NEW BRITISH WAGYU ASSURANCE SCHEME LAUNCHED
New British Wagyu assured logo
A new British Wagyu Assurance Scheme - due to start from 1st July 2020 - has been established by the Wagyu Breeders Association (WBA). With a branded tissue punch ear tag and sire verification at its core, the novel scheme unites all parts of the supply chain in assuring the integrity of the British Wagyu brand.
All rearers, growers, finishers, processors and retailers will benefit from membership of the scheme as consumer demand for premium British Wagyu-assured beef grows – backed up by the distinctive new logo on packaging. It will be financed through agreements with the WBA’s major tag and DNA partners, from logo royalties alongside membership fees.
WBA Director, Chris Dickinson, North Netherscales Farm, Skelton, Penrith says: “This is a hugely exciting time for the premium end of the beef industry with customers demanding not only superior eating quality but also animals that are fully traceable and reared to the highest welfare standards. The new British Wagyu assurance scheme puts out a very strong marker.”
The principles of the scheme are:
All animals sire verified to a registered Fullblood Wagyu bull
Dams either dairy-bred or native breeds
All animals born in the United Kingdom
All animals tagged with British Wagyu-branded DNA tissue-punch tag
All animals DNA sire verified
All animals BVD tested negative
All animals whole-life Red Tractor assured
Minimum age at slaughter 24 months; no maximum age
No bull beef
The scheme will:
·Lead the industry in terms of traceability, animal welfare and consumer trust
Enhance the integrity and value of premium Wagyu beef
Be at the forefront of data collection for meat quality, performance efficiency and climate change
Increase the profile and demand for British Wagyu
The new Caisley British Wagyu branded tissue punch ear tag
Integral to the success of the scheme are data collection and analysis which will underpin the financial return on investment. With a world-leading partner in place to carry out DNA and genomic testing, and with access to carcase and performance data linking back to all sires, the whole supply chain will quickly have at their fingertips a valuable marketing and breeding tool to maximise efficiency and profitability as well as ticking wider environmental boxes. From the outset, these will include standard carcase information such as days to slaughter, DLWG, carcase weight, killing-out %, and over time will expand to key economic traits like retail yield and feed efficiency. In the short term, important management factors such as calving ease, birthweight, gestation length and (semen) fertility can be incorporated with the longer-term ambition being to add marbling (marble score and fineness), tenderness and taste into the equation.
Please visit the BRITISH WAGYU ASSURED tab for full scheme rules and how to order the various Caisley tag combos