Wagyu Elite Sale 29 October - Focus on UK Breeder Philip Maddocks
Looking ahead to the next AWA Elite Wagyu Sale being held online on 29 October 2020, we focus on one of the prominent buyers at the last sale at the end of April, UK breeder Philip Maddocks. This article is courtesy of the August 2020 Australian Wagyu Update where it first appeared.
Philip Maddocks pictured with his father David
As with other prominent international buyers, Philip Maddocks shares the understanding that quality Wagyu needs marketing and education in order for European Wagyu beef producers to realise true reward given many British consumers are more likely to be deterred by the appearance of the higher marbling.
A third-generation farmer from the North-West Midlands, Philip’s grandfather and later his father were well-respected breeders of British Friesian and Holstein cattle – gaining reputation throughout the UK and the Continent under the Wyndford Herd brand.
However, Philip and his brother chose not to follow that path and Philip established a salad leaf business, a success in its own right.
With the dispersal of his father’s herd of 500 cattle in 2017, Philip knew that his father would miss the world of cattle, so searched for an alternative – and found Wagyu.
“The original plan was to have 10 animals and keep them in a field, but my father’s interest in genetics was piqued with Wagyu, to learn more about pedigrees and bloodlines. A meeting with a US breeder at a Wagyu sale in Germany ended up with a purchase of embryos using Holstein as recipients – we had to buy more Holsteins,” said Mr Maddocks.
The principal focus for Mr Maddocks is to establish a Fullblood Wagyu pedigree herd, to sell genetics, but he appreciates that producing beef will be the ‘proof in the pudding’ on the quality of those breeding decisions.
To date, he has purchased genetics from the US and Australia and owns cows in the US for the purpose of flushing, but acknowledges it is early days yet. Currently, there are 100 Fullblood Wagyu cattle on the farm.
For Mr Maddocks, the Australian Elite Wagyu Sale and AWA BREEDPLAN gave someone with very little knowledge or history with Wagyu a window to what is available and a starting point for quality genomics.
“The British Wagyu Breeders Association is still in its relative infancy, but as a UK member we are automatically members of Australia given the reciprocal arrangement that the WBA has with the AWA. Most of us understand that genetics are not the full story; phenotypes are part of it.
“Germany and the US tend to focus on SCD scores, but I aim to gain more balance across the animals rather than just focus on one trait. Nutrition will be the other consideration – what works in Japan and Australia may not be the perfect blend here in our colder winters. Time will tell once we finish some cattle.
“Establishing the brand is the other consideration. We will go under the Wyndford Wagyu brand for beef and genetics as it will strengthen our recognition and reputation, and educate consumers on what Fullblood Wagyu is, compared to some of the cheaper beef on the market that may have false claims about Wagyu content.”
Ultimately, Mr Maddocks aims to sell Wagyu genetics throughout Europe and the Middle East.
Now with two sales per year, AWA’s next Elite Wagyu Sale will be held online on 29 October 2020. The most recent sale held on 30 April 2020 performed strongly with 63 of the 96 lots sold to a total gross of AUS$1.31 Million. Vendors and bidders participated from around the world with 146 bidders from 11 countries registered for the online auction with 10 of the 20 female lots sold overseas to a top of AUS$105,000 to US breeder Jeremy Freer of Double 8 Cattle Company. Two polled Wagyu purebred heifers sold to a Swiss buyer for AUS$65k & 62k who purchased a further 6 lots. Overall, 6 lots went to the UK and a further 6 to the USA. Look out in due course for catalogue on www.wagyu.org.au.