Wagyu/Angus Beef
After years of selling our weaned calves we decided to keep them another year and sell fattened beef locally. In 2017, we acquired full blood Wagyu bulls from Tajima line to breed to our black Angus cows, an F1 cross that results in better quality beef. The Tajima is the same line known for "Kobe" beef in Japan. Below is full blood Wagyu Bull "W9" who exhibits the removed horns, slight rump, and massive shoulder.
Great Marbling and Tenderness
The Wagyu breed is a 18th century cross between English shorthorn and Japanese oxcart cattle that has been selected for marbling and taste. The breed takes 3 years or more to mature, and they seem scrawny until they do.
The higher price of Wagyu/Angus Cross is associated with the delayed maturity–often 6 months longer than the Angus. The final period is characterized by accumulating fat stores in the meat.
The Cross
Having a herd of mama cows adapted to our range is important. We kept the same black Angus herd and introduced higher quality through the bulls.
These Wagyu/Angus cross cattle are grass-fed for the first 6-8 months while on their mother’s milk, and then are put in pastures with grain supplements until they are mature. We end up with a calf that retains the hearty flavor of Angus, but also has the enhanced marbling and tenderness of Wagyu.
So, what’s all the fuss surrounding Wagyu anyway? True to its elevated status of quality and taste, Wagyu is considered a luxury meat that contains endless amounts of marbling which lend to its tenderness and flavor. With proper and humane care to the animal and cooked to perfection, these high-end characteristics give to the incomparable flavor and texture that cannot be matched by any other meat on the market.
American Wagyu–the practice in this country of breeding Wagyu to other breeds–has made beef quality affordable. Instead of $100+/lb steaks, the price is $20 to $30/lb. The annual luxury of Wagyu is now the daily luxury of American Wagyu. Okay, the quality may be less than Japanese Wagyu but still far above other breeds.
Marbling equals mouthwatering
"I love the beef. I love that it is local. I really love that they deliver a half beef right to my door. ”
Local Customer
Variety Boxes
Food and Meat Co-op
To give potential customers a taste of the Wagyu/Angus Cross beef, we offer 10-lb variety boxes containing a couple of steaks, a roast or other cuts, and ground beef.
We market our variety boxes throught the Food and Meat Coop in Ogden. They are a “farmer’s market on wheels” that finds the best deals in bulk “food and meat” and distributes them to Coop member monthly along the Wasatch Front of Utah and parts of Idaho. They have been very good to us and the ranch and we love their approach.
