Sire Summary which is derived from F1 data. According to the 2017 WSU Sire Summary Michifuku is ranked 15th for the Marbling EPD at +0.42, with an accuracy of 65% on 624 progeny from 23 contemporary groups. He is also ranked 10th for the Rib Eye Area EPD at +1.88 on 51 progeny from five contemporary groups. This data, along with his Breedplan EBVs of +1.4 MS and +6.2 EMA, all illustrate perfectly his ability to excel in producing highly marbled carcasses with large loins. As a sire of sons, World K’s Michifuku has been one of the most prolific Wagyu sires ever. He has produced elite sons in many herds around the world including World K’s Sanjirou, World K’s Kanadagene 100, Sanjiro 3, Longford Tojo, Overflow Mihashi, Overflow Katsumi, Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F154, Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126, Macquarie Wagyu C1255, BR Michifuku 1628, and BR Michifuku 1604, to name just a few. Sanjirou, Kanadagene 100, and Sanjiro 3 are all full brothers from the “Queen of the Breed” Suzutani and have all seen success in a variety of settings in both the USA and Australia. Overflow Katsumi and Longford Tojo are full brothers out of Rikitani who have had success in Australia, boasting great Breedplan proofs. Overflow Mihashi is a son of Okutani and known for his fantastic marbling at +1.8 on Breedplan. Then, newly proven sires from the Sumo Wagyu program, F154 and F126 both possess balanced and breed leading EBVs. F154 and F126 both come from the Hikokura maternal line and are out of Terutani 40/1 and TF Itohana 2 dams respectively. In the BR2 program in the USA, bulls BR Michifuku 1628 and BR Michifuku 1604 both have WSU Sire Summary EPDs and are seen in many Wagyu pedigrees around the country. In conclusion, Michifuku is rightly known for his consistent ability to transmit marbling and eye muscle area to his progeny. While he excels in the areas of MS, MF, and EMA, he lacks growth and carcass weight which should be taken into consideration for non-terminal matings. World K’s Michifuku and his breed-leading sons are a solid and reliable source of elite carcass genetics all of the Wagyu breed will benefit from for years to come.
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FEATURE: BLACKMORE WAGYU Australian breeder David Blackmore founded Blackmore Wagyu in 1988, after having been in the embryo export and import business since 1979. He previously focused on sourcing elite dairy and beef cattle genetics from North America. David was introduced to Wagyu while importing North American genetics to Australia. The Blackmore team and herd has grown immensely since its start in 1988. The fullblood Wagyu program now numbers close to 4,000 head of fullblood cattle, and another 600 Angus recipients for E.T. (embryo transfer). The operation spans five farms: three are breeding farms, one is a backgrounding farm, and one is a specifically designed feeding facility. Of the five farms three are irrigated, a key factor given the rising number of droughts seen in Australia. From the beginning of the business in 1988 David Blackmore has guided the business every step of the way and through many obstacles and challenges. Blackmore Wagyu is a family owned and operated business that has grown into one of the world’s leading producers of high-quality Wagyu beef. David and his wife Julie have a son and daughter in the business now, too. Their son Ben is now the CEO of Blackmore Wagyu and their daughter Danielle is their Business Analyst. Each of Blackmore Wagyu’s five farms also has its own farm manager. In total, the family business has 15 employees. The Blackmore Wagyu team is essential for the business to run successfully and does a tremendous job enabling their genetics to reach their highest potential. In a normal year the breeding herd is managed in a grazing system. They spend all year on pasture with a small amount of supplementation of grass hay during the winter months. This year, however, has been one of the worst droughts in Australia’s history. Due to this, David is feeding the entire herd by hand on a daily basis. Calves are normally weaned at 6-8 months of age then backgrounded until feedlot entry weight (300-350 kg or 660-770 lbs.) at approximately 10 months of age. This year they are weaning at four months because of the drought. The herd’s replacement heifers are weaned on the same regime, but are then backgrounded on a different ration with
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slightly higher protein and less energy. The purpose of this is to grow a large frame that allows heifers to breed at 15 months of age and 400+ kg or 880+ lbs. There is an established plan and goal for each animal in the Blackmore production system. The steers are fed three different rations depending on age and stage of feeding. These are a backgrounder, grower, and finisher ration. The steers typically stay on the backgrounder ration for the first 60 days in the feedlot and at 12 months of age, weighing 400+ kg (880+ lbs.). They are then shifted to the grower ration. Steers stay on the grower ration until about 18-20 months of age at which point they weigh 600650 kg (1,320-1,430 lbs.). This is when they are shifted to Blackmore Wagyu’s signature finishing ration. Steers are fed a total of 600-650 days altogether in the feedlot from their start at 10 months of age. They aim for live weights on the steers of between 850-900 kg (1,870-1,980 lbs.). In recent years, they have been achieving 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs.) live weight and carcass weights in excess of 600 kg (1,320 lbs.) on many steers. The rations fed are a key factor, along with genetics, in achieving these impressive results consistently. The rations that are fed at Blackmore Wagyu are “classified” information, however they can be described as Japanese-style adapted to available Australian commodities and have been developed over 15 years. Blackmore beef draws comments from chefs around the world that it has a distinct flavor, which sets it apart from other products. This often draws comparisons to the secret recipes of Coca Cola and KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), and it gives Blackmore beef an edge in the marketplace. Blackmore Wagyu has more demand than they can meet for their beef.
David Blackmore with some of his Fullblood Wagyu Cows
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All the beef produced through the Blackmore Wagyu program is sold through their branded beef line. This is the backbone of the Blackmore Wagyu business. Blackmore beef is sold domestically in Australia and is also exported globally to customers around the world. The goal of producing the best carcasses possible is what drives David’s breeding and reproduction programs. As David made many trips to Japan and did a lot of “homework” on what to buy and why when was selecting the Wagyu genetics that he wanted to begin his herd with. Ultimately, he decided he would apply similar criteria to what he applied to Holstein dairy cattle when looking for genetics to import into Australia. Since his cattle would be primarily grazing in Australia and not standing eating at a feed bunk, they needed to be able to consume large volumes of grass and walk up to three to four miles per day. David therefore was looking for cattle with big capacity, deep heart room, robustness, good milk, and that were structurally correct. David found these cattle in the Takeda herd with the idea that he would then cross them with other available genetics. David notes “My herd is made up of Takeda cow families, and then I have line bred to the most famous cow in Japan called Kikutsuru (the Hyogo cow) who is credited for having the most influence in increasing size, constitution, and meat quality in Japanese Tajima bloodlines”. Kikutsuru has had four grandsons exported from Japan that have been used to line breed in the Blackmore program. They are JVP Fukutsuru 068, Westholme’s Kitatsurukiku Doi (007), Kikutsurudoi TF 146, and Kimifuku 3. The first three are maternal descendants of the Hyogo cow, an important factor in many breeders decisions for maximizing the potential of genetics. From this foundation, the Blackmore herd has operated an intensive embryo transfer (E.T.) program for many years. They are producing over 2,000 embryos per year. Half of these are used within their own program in their Angus recipients and fullblood herd while the other half are sold for export. David in recent years does not sell any of his own genetics within Australia. The donors for this program are all in the top 5% of the herd and selected on a combination of pedigree, phenotype, progeny results, flushing ability, and carcass results. This program assists in maximizing genetic progress within the herd and is a key part of the larger reproduction and genetics program David operates. The breeding herd calves year-round because the customers of their branded beef line expect product every month of the year. All the cows get one artificial insemination (A.I.) in a synchronized CIDR (vaginal progesterone insert) program 60 days after calving and then the back-up bull goes in 15 days after A.I. These back-up bulls are usually the same bulls used in the A.I. program. Now, with the genomics project Blackmore has developed within herd, they are able to identify
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young bulls with high GEBVs and good accuracy to make faster rates of genetic gain by decreasing the generational interval within the herd. David is especially excited about the potential the Genomic Estimated Breeding Values (GEBV) system brings to the program. The GEBVs just mentioned are a product of the genomics research project the Blackmore herd has been coninuing for the last four years. This has allowed for the calculation and publication of Genomic Estimated Breeding Values (GEBV). David now has over 15,000 animals in his database, with 8,500 of these having GEBVs. The database consists of 4,500 officially graded carcasses. David inspects each carcass individually with a three-generation pedigree and the carcasses are graded by independent AUS-MEAT graders at the 10/11th rib. Every Blackmore carcass is graded for all available official government graded results, including: Marble Score (MS), Carcass Weight (CWT), Eye Muscle Area (EMA), Fat Color (FC), P8 Fat, and Rib Fat. The Blackmore herd is achieving inspiring averages for these traits of a 9.1 MS, 424.8 kg CWT, 93 cm2 EMA, 0.5 FC (0 is the best score possible), 18.0 cm P8 Fat, and 22.2 cm Rib Fat. The GEBVs of the herd can be used to evaluate each animal by either adding or subtracting that animal’s GEBVs against the herd average. The impressive herd averages listed above are only achievable through the program’s combination of precise management practices, specifically designed rations, and the elite genetics carefully bred over more than 30 years. The GEBVs are highlighting the strongest cow families in the herd and are allowing for the identification of previously unrecognized elite families. The GEBV research will only help increase the quality of every carcass produced at Blackmore Wagyu. The overall goal of the genetics and breeding program at Blackmore Wagyu is to produce the highest quality carcasses possible. This is driven by their customers who are in the niche fine dining restaurant market and require the same high-quality product every month of the year. David’s general breeding philosophy in mating decisions is to assess the cow and then use a sire to correct her faults or strengthen her weaknesses. The breeding program from a carcass standpoint is looking to maintain their marble scores while putting equal emphasis on increasing EMA and CWT. Aside from the carcasses, David is always looking for robustness, constitution, structural correctness, and milk in his cattle. These are important traits both in the paddock and the feedlot. The breeding program utilizes GEBVs to assist in identifying the strengths and weakness of the cattle. However, these are not the only genetic tests that the herd is working with. Every animal is tested for recessive genes with this information used in mating decisions. All animals are parent verified to their sire and dam and inbreeding coefficients are calculated on all cattle. Currently, new genomic tests for
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BLACKMORE WAGYU COW FAMILIES Aizakura Family No Photo Available BLACKMORE AIZAKURA U100 Sired by Kikutsurudoi TF146 FOUNDATION COW BLACKMORE AIZAKURA B126 Daughter of U100, Sired by Itozurudoi TF151
BLACKMORE AIZAKURA Y398, Son of U100, Sired by Fukutsuru JVP068
BLACKMORE AIZAKURA B132 Daughter of U100, Sired by Itozurudoi TF151 Full sister to Aizakura B126 BLACKMORE DAI ICHI KIKUZAKURA H017 Son of Aizakura B132, Sired by Itoshigefuji TF147
Chiyotake Family Chiyonami Family
Chiyoyuki Family BLACKMORE DAI ICHI YASUCHIYO G615 Son of Y377, Sired by Yasuchiyo C058
BLACKMORE CHIYOTAKE Y377 Sired by Itozurudoi TF151 FOUNDATION COW
Kinu Family Kikumidoi Line
Kinuko Family BLACKMORE KINU Y385 (100% TAJIMA) Sired by Kitateruyasu-Doi ETJ003 FOUNDATION COW
BLACKMORE KINUSURUKIKU H224 (100% TAJIMA) Son of Kinu Y385, Sired by Kitatsurukiku-Doi ETJ007
BLACKMORE KINUYASUDOI Y350 (100% TAJIMA) Full brother to Kinu Y385 sired by Kitateruyasu-Doi ETJ003 BLACKMORE KINUZURU E006 Son of Kinu Y385, Sired by Itozurudoi TF151
BLACKMORE KINUKO E010 Full sister to Kinzuru E006, Daughter of Kinu Y385, Sired by Itozurudoi TF151
Kinu Family Yasumidoi Line
BLACKMORE KINUFUKU C182 (100% TAJIMA) Son of Kinu Y200, Sired by Yasufuku Jr.
BLACKMORE KINU Y200 (100% TAJIMA) Sired by Kikutsurudoi TF146 FOUNDATION COW
BLACKMORE KIKUTSURUDOI W628 (100% TAJIMA) Full brother to Kinu Y200, Sired by Kikutsurudoi TF146
Hikohime Family Kikuhime Family
Hikokura Family
BLACKMORE HIKOSHIGEFJUI Y342 Son of T039, Sired by Itoshigefuji TF147
BLACKMORE HIKOHIME T039 Sired by Itohana 2 FOUNDATION COW
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maternal and feed efficiency traits are being developed in their genomics research. All of this comes together to help create the world-class genetics that make up the Blackmore herd. Within this world-class genetics program some cattle are proving to be superior to the rest. Multiple strong cow families (maternal lines) are achieving great things that are well above the already impressive herd averages. These maternal lines include the well-known Chiyotake family, the Aizakura family who is the historical star of the Blackmore herd, and the rare Blackmore branch of the Kinu family. These three cow families have produced successful proven sires in the Blackmore program such as Blackmore Dai Ichi Yasuchiyo G615 (Chiyotake), Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017 (Aizakura), Blackmore Aizatsurudoi Y398 (Aizakura), and Blackmore Kinusurukiku H224 (Kinu). These sires are being used to form the next generation of elite sires and dams in the Blackmore herd. The Aizakura cow family has been one of the most successful and prolific families in the herd from the start. Foundation cow Takeda Farm Aizakura U100 now has over 3,000 descendants born on the Blackmore farm. This is a result of her own remarkable E.T. production and the success of her sons and daughters as A.I. sires and donor dams producing superior carcasses. Takeda Farm Aizakura U100 possesses an incredible performance record, having produced 24 carcasses that all graded AUS-Meat marble score 9+ (the highest possible grade). She is one of David’s favorite cows ever (now 22 yrs. old) and excels in structural correctness, milking ability, and fertility. Her son, Blackmore Aizatzurudoi Y398 was one of the first super sires that David bred. Y398 is a son of JVP Fukutsuru 068 and is line bred to the Hyogo cow through 068 and his maternal grandsire TF 146. He has been used to create excellent breeding cows with great milking ability and heavy carcass weights that have consistently graded 9 or 9+ MS. His raw herd stats include 28/36 carcasses MS 9 and 20/36 MS 9+ with a high daily gain (DG) of 0.79 kg/day (1.79 lbs. /day). That is a higher DG than popular foundation sires TF 151 (DG 0.76) and TF 147 (DG 0.77) have achieved in the herd based on David’s published data on foundation sires from 2013. Both U100 and Y398 have relatively average GEBVs now due to the rapid rate of genetic progress the breeding program has been able to achieve, however they are at +0.1 and +0.0 MS plus a +8.4 and +19.6 HCW GEBVs respectively. Y398 has recently shown some impressive carcass results in Mayura Station’s well-known short, 300 day fed fullblood Wagyu program, averaging an 8.33 MS and 420.6 kg HCW on six carcasses. The Aizakuras are a premier cow family in the Wagyu breed and have produced great sires in a variety of herds. The Macquarie Wagyu program’s top cow, Macquarie Wagyu C1155, is from the Aizakura family. Her full brother is Macquarie Wagyu C1176, the highest Marble Score (MS) sire on Breedplan. TF Itohana 2 is from the Aizakura foundation cow Aino 6 and has been widely used and praised for his overall ability to
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Fullblood wagyu on one of the Blackmore Farms make quality cows and great carcasses. The top selling bull from the 2017 AWA Elite Wagyu Sale was an Aizakura family product, Mayura L0010, a Mayura Itoshigenami JNR son who sold for $105,000. The 2018 Elite Wagyu Sale saw Macquarie Wagyu M0549, a Michifuku son of the top Macquarie cow C1155, sell for $80,000. Therefore, as you can see, this family has a track record of success around Australia; and TF Itohana 2 around the world. The current stars of the Aizakura cow family in the Blackmore herd are full sisters Blackmore Aizakura B126 and Blackmore Aizakura B132, the latter of which has produced the key proven sire Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017. Both cows are sired by the legendary TF 151 and out of foundation cow Takeda Farm Aizakura U100. TF 151 still maintains good GEBVs in the Blackmore herd of +3.0 EMA, +22.6 HCW, +0.4 MS and a raw stats line of 0.65 kg (1.43 lbs.) DG, 298/320 carcasses MS 9, 271/320 carcasses MS 9+, and a 99.25 cm2 (15.38 in2) EMA. Successful proven sire Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017 is a son by TF 147 and has the herd’s highest HCW GEBV at +42.5. David says he is a valuable outcross sire within the herd with 87.5% Itozakura bloodlines and is used to increase size, robustness, constitution, fertility, and milk in females while maintaining MS with his +0.1 MS GEBV. To top it off, H017 has extremely high accuracy GEBVs of 92% for EMA, 89% for HCW, and 92% for MS. This sire will be a valuable tool for corrective mating in the Blackmore herd for years to come. The next great family in the Blackmore herd is the Chiyotake family. In this family, we find David’s current favorite cow in the herd, Blackmore Chiyotake Y377. She has an elite sire stack of TF 151 x TF 148 x TF 147 x Itohana 2 x Chiyotake 8A. She is a sound 16-year-old cow and still producing embryos for David. She is arguably
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the premier bull dam in the herd, producing all-round super sire Blackmore Dai Ichi Yasuchiyo G615 and carcass specialist Blackmore Chiyofuku K733. On six carcasses she has a 0.73 DG, 6/6 MS 9+, and 94.9 cm2 EMA. Her GEBVs are extremely impressive sporting a +4.4 EMA, +13.0 HCW, and +1.0 MS. She also has great P8 Fat and Rib Fat GEBVs of -0.2 and -1.3 (negative numbers are ideal) which have a large impact on overall yield and profitability. Her son, Blackmore Dai Ichi Yasuchiyo G615 is a staple of the Blackmore breeding program that David uses to improve all aspects: breeding females, carcass quality, and weight, and is a sire of next generation breeding bulls. G615 is sired by Blackmore Yasuchiyo C058, another one of the best all-round bulls David has bred to date. C058 is a World K’s Yasufuku Jr son and has some great raw data of 0.70 kg DG, 172/216 MS 9, 94/216 MS 9+, and 94.9 cm2 EMA. Blackmore Dai Ichi Yasuchiyo G615 is 72.25% Tajima, and he is the largest bull the Blackmore program has bred to date weighing in at over 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs.). His high, yet balanced, GEBVs are +1.3 EMA, +2.8 HCW, +1.2 MS, -3.8 P8 Fat, and -2.2 Rib Fat. This combination of elite and high accuracy GEBVs which are all over 90% for all major traits is an asset to the Blackmore herd and he is an integral part of the herd’s breeding program. The maternal brother to G615 is Blackmore Chiyofuku K733, who is a World K’s Michifuku x Blackmore Chiyotake Y377. He has top-notch EMA and MS GEBVs of +9.2 and +0.9, respectively. Another cow family making waves in the Blackmore herd is the Kinu cow family. The only 100% Tajima cow to have been exported from Japan was Kinu 1. She was from the Okudoi line of Tajima, which is different from all other exported Tajima genetics that were from Nakadoi and Kumanami lines. The Blackmore Kinu family is formed off the foundation of a JVP Kikuyasudoi 400 daughter of Kinu 1, Blackmore Kinu T077. She was then crossed with both Kikutsurudoi TF 146 and Westholme’s 003 Kitateruyasudoi to make two separate lines within the herd. Following this, Blackmore used grandsons of the Hyogo cow, 007 Kitatsurukikudoi, Kikutsurudoi TF 146, and JVP Fukutsuru 068; plus TF 151 Itozurudoi and Kitateruyasudoi 003, on these daughters of Blackmore Kinu T077. This cow family does not make up a large percentage of the Blackmore cow herd, but it does not need to be large in numbers to achieve its primary purpose. This is because it is primarily used to breed sons that are either used as terminal sires to breed fullblood carcasses or to breed next generation sires. The Kinu family has produced multiple successful donor dams in the Blackmore herd. The carcass data from these cows is extremely impressive. Foundation cow Blackmore Kinu T077 has produced four carcasses all with a 9+ MS, HCWs of 430 kg (946 lbs.) to 470 kg (1,034 lbs.), and EMA of 100 cm2 (15.5 in2) to 110 cm2 (17.05 in2). Her daughter by Kitateruyasudoi 003, Blackmore Kinu Y385, has produced three carcasses all MS 9+ with HCWs of 442 kg (973 lbs.), 470 kg (1,034 lbs.), 527 kg (1,159
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Blackmore Kinusurukiku H224
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H224’s Performance Pedigree lbs.), and EMA of 105 cm2 (16.28 in2), 116 cm2 (17.98 in2), and 107 cm2 (16.59 in2). Then, Y385’s daughter who is sired by TF 151, Blackmore Kinuko E010, has produced one carcass which was MS 9+, 470 kg (1,034 lbs.) HCW, and 91 cm2 (14.1 in2) EMA. The proven carcass performance of these cows is not all they have to offer, as they are also successful bull dams. They have produced top sires in the Blackmore herd such as Blackmore Kinuyasudoi Y350, Blackmore Kinuzuru E006, Blackmore Kinuzurudoi K730, and Blackmore Kinusurukiku H224. The second “super” proven sire bred in the Blackmore program after Y398 was Blackmore Kinuzuru E006. He has an exciting sire stack of TF 151 x 003 x JVP 400 x Kinu 1. His dam is the above-mentioned proven bull mother, Blackmore Kinu Y385, and he is a full brother to Blackmore Kinuko E010 (carcass results above). This full sister has produced a promising young sire in the Blackmore herd, Blackmore Kinuzurudoi K730. This bull is sired by Blackmore Aizatzurudoi Y398, and with his dam being E010, he is a combination of the two cow families that made David’s first and second “super” proven bulls (Aizakura and Kinu cow families). This brings us to the current star sire of the Kinu family in the herd, Blackmore Kinusurukiku H224. He can be described as a true carcass specialist and is a leading GEBV sire in the Blackmore herd for MS, EMA, P8 Fat, and Rib Fat. The GEBV line he boasts is +12.5 EMA, -9.9 HCW, +1.3 MS, -5.5 P8 Fat, -4.4 Rib Fat. His dam is the super cow Blackmore Kinu Y385, and he is sired by the Westholme bull Kitatsurukikudoi 007
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H224 carcass from Beefcentral.com’s Article (Hyogo cow grandson). This produces a solid sire stack of 007 x 003 x JVP 400 x Kinu 1, a pedigree that is 100% Tajima. A 2017 Beefcentral.com article features a spectacular H224 sired carcass achieving up to $500/kg at Victor Churchill’s famous butchery in Sydney, Australia. This carcass had a MS 9+, 128 cm2 (19.8 in2) EMA, and 457.5 kg (1,007 lbs.) HCW. This illustrates the world class carcasses that this sire is routinely producing for the Blackmore Wagyu program. David says he is one of their highest live GEBV bulls for marbling score and eye muscle area. He is a large bull weighing over 900 kg with exceptional muscling and is quiet with excellent semen fertility. H224 is the kind of bull that will see a long career because of his ability to increase carcass value so drastically in a variety of areas. The genetics program at Blackmore Wagyu is positioned extremely well for the future. David has utilized different cow families within his herd to breed sires that have different, and yet complementing, pedigrees, genetics, and traits. This allows for future breeding across cow families to continue to make corrective mating decisions and always make steady incremental genetic progress toward David’s favorite goal: “to make my worst carcass as good as my best carcass”. To summarize, Aizakura family sire Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017, is a valuable outcross sire within the herd with 87.5% Itozakura bloodlines and is used to increase size, robustness, constitution,
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G615’s Performance Pedigree fertility, and milk in females while maintaining marble score. Chiyotake family sire, Blackmore Dai Ichi Yasuchiyo G615, is used to improve all aspects of breeding females, carcass quality and weight, and is a sire of next generation breeding bulls. Finally, Kinu family sire, Blackmore Kinusurukiku H224, is utilized largely as a terminal sire to breed the best carcasses possible, producing high marbling, large eye muscle area, low P8 fat, and little rib fat. Each of these sires plays its own integral role in the breeding program. The elite next generation sires mentioned here, along with the Blackmore genomics program paints a bright future for not only the genetics program, but for the entire business. Blackmore Wagyu currently remains unable to fill the huge global demand for their beef. The quality of Blackmore genetics will be increasing ever more rapidly due to a shortening of the generational interval through genomics, driving the quality and profitability of their cattle and beef to increase. This only will help grow the global demand for their beef even further, therefore positioning Blackmore Wagyu to continue to be a global leader in premium fullblood Wagyu beef and genetics for years to come. Source: https://www.beefcentral.com/genetics/victor-churchills-ultra-premium-blackmore-wagyu-offer-at500kg/
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Sire Evaluation: JVP Fukutsuru 068
Dai 2 Yasutsuru Doi
Yasumi Doi
Kikutsuru J978542
JVP Fukutsuru 068
Kikuteru Doi
Teruyasu Yasutsuru
JVP Fukutsuru 068
JVP Fukutsuru 068 (FB2101 or IMJFMJ068) has been a staple of many Wagyu breeding programs in the USA and Australia since his import by Japanese Venture Partners (JVP) in 1994. He has long been considered one of the best marbling sires ever exported from Japan. Fukutsuru 068 is a product of line breeding to one of Japan’s most famous cows, Kikutsuru “The Hyogo Cow”. He is sired by Dai 2 Yasutsuru Doi J774, a Yasumi Doi son of “The Hyogo Cow” on top and has a maternal sire stack of Kikuteru Doi x Yasutani Doi x Yasumi Doi x Kikutsuru “The Hyogo Cow” on the bottom as well. His initial progeny testing on F1 cattle though Washington State University’s National Sire Summary EPDs published him as the number one marbling bull in the USA. This was a title he held for many years until recently being passed by Sanjiro 3 in 2017. JVP Fukutsuru 068 has sired many successful sons including JVP Oliver, JVP Fukukane 402E, Bar R Ichiro 32R, Bar R Fukusuru 36H, Takeda Farm Fukutsuru 004, and Blackmore Aizatsurudoi Y398. JVP 068’s global influence can be seen in well-established herds such as Ultimate Kobe Beef, Crescent Harbor Ranch, Bar R Ranch, Blackmore Wagyu, and many more! The elite pedigree and sire stack that JVP Fukutsuru 068 possesses makes it no surprise he saw so much early success on the WSU Sire Summary. His current EPDs on the newest 2017 published version are +0.76 Marbling EPD, +0.34 REA EPD, and +0.08 External Fat EPD. This leaves him as the number two marbling sire with below average rib eye area and external fat EPDs. He has some of the highest reliability of any sire on the summary at 57% accuracy on 79 progeny from nine contemporary groups for the marbling EPD. One of the limitations 068 has from a genetic perspective is his status as an F11 recessive carrier. This is something to take into consideration when utilizing him in a breeding
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JVP Fukutsuru 068’s Breedplan EBVs program and can be easily managed with simple mating decisions. He is also tested for the popular SCD and Tenderness genetic tests for which he is AA for SCD and Tenderness score 7. Both of these results are desirable, with AA being the preferred genotype and 7 being on the high side of the one-to-ten Tenderness scale. Fukutsuru 068 has performed well on the published data from industry leading herds of Lone Mountain Ranch and Blackmore Wagyu. On Lone Mountain Ranch’s July 2018 published data Fukutsuru 068 was averaging 29.02% IMF on 11 carcasses. This is a good average, but was still below other popular proven sires such as Michifuku, TF 148, Kitaguni Jr, Yasufuku Jr, and 003 who were all in the 30-33% IMF range. On the marble fineness ranking, 068 did fairly well with a 29.11 score, ahead of Michifuku, TF 148, and 003, but slightly behind TF 151, Kitaguni Jr, and Yasufuku Jr. This is all according to LMR’s Japanese carcass camera which is a great source for objective carcass data. In Blackmore Wagyu’s published data from 2013, across 11 carcasses Fukutsuru 068 had 11/11 carcasses grade AUS-Meat MS 9, and 9/11 carcasses graded the highest MS possible at 9+. While excelling here, 068 lacked in daily gain and hot carcass weight at 0.63 kg/day (1.3 lbs/day) and a 383 kg (842.6) HCW, which were below average in the Blackmore herd. This was at a high average days on feed of 619 days. While clearly excelling in marbling ability, he lacked in growth potential. This leads into JVP Fukutsuru 068’s Breedplan EBVs. His Breedplan proof is backed by a significant amount of data including genomics, 349 progeny analyzed in 24 herds, 69 carcass progeny, and 44 scan progeny. Performing as would be expected for a high Tajima sire, he is very negative on growth and Carcass Weight EBV. On carcass traits he is +0.3 for Marble Score, 0.0 Eye Muscle Area, and +0.22 Marble Fineness. While he has high reliability on all traits, he is generally considered to have slightly higher marbling potential than his +0.3 MS EBV would suggest. This can easily be explained by simply having a smaller number of carcass in the system at only 69, compared to a sire like World K’s Michifuku
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Sire Evaluation:
JVP Fukutsuru 068 - Continued who has 367 carcass. With more data, Breedplan is able to get closer and closer to an animal’s actual genetic potential. One of Fukutsuru 068’s clear weaknesses is highlighted on his Breedplan EBVs: that is his lack of growth and low carcass weights. When utilizing him in a breeding program or evaluating pedigrees with 068 in them, this is critical data. Breeders should to be aware of weaknesses in their cattle to avoid breeding their cattle into a corner where they are sacrificing too much on growth and performance. JVP Fukutsuru should be used on females with adequate size and strength and his daughters maybe smaller framed and low growth females who require an infusion of growth for the next generation. As usual, corrective mating should be used and especially important with a sire like JVP Fukutsuru 068.
As a sire of sons, JVP Fukutsuru 068 has seen much success. Some of his popular sons include JVP Oliver, JVP Fukukane 402E, Bar R Ichiro 32R, Bar R Ichiro 31R, Takeda Farm Fukutsuru 004, and Blackmore Aizatsurudoi Y398. JVP Oliver is an Fukutsuru 068 son who has seen use in the USA in herds like Ultimate Kobe Beef. He is a 068 x Yasutanisakura x JVP Fukutomi 990 and can be found in many pedigrees around the USA. JVP Fukukane 402E is a Fukutsuru 068 out of original import Chisahime 662. He is one of the very few F11 affected sires to have seen substantial use in the USA and Australia with 51 progeny registered in the USA and 379 progeny registered in Australia. Bar R Ichiro 31R and Bar R Ichiro 32R are popular AI sires in the USA from the legendary Bar R Ranch breeding program of Jerry Reeves. Both have a proof on the 2017 WSU Sire Summary with 31R ranking number four for the Marbling EPD at +0.68 and 32R ranking number 25 with a +0.35 Marbling EPD. Bar R Ichiro 31R’s sire stack is 068 x Michifuku x Hirashigetayasu 001 x TF Kikuhana x JVP Yuriko. Bar R Ichiro 32R’s sire stack is 068 x Sanjirou x Michifuku x JVP 400 x JVP Chisahime. Takeda Farm Fukutsuru 004 is a sire who has seen use primarily in Australia. He is a Fukutsuru 068 x TF 146 x the Itochiyo 5 cow of Takeda Farms. He has recently had carcass data published at Mayura Station where he averaged 8.41 AUS-Meat marble score, 406 kg (893.2 LBS.) HCW, and 88 cm2 (13.1 in2) EMA at the 10th/11th rib on 31 carcasses. Another 068 son is the wellknown Blackmore Aizatsurudoi Y398, who is out of the famous Blackmore foundation cow and TF 146 daughter, Takeda Farm Aizakura U100. In the Blackmore herd, Y398 has recorded 28 of his 36 carcasses scoring a MS 9 and 20 of 36 scoring a MS 9+ (highest AUS-Meat grade
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possible). This is along with an impressive Daily Gain of 0.79 Kg (1.74 lbs.) which is higher than TF 151 at 0.76 Kg and TF 147 at 0.77 Kg in the Blackmore herd. Y398 also has had data published from Mayura Station’s 300 day fed program where he averaged an impressive 8.33 MS, 420 Kg (924 lbs.) HCW, and 97.0 cm2 (15.04 in2) EMA at the 10th/11th rib. These successful sons show the value that JVP Fukutsuru 068 can bring to his progeny, especially in the area of marbling which is the hallmark trait of Wagyu. The ability to produce successful daughters is a trait that is important to the versatility of any sire. JVP Fukutsuru 068 has a few daughters who have gone on to make quite the name for themselves in the Wagyu breed. They are Hisako, HR Koko 007, and CHR Ms Fukutsuru 107L. Hisako is a 068 daughter of World K’s Kanetani and the dam of the popular sire World K’s Michitsuru. HR Koko is a 068 daughter from the Okutani maternal line who is as successful a donor dam as you will find with 35 registered progeny in the USA and a common name in USA pedigrees. CHR Ms Fukutsuru 107L is an 068 daughter from the Yuriko maternal line who has produced breed-leading sire Michiyoshi and his full brother CHR Michiyoshi II, who sold for $30,000 to Sexing Technologies at the 2018 Mile High Wagyu Experience Sale. She also produced LMR Ms Sanjirou 601S, who is a full sister to Michiyoshi and has seen success in the Lone Mountain Ranch herd, producing 19 progeny there. When used correctly on cattle that have plenty of size and strength, Fukutsuru 068 can produce sound well rounded daughters who can be the foundation of a good breeding program. In conclusion, JVP Fukutsuru 068 is a good source of marbling genetics who will need to be protected for size and growth traits in mating decisions. He has seen success as a sire of sons in popular bulls Blackmore Aizatsurudoi Y398, Takeda Farm Fukutsuru 004, JVP Oliver, JVP Fukukane 402E, Bar R Ichiro 31R, and Bar R Ichiro 32R. His status as an F11 carrier should be taken into consideration in mating decisions along with his weaknesses on growth and carcass weight. Fukutsuru 068’s genotype for SCD and Tenderness tests are AA and 7 respectively, giving him an edge for those looking at these tests. He has also sired famous cows and donor dams in Hisako, HR Koko 007, and CHR Ms Fukutsuru 107L. While not the most well-rounded Wagyu bull, he does have his applications, and will no doubt be seen in Wagyu pedigrees for many generations to come.
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Decision Making:
Value of An Elite Female Record prices have been recorded for elite Wagyu females in both the USA and Australia over the last three years. What has led to this point can be described as a “perfect storm� due to a variety of different factors. A combination of advances in reproductive technology, increased accuracy of GEBVs, an increased emphasis on key profitability traits, more readily available semen of elite sires, a boom in industry entrants, and an everexpanding global demand for premium marbled beef were all key players in developing the market for elite Wagyu females and genetics. With advances in both conventional embryo transfer (ET) and in vitro fertilization (IVF), it is now routinely possible to produces 20 or more calves from a single donor in a year. When a single donor has the potential to produce more calves in a year, it increases their value significantly. This, coupled with an increased emphasis on selecting the top 1% of females to increase genetic progress, has driven female value up significantly for high EBV and GEBV females. To add to this yet again, GEBVs have increased the reliability of EBVs significantly due to the addition of genomic testing. When reliability increases, it allows breeders to more confidently select high potential animals to invest more time and genetic resources into a single female for producing their next generation of cattle.
Trent Bridge K0034: Sold for $200,000 in
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2019 Elite Wagyu Sale
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Decision Making: Continued
Mayura N1229: Sold for $280,000 in 2019 Elite Wagyu Sale
A larger emphasis on key profitability traits such as marble score, eye muscle area, and hot carcass weight has been a key to the increased prices for elite animals. This is opposed to previous approaches where simply having any Wagyu genetics was acceptable. Now the average fullblood Wagyu has formed a new market for what many are calling commercial fullblood Wagyu. The emphasis on key production traits along with the release of new elite and highly proven genetics such as Mayura Station’s Mayura Itoshigenami JNR and Macquarie Wagyu’s Coates Itoshigenami G113 gives breeders a source of superior genetics to pursue for improving their own Wagyu herds. The increased availability of semen from a variety of sires with superior EBVs to foundation sires gives breeders more reason to invest in premium donors. The key to producing your next great sire is in your females, as many breeders would say. Breeders who invest in premium females are then able to take advantage of the advanced IVF and ET programs of today using elite females and superior sires. This, in theory, will assist breeders to rapidly increase the genetic merit of their animals. All of this is driven either directly or indirectly by the ever-increasing global demand for premium marbled beef. High marbling is the hallmark of the Wagyu breed and continues to bring new entrants into the Wagyu industry through a shared passion for high quality beef. In a pursuit to develop their own businesses or improve upon existing ones, new breeders are seeking high genetic value females to be the foundation of their programs.
Sire Evaluation:
World Class Embryos for Sale! Sired by: Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126 (FB42657)
SYN Synergy Itomichi Hiko 35C (FB27315)
Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126 (FB42657)
This elite donor is an Itomichi 1/2 daughter from Stonyrun Shig Hikokura 15, the top selling lot from our 2018 sale at $56,000. As shown in her picture above, she brings tremendous depth, stature, and strength. A product of the leading Hikokura maternal line she has an elite sire stack of Itomichi 1/2 x Shigeshigetani x TF 151 x TF 148. Now registered in the USA, the mating sire for these embryos is Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126 (FB42657). This is a breed leading proven sire from Australia. He is one of the best all-round sires available bringing marbling, rib eye area, and carcass weight to the table. On Breedplan he is +1.5 for MS (top 1%), +2.8 EMA (top 15%), and +18 (top 35%) Carcass Wt. F126 has elite indexes of $212 SRI (top 1%), $177 FTI (top 5%), and $172 F1-TI (top 1%).
EBVs: Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126 (FB42657)
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www.synergywagyu.com Loren Ruth • 484-369-9590 • Loren@stonyrungenetics.com Mitchell Ruth • 484-369-9588 • Mitchell@stonyrunfarms.com
The International Wagyu Breeder
An Introduction to: Maternal Lines
There is an art to breeding cattle. Despite the scientific advances that have been made with EBVs, EPDs, performance tests, DNA tests, and the rise of genomics the breeder still can not control or explain everything that occurs around breeding and genetics. An example of these uncontrollable and sometimes unexplainable interactions is how particular maternal lines exhibit superior traits in an area consistently from generation to generation (and weaknesses in the same pattern). This demonstration of superior traits by certain maternal lines whether it be for marbling, milk, growth, etc. occurs despite other maternal lines having extremely similar breeding or sire stacks. Even though breeders do not fully know or understanding why these superior transmitting abilities occur, breeders have observed this in all breeds of cattle and use this knowledge in their breeding strategies. Science has provided possible explanations for this such as mitochondrial DNA inheritance only coming from the dam, cytoplasmic inheritance theories, and epigenetics triggered in utero by the dam. If you are interested in these topics please check the links/sources below. These maternal line features seek to look at the maternal lines in the Wagyu breed that have demonstrated a superior ability to transmit to the next generation, whether that be producing exceptional sires, dams, steers, or any combination of these. Then examine what specific areas/traits these maternal lines are excelling in, as well as identify any potential holes or weaknesses they may possess. These features will utilize all the tools that are available to evaluate overall and individual performance and success. References: https://www.ajas.info/upload/pdf/17_243.pdf https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030286807731 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1597588 https://epigeneticsandchromatin.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13072-016-0081-5
Aizakura
The Aizakura maternal line is a proven cow family that has produced impressive carcass results in herds around the world. This maternal line descends from the great Aino 6 cow. Successful sires from this family include TF Itohana 2, Macquarie Wagyu C1176, Blackmore Aizatzurudoi Y398, Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017, MR Broken Arrow Itomichi, Mayura L0010, and more. The Aizakura maternal line is from the Takeda Farms export group and was largely influenced by the sires Itomichi J1158 and Dai 3 Kiyohime J632. These two sires are generally characterized by excellent carcass traits and high-quality cows with good maternal traits. The original matriarch Aino 6 has produced two great granddaughters that have come to prominence in the breed. They are TF Aizakura 5/1 and Aizakura 8. These cows’ descendants have had far-reaching influences on herds around Australia and have seen extreme success in the famous Blackmore Wagyu and Macquarie Wagyu herds. The most famous sire from this maternal line is undoubtedly TF Itohana 2. He was one of five bulls included in Takeda Farms live export group in 1995, along with TF Itomichi ½, TF Kikuhana, TF Kinto, and TF Terutani. He is sired by the famous Japanese bull Itohana, a former #1 marbling sire in Japan and can be considered a product of heavy line breeding to the legendary Dai 7 Itozakura (in three of the four legs of Itohana 2’s three generation pedigree). Itohana 2’s dam is Aino 6 J674297, the matriarch of the modern Aizakura cow family, and is no doubt a driving force
Tf Itohana 2
Aizakura Maternal Line
Maternal Line Feature:
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Itomichi J1158
Dai 2 Itozakura
Tomisakae 2/1
Aino 6 J674297
Dai 3 Kiyohime
Aino 5 Aino J90200
Macquaire Wagyu C1155 in Itohana 2’s genetic superiority and ability to produce profitable carcasses and cows. TF Itohana 2 has published data in many herds around the world including Blackmore Wagyu, Lone Mountain Ranch, Sanjolincey Wagyu, and Salisbury Wagyu. In Blackmore Wagyu’s published fullblood data from 2013, Tf Itohana 2 had a limited 23 carcasses yet did well on marble score with 20 of the 23 grading AUS-MEAT 9 and 13 of 23 grading 9+. He also excelled in average daily gain at 0.79 kg/day, the highest of any sire in the progeny test! This resulted in the lowest average days on feed of any sire at 510 days. This illustrates perfectly his unique combination of growth and marbling potential. At Lone Mountain Ranch, TF Itohana 2 has averaged an impressive 28.48% IMF on 18 carcasses as of July 2018. This is only slightly behind legendary marbling sires Kitaguni Jr: 31.98% IMF, Michifuku: 30.14 % IMF and JVP Fukutsuru 068: 29.02 % IMF. According to data published by the Sanjolincey Wagyu program in the 2018 Wagyu Fullblood Sale catalog, Itohana 2 was their highest carcass value sire. On 33 carcasses he ranked number one for value ahead of TF 148, Terutani 40/1, Michifuku, and TF 151. He was the number one sire for marble score and the number two sire for carcass weight, impressive ranks in any fullblood Wagyu herd. The Salisbury Wagyu herd published their crossbred data in the 2018 Wagyu Fullblood Sale catalog also. In this data set of F1 to F8 carcasses, TF Itohana 2 ranked 10th for average daily gain and 16th for marble score. Beyond these impressive data sets Itohana 2 has elite EBVs through Australia’s Breedplan system. He boasts incredibly high reliability of 89-98% for all traits because of a large data base including 79 carcass records, 174 scan records, and 849 progeny growth records from an amazing 53 different herds. His EBVs are highlighted by a +33 Carcass Weight and +0.8 Marble Score! Once again, the calling card of the Aizakura’s is the combination of elite Marble Score and Carcass Weight. Aino 6’s great granddaughter Aizakura 8 has had far-reaching influences on herds around Australia. The TF 146 daughter of Aizakura 8, Takeda Farm Aizakura U100 has been one of the best brood cows ever in the Blackmore Wagyu herd. She produced 24 carcasses, all of which
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Macquarie Wagyu C1176’s Breedplan EBVs graded MS 9+ the highest marble score on the AUS-Meat grading system. They also averaged an impressive 96.60 cm2 (14.97 in2) EMA and Daily Gain of 0.73 Kg (1.6 lbs.). This remarkable brood cow has produced multiple successful sires in the Blackmore herd, including the well-known Blackmore Aizatzurudoi Y398 and Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017. Blackmore Aizatzurudoi Y398 is line bred to Japan’s famous “Hyogo Cow” Kikutsuru through his sire JVP Fukutsuru 068 and maternal grandsire TF 146 Kikutsurudoi. In the Blackmore herd he is regarded as creating some of their best cows with great maternal traits. He has a carcass record of 28 of the 36 carcasses recorded by him scoring a 9 MS and 20 of 36 scoring 9+ MS. This is along with an impressive Daily Gain of 0.79 Kg (1.74 lbs.) which is higher than TF 151 at 0.76 Kg and TF 147 at 0.77 Kg in the Blackmore herd! Y398 has also had some recent carcass data published from Mayura Station’s 300 day fed program where he averaged an impressive 8.33 MS, 420 Kg (924 lbs.) HCW, and 97.0 cm2 (15.04 in2) EMA. Then Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017 is an up-and-coming sire in the Blackmore herd. He is a high growth and good carcass quality sire with a sire stack of TF 147 x TF 151 x TF 146 (U100) x Aizakura 8. He is the highest Carcass Weight EBV sire in the Blackmore herd right now at +42.5 and still +0.1 MS. He is used in the Blackmore herd to increase size, robustness, constitution, fertility, and milk while maintaining marbling. Aino 6’s other great granddaughter TF Aizakura 5/1 has influenced herds around Australia and the world, too. In the Macquarie Wagyu program, the highest MS EBV sire on Breedplan at +2.8 MS is from this maternal line. He is Macquarie Wagyu C1176 and a Kitateruyasudoi 003 x TF 148 x Haruki 2 x TF Kikuhana x TF Aizakura 5/1. He is now deceased but has many other relatives including a full sister performing well in the Macquarie herd. His full sister, Macquarie Wagyu C1155, is considered one of the best cows at Macquarie because of her incredible
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Aizakura Maternal Line
Aizakura Maternal Line
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carcass results of an average 9.2 MS and 443 Kg (974.6 lbs.) HCW on five carcasses. Macquarie Wagyu F W191, the dam of C1176 and C1155 was mated to Kitateruyasudoi 003 and produced three carcasses averaging MS 9 and 418 Kg (919.6 lbs.) HCW. Macquarie Wagyu F W170 is a TF 148 full sister to Macquarie Wagyu F W191 and was also mated to Kitateruyasudoi 003. She produced three daughters who, in turn, have averaged 8.9 MS and 426 Kg (937.2 lbs.) HCW across a combined 11 carcasses. Now, these cows are producing high genomic sons and daughters in the Macquarie herd that paint a promising future for the cow family. This maternal line is no stranger to success in the sale ring, with bulls from this maternal line selling well in the 2018 and 2017 Elite Wagyu Sale in Australia. Mayura L0010, a son of Itoshigenami JNR and from the Aizakura maternal line in the Mayura Station program, sold for a then record $105,000 in 2017. The following year in 2018, Macquarie Wagyu M0549 who is a World K’s Michifuku son of Macquarie Wagyu C1155 sold for $80,000. Again, C1155 has averaged a 9.2 MS and 443 Kg HCW on five carcasses, which are breed leading results. The unique combination of high marbling and elevated carcass weights that the Aizakura’s bring to the table are what sets them apart. From original import TF Itohana 2 to high genomic sires like Mayura L0010, they have seen extreme success producing breed leading bulls. Perhaps more impressive yet are the carcass results of the cows from this family including Blackmore’s Takeda Farm Aizakura U100 and Macquaire Wagyu’s C1155. This cow family is undoubtedly the place to go if you are seeking to make strides in both Marble Score and Carcass Weight at the same time!
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Aizakura Maternal Line
Aizakura Maternal Line
TF Itohana 2 Macquarie Wagyu C1176 Blackmore Aizatsurudoi Y398 Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017 Mayura L0010 MR Broken Arrow Itomichi Macquarie Wagyu M0549
Aizakura’s 8 Pedigree Itomichi J1158
Aizakura 8 TF Aizakura 5/1 Takeda Farm Aizakura U100 Macquarie Wagyu C1155 TF Aizakura 26/2
TF Aizakura 5/1’s Pedigree
Dai 7 Itozakura
Itomichi J1158 Tomisakae 2/1
Aizakura 8
Terutani TF40
Aizakura 7
Tomisakae 2/1
TF Aizakura 5/1
Itomichi J1158
Aizakura 5 Aizakura 3
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Dai 7 Itozakura
Aizakura 3
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Aizakura Maternal Line
Unique Wagyu Content #InternationalWagyuBreeder
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July 2019 Breedblan EBVs :
Sires >75% Reliability for MS, Sorted By Self Replacing Index
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July 2019 Breedblan EBVs :
July 2019 Breedplan EBVs:
Sires >80% Reliability for MS, Sorted by MS
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Key Suzutani Chisahime Yuriko Shigehime JVP Kikuhana JVP Yasuyoshi Okutani Yamaketakafuji 3
2017 WSU Sire Summary EDPs: Maternal Lines Noted
Reg # Name Marbling EPD FB2900 Sanjiro 3 1.01 FB2101 JVP Fukutsuru-068 0.76 FB5072 Bar R Yasafuku 42K 0.68 FB6185 Bar R Ichiro 31R 0.68 FB6521 BR Itomichi 4632 0.55 FB13915 Bar R Saburo 53Y 0.54 FB8994 Bar R Itoshigenami 48U 0.51 FB9861 CHR Shigeshigetani 5 0.5 FB2501 World K's Sanjirou 0.48 FB12691 HOH Kiatani 25Y 0.46 FB9420 Michiyoshi 0.46 FB8895 Bar R Yasufuku 34T 0.44 WSRFS064 Overflow Mishashi 0.44 FB5663 Bar R Sanjirou 4P 0.43 FB1615 World K's Michifuku 0.42 FB5836 BR Michifuku 1628 0.42 FB4934 BR Kitateruyasudoi 9680 0.41 FB4954 Bar R Takasuru 1 K 0.41 FB5267 BR Kitateruyasudoi 0632 0.38 FB6135 BR Kitateruyasudoi 0615 0.38 FB6152 BR Michifuku 1604 0.38 FB5665 Bar R 12P 0.37 WSRFQ062 Kaneyama 0.36 FB14289 Bar R Itomoritaka 42Z 0.35 FB6186 Bar R Ichiro 32R 0.35 FB7713 Bar R Dbl Suzutani 50T 0.35 FB7721 Bar R Dbl Suzutani 59T 0.34 FB8177 Bar R Shigeshigetani 30T 0.34 PB10308 Dow Ranches 912 0.34 FB14364 Prescott Ranch OZO 0.33 PB13285 Dow Ranches DWA33 0.33 FB4938 BR Kitateruyasudoi 9678 0.32 FB5055 Bar R Fukutsuru 40K 0.32 FB4960 BR Fukutsuru 9670 0.31 FB5056 Bar R Sanjirou 44K 0.31 FB14074 Prescott's Y-15 0.29 FB2892 World K's Takazakura 0.27 PB15642 HOH 63Z 0.27 FB6008 CHR Hirashige 170P 0.26 FB4937 BR Kitateruyasudoi 9676 0.25 FB8376 Westholme Hirashigetayasu Z278 0.25 FB8995 Bar R Itoshigenami 49U 0.23
Acc. 0.49 0.57 0.43 0.37 0.32 0.29 0.42 0.29 0.63 0.45 0.35 0.35 0.41 0.3 0.65 0.32 0.41 0.36 0.37 0.31 0.36 0.16 0.47 0.43 0.35 0.47 0.51 0.52 0.47 0.42 0.44 0.36 0.38 0.36 0.39 0.43 0.6 0.42 0.33 0.33 0.38 0.42
REA 1.5 0.34 1.6 0.79 0.54 2.27 1.24 1.81 2.16 0.91 2.14 1.42 1.64 1.88 1.33 0.94 1.92 1.07 2.07 0.94 1.51 1.58 2.01 1.65 2.25 1.07 1.56 1.38 1.34 0.29 1.47 1.02 0.69
Acc. 0.51 0.49 0.4 0.39 0.34 0.3 0.45 0.3 0.46 0.47 0.35 0.38 0.24 0.54 0.32 0.37 0.26 0.21 0.37 0.15 0.45 0.4 0.48 0.52 0.54 0.47 0.43 0.45 0.45 0.43 0.33 0.38 0.43
Ex Fat -0.02 0.08 0 0.1 0.06 -0.06 0.08 0 -0.03 -0.02 0 -0.02 -0.03 0 0.01 0 0.02 0.01 0 0.04 -0.01 0.02 -0.02 -0.03 -0.09 0.03 -0.07 0.01 0 0 0.04 0.06 0.07
Acc. 0.32 0.18 0.17 0.18 0.14 0.13 0.24 0.14 0.29 0.26 0.15 0.16 0.16 0.3 0.05 0.12 0.09 0.05 0.14 0 0.25 0.17 0.26 0.31 0.34 0.28 0.22 0.24 0.26 0.23 0.15 0.19 0.23
HCW -25.25 -22.16 -4.87 14.79 -45.94 -28.11 12.73 -35.13 -3.76 -9.12 -22.71 -18.9 -0.51 23.96 -3.7 9.45 -3.3 -17.05 -4.45 -11.95 -28.58 23.31 42.88 25.81 53.01 45.82 -14.95 4.59 -3.28 -10.64
Acc. 0.75 0.6 0.59 0.54 0.52 0.71 0.53 0.69 0.63 0.56 0.57 0.5 0.53 0.57 0.58 0.39 0.6 0.67 0.59 0.72 0.76 0.78 0.64 0.61 0.62 0.62 0.6 0.55 0.58 0.66
Maternal Line Suzutani Foundation Sire Chisahime Yuriko Shigehime Chisahime Suzutani JVP Yasuyoshi Suzutani Suzutani Yuriko Shigehime Okutani Chisahime Foundation Sire Yuriko Chisahime Shigehime Chisahime JVP Kikuhana Shigehime Shigehime Suzutani Chisahime Chisahime Suzutani Suzutani Yuriko Purebred Yamaketakafuji 3 Purebred JVP Kikuhana Suzutani JVP Kikuhana Yuriko Yamaketakafuji 3 Foundation Sire Purebred Yuriko JVP Kikuhana Takeharu Suzutani