The catalogue for the second Elite Wagyu Sale being held at 3pm on Tuesday 27th August 2019 at Hexham Mart is now available by clicking HERE. 30 lots are being put forward for sale comprising Fullblood females, bulls, embryos and semen in addition to some purebred animals. The sale is being held jointly by the WBA & Hexham & Northern Marts in the Tynedale Farmers Suite, Hexham Mart, Tyne Green, Hexham, NE46 3SG. Please note this is a sale via the internet with bidding possible either online or in person on the day. Please register in advance if bidding online. Thank you to our sponsors Carrs Billington, Davidsons Animal Feeds & Grass Science for their support. Wishing all vendors and purchasers good luck!
Wagyu Newsletter July 2019
Please click HERE for the most recent Wagyu Newsletter. Members will by now have received their subscription invoices for membership of the WBA which runs from 01.07.2019 to 30.06.2020 which includes Overseas Membership of the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA). However, AWA has in error already auto-generated its own membership invoices which has caused some confusion! AWA has, as always, moved quickly to rectify this and have sent the following NOTE to WBA Members. Please therefore disregard the AWA invoice. Thank you for your understanding.
UK WAGYU SALE (27 AUG) ON THE BACK OF GROWING DEMAND WORLDWIDE FOR WAGYU BEEF
UK Sale on the back of growing Wagyu beef demand worldwide
British Wagyu Sale, Hexham, 27 August
The UK demand for Wagyu beef continues to outstrip supply. As processors continue to decrease the maximum weight of carcase, along with possible changes to beef grading systems away from the EUROP grid, the Wagyu will be an ideal choice of bull for suckler beef production, producing a medium-sized carcase with great eating characteristics.
To that end, the British Wagyu Breeders Association will be holding its second virtual sale of Wagyu cattle, embryos and semen at Hexham Auction Mart on the 27th August at 3pm. Among the lots will be bulls offered for sale in the top 5% of the breed worldwide with exceptional breeding potential. The use of Breedplan from Australia will give extensive information on the lots offered and help assist potential purchasers with their selections.
The Australian Wagyu Association recently held its own elite sale of Wagyu cattle, embryos and semen with sales to South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and the UK. The top priced females made AUS$280,000 (£157,000) and $200,000. Excluding those two, 13 other cows averaged $42,692. 14 bulls sold to average $25,393. The top prices in the bulls were $55,000, $52,000 and $50,000.
This Elite level sale has become a global sale with international buyers and sellers playing big roles. The countries involved are USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK. The Canadian vendor, Ken Kurosawatsu produced the top priced embryos. They will be exported to Australia for use in the Hewitt Pastoral Wagyu enterprise, based in Queensland.
The top price female was a heifer from Mayura Station, Millicent, South Australia by the famous Itoshigenami Jnr, who also sired the top price bull last year. Mayura N1229 was bought by Brian Stamps, Tuttle, Oklahoma, USA. Mr Stamps bought well at the November Premium Wagyu Sale and this heifer will join his other cattle at an export centre in Victoria. He also bought the top price semen of the day at $6730 per straw (x 10) from Macquarie M0546 a high performing son of Y408.
The other high flyer was a Trent Bridge cow, PTIC to a son of Y408. Trent Bridge K0034 is just under five years and by a home bred sire in TB F0126 and has a double cross of Itoshigenami TF148. Her claim to fame is her marbling data both for marble score and marble fineness. The top female in the breed with an MS of 2.4 and MF of 0.48. Being in calf to a son of Y408 will make the calf something special. She was purchased by the under bidders of the top priced lot, Geneflow, who are new entrants in the IVF embryo industry, based at Tocumwal, on the Murray River in southern NSW. She will go into their quarantine for production of embryos. Geneflow will offer breeders and investors a chance to buy a share in the cow. Syndicate details are being prepared. Overall it was a very strong result for the Wagyu breed and values will continue to increase.
Here in the UK, demand is increasing from chefs and beef-loving consumers for high eating quality beef. With Wagyu beef steak restaurants opening in Scotland and Yorkshire, many chefs are now sourcing Wagyu beef to put on their menus as more Wagyu beef comes available from UK producers.
Wagyu bulls with high IMF (marbling) are ideal for producing high-quality, well marbled beef from both dairy and native breeds of cattle. It is said Wagyu bulls have the ability to improve the eating quality of beef produced from all breeds of cattle and with the use of IVF and embryo transplantation Fullblood herds can be established in a reasonably short time.
On the morning of the sale (27 August) there is an opportunity to visit Steve Ramshaw’s Northumbrian Wagyu farm near Hexham to look at Wagyu Fullblood, purebred and F1 production. Steve brought his Wagyu cattle from the USA over 12 years ago and has seen the demand for stock grow year-on-year. The beef produced from his herd sells for up to £125.00 per kg in local butchers.
For more information on the sale, contact Drew Patrick 07854361967 (Hexham & Northern Marts) www.hexhammart.co.uk or to visit the farm before the sale Steve Ramshaw on 07599392976.
Wagyu Sale 27 August - Schedule & Entry Forms now available
The schedule & entry forms for the second annual Wagyu Sale held in association with Hexham & Northern Marts commencing 3pm on Tues 27 August 2019 are now available. Please click HERE. Entries are open to Full Members of the WBA. Classes include Fullbloods, purebreds, embryos and semen. Entries close 5 August.
Wagyu Sale Set For 27 August
The second annual Elite Wagyu Sale will take place at Hexham on Tuesday 27th August 2019 commencing 2pm. Official Wagyu Breeders Association Sale in association with Hexham & Northern Marts. Further information including schedule and entry form available during June via the homepage News Section or through www.hexhammart.co.uk.
TRENCHMORE CHAMPION WAGYU RIB AT COUNTRYSIDE LIVE
Countryside Live again played host to the Royal Smithfield Club Wagyu Ribs competition at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate 20-21 October 2018.
Wagyu Ribs 1st-3rd
Under Judge Ben Turnbull, Head Butcher at Fodder, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Farm Shop, the Wagyu Championship went to Andrew Knowles of Trenchmore Wagyu, West Sussex with a Wagyu x Sussex steer born August 2016. With a carcase weight of 356.8kg, the Judge commented that it had ‘very good marbling without being over fat.’ Standing Reserve was Warrendale Wagyu, E Yorks with a May 2016-born Wagyu x Holstein steer with a deadweight of 393.4kg described as ‘well-butchered with a good eye muscle , good marbling and nice fat cover.’ In third place was James Allen of Riverside Wagyu, W Sussexwith a 347kg Wagyu x Angus heifer born April 2016.
Judge Ben Turnbull (R) with Paul Nicholson & Connor Gillan (Bishop Burton College)
Grateful thanks are extended to sponsors Delta Wagyu and the Wagyu Breeders Association together with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society & Royal Smithfield Club..
Countryside Live Royal Smithfield Wagyu Ribs Competition 20-21 October
Delighted to announce that we will be holding a Wagyu Ribs Competition again this year at Countryside Live, Harrogate, North Yorkshire from Saturday 20th to Sunday 21st October 2018 in association with the Royal Smithfield Club. This proved a great showcase for the breed last year when rugby star Mike Tindall assisted with the judging duties. Please click HERE for the schedule and entry forms. Closing date 5th October. Good luck!
Warrendale Wagyu Open Day 9th August
Warrendale Wagyu are holding an Open Day on Thursday 9th August 2018 by kind permission of TG & FK Stobart, Croglin High Hall, Anathwaite, Cumbria, CA4 9SQ 11am-3pm. Please click here for event flyer. All welcome but please let Natasha Bloom know in advance E: natasha@warrendalefarms.co.uk M: 07837340187
13,000GNS TOPS INAUGURAL UK WAGYU SALE
13,000GNS TOPS INAUGURAL WAGYU SALE
Hexham Auctioneer Drew Patrick opens the sale
Cow & Calf outfit makes 13,000gns
Females average £6,352
Embryos level at £868 apiece with top price of 1,200gns
The first official Collective Wagyu Sale in the UK saw a top price of 13,000gns and a good trade for live animals, semen and embryos. Hexham & Northern Marts (HNM) teamed up with the Wagyu Breeders Association (WBA) on Saturday 30th June at the Tynedale Farmers Suite, Hexham, to present one of the UK’s first ‘virtual’ sales without animals present, with purchasers able to buy either in person or online.
Heading the trade at 13,000gns for Delta Wagyu, High Warrendale Farm, Warter, York was a Buyers Choice Lot of one of three 2015-born Fullblood Warrendale Wagyu heifers sold with their Peppermill Grove-sired heifer calf at foot – with the buyer invited on-farm after the sale to make their final selection. The Australian-bred Peppermill Grove is one of only two sons available worldwide of the top-ranking Breedplan bull Mayura Itoshigenami Jnr who sired the $AUS185,000 Poll Wagyu Midnight M0775 who sold at the May 2018 Wagyu Edge Conference, Australia. Peppermill Grove has a Terminal Carcase Index of +$381 (breed average +$150) which combines Carcase Weight and Marble Score EBV. The top-priced lot went to an undisclosed buyer who bought over the internet.
Commenting on the Sale, WBA Director Steve Ramshaw said: “There was a real buzz about our first sale with a big audience both in person and online looking to get into Wagyu breeding and reap the rewards of its premium marbled meat. We are seeing a lot of new breeders wanting to capitalise on the recent growth of Wagyu with its year-on-year 50% increase in cattle numbers as well as dairy and suckler farmers looking to diversify.”
Next best at 4,200gns was the Fullblood heifer Uprising Flora from Uprising Properties Ltd, Park Farm, Ashill, Bishopsteignton, Devon which went under the hammer to new breeders Messrs M & K Chippendale, Wharton Hall, Wharton, Kirkby Stephen. Sired by Uprising Kobe Akihito and out of Tyddewi FH6996, this September-2015 born bulling heifer has strong maternal and milk traits.
Leading the bulls was the 3,500gns paid by dairy farmers Messrs DI & HGB Evans, Parc Cynog Farm, Pendine, Carmarthen for the September 2015-born Fullblood bull American Marine consigned by Earl Stonham Farms, Whissels Ground, Creeting St Mary, Suffolk. His sire is Lake Wagyu C87 and dam Oasis Senaka J62 making this young bull a strong all-rounder for growth, milk and marbling.
Embryos enjoyed a solid trade with 11 averaging £869. Leading bid was the 1,200gns paid per embryo for 4 embryos pairing Sumo Michifuku F126 (sire) with Westholme K5035 (dam). This combination gives a Marble Fineness EBV & Terminal Carcase Index (+$336) in the top 5% of the breed worldwide. Purchasers were Messrs Chippendale.
Topping the semen market, which again enjoyed a good trade, was Peppermill Grove from Delta Wagyu which realised 100gns per straw for 10 straws and was knocked down to Philip Maddocks, Chadwell Park Farm, Newport, Shropshire.
The Sale was preceded by a short conference which began with the WBA’s Richard Saunders talking about the tremendous opportunities awaiting new breeders getting into Wagyu. Steve Ramshaw of Northumbrian Wagyu then gave his experiences of breeding, feeding and finishing. This was followed by Rob Cumine explaining the philosophy behind the Natural Wagyu business he runs in West Wales with his partner Will Prichard as well as his experiences of bloodlines and Breedplan performance recording gained in Australia. Finally, Mark Boland of Paragon Vets talked about how to effectively use embryo transfer technology in Wagyu breeding.
Grateful thanks are extended to auctioneer Drew Patrick and his team at HNM, sponsors Paragon Vets, Davidsons Animal Feeds, Armstrong Watson & Intake Veterinary Services. Thanks also go to Steve Bennett of Wagyu International, one of the foremost authorities on Wagyu seedstock, for providing in-depth breeding notes within the catalogue. A charity auction of Wagyu meat kindly put up by Northumbrian Wagyu made £300 for the Air Ambulance.
Averages
4 Females £6,352
2 Bulls £2,992
11 Embryos £869
70 Semen Straws £78
Auctioneer: Hexham & Northern Marts
Catalogue Available for Hexham Wagyu Sale 30th June
The catalogue is now available for the inaugural Wagyu Sale to be held at Hexham Mart on 30th June commencing 3pm. We are delighted to offer you 50 Wagyu Fullblood, Purebreed and F1 (first cross Wagyu-sired) Lots comprising bulls, females, cows with calf at foot, semen, embryos, crossbred heifers and steers. To receive a copy of the catalogue, please call HNM on 01434-605444 or follow the link http://hexhammart.co.uk/pdf-download.php?s=d&id=195