Literature Review on Establishment of Japanese Black Cattle (Wagyu) and Future Prospects of Its Industry

Abstract

A term “Wagyu” can be divided into two words “Wa” and “Gyu”; “Wa” indicates Japan or Japanese culture and “Gyu” means Cattle in Japanese. Wagyu literally means “Japanese cattle.” Wagyu consist of four breeds; Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, and Japanese Polled. Today, Wagyu often referred to the Japanese Black cattle, which are known for their high marbling intramuscular fat content, because they contribute to more than 95% of the beef products in Japan. Essentially, certain cattle that fulfill requirements such as purebred, can only be labeled as Wagyu, but it is not necessary the same standard outside of Japan. This paper is a review of developmental history of the Japanese Black Cattle and their breeding methods over the past years, also discussion regarding to future prospect of their breeding technology and industry.