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Feed Efficiency Test Opportunity

  • Feed remains a critical component in the production costs of your Wagyu enterprise.
  • The Breed Improvement Committee recognises this and has set as an objective to have feed efficiency included as an EBV and yet to be developed Selection Index.
  • The Sernick test facility is fully booked until the end of the year. The ZimMeyer facility outside Lindley has implemented a state of the art Growsafe facility.
  • The facility can accommodate 48 bulls from the 10th May and another the 29th

Requirements

  • Animals should be between 210-700 days of age when entering the test.
  • Animals MUST be in a contemporary group i.e. it is recommended to have a minimum of five progeny per sire in a group, and at least two sires represented in each group. The group must be born within a 60 day period.
  • The test is run over a 90 day period and
  • Groups will be penned together at the station.

Cost

A standard feedlot diet will be used. The cost will be the feed cost and a R1000 management fee.

Please let myself or Elandri know if you are keen to participate in the test.

Wagyu staff back in the old office

After a year of working from home, the staff have moved back into the original office in Bloemfontein.

A reminder that all DNA hair and Tissue samples to be sent to:  PostNet Suite 12, Private Bag X7003, Langenhoven Park, 9301.

We are ever mindful that we have a huge responsibility to our members to keep proper record of: your membership, animal and performance details. The DNA databank has grown significantly over the past two years and we know store over 20 000 DNA samples.

The difference between a Stud/Seedstock & CWB/slaughter register?

The Society conducts its business as all other Societies in South Africa. Animals are recorded in the Stud Registry; producers pay a joining fee and an annual fee and a fee per cow. Each animal in this registry receives a Certificate that is available on request from the office. The grading up system for heifers is well known and starts with a F1 cross, F2, F3, Purebred and Fullblood. This is known as a Stud Registry, and is similar to all other breed registries in South Africa, except that the Society runs a cross-bred genetic evaluation to accommodate Akaushi and Japanese black. The Certified Wagyu Beef slaughter registry is different and only records slaughter cattle (mainly oxen). Its fee structure is also completely different to the WSA registry and includes a fee for DNA testing, use of the camera etc. Though you may wish to record your commercial female animals in this registry, it does not keep record of F1, F2 and F3 animals and does not have a grading up system in place.

CPG CWB farm and value chain audits

In my view it’s to ensure that the consumer is assured that the product being consumed is authentic, has a quality standard and the integrity of product is unquestionable. To be successful as producers we need to ensure that this high value product meets certain standards. Through CWB, we can make the following claims: The product is Wagyu (as per the breed definition), the animals are ethically and humanely treated as per ISO 22 000, and that the consumers are assured that every sector of the value chain is certified to produce a product that meets the highest of eating quality expectations. We acknowledge that the Certification process is onerous to the value chain but it is only through this effort that CWB is allowed to officially make the claim: “Experience Authentic, Juicy and Tender South African Certified Wagyu Beef”. We are only allowed to make this claim because we could produce evidence, in conjunction with the Meat Science department of the University of the Free State, that produced the scientific evidence.

According to our certification rules, the requirements for CWB are that the carcass has a minimum marble Score of 4 for export, a marbling score of 3 for primal in South Africa and a marble score of 1 and-2 to be graded as ground (for example hamburger) beef. All Wagyu beef is hormone free and males are castrated prior to 5 months of age. The authenticity of the program is further reinforced in that all product in South Africa is objectively graded using carcass cameras at all points of slaughter.

We have also contracted CPG (Thea Laufs) to conduct our audits. We have taken the lead to implement a program that is cost effective but will ensure integrity in the supply chain. The audit for example requires that the value chain is audited at pre-defined frequencies. The producer audit ensures that amongst others animals are tagged, a DNA sample is collected and that parentage, to Sire is verified. Animal movements are tracked throughout the value chain to ensure traceability.

If you suspect somebody is selling Wagyu, without a protocol such as CWB, you are welcome to phone the hotline number 064 787 6264.

Francois Loods (CWB Chairman)