NEWS

 

BEEF FROM THE AKAUSHI BREED

The Akaushi breed originates from indigenous Japanese cattle, from the sacred region of Mount Aso. It is a protected breed and considered a national treasured by Japan, particularly appreciated for the incomparable characteristics of its meat.

In 1940, the Japanese Akaushi Association was founded with the objective of collecting and processing data on this breed. This data was used by Japanese genetics masters and scientists who selected each Akaushi cow and sire for over half a century. As a result, while still in Japan, it achieved high homogeneity of carcass performance, superior to all the bovine cattle breeds in the West.

In parallel, the Kumamoto Grasslands Stockbreeding Research Institute has worked on the genetic improvement of the breed, only releasing new lineage for reproduction after being approved, on merit, by extensive and precise statistical analysis, using a sophisticated progeny testing model.

In 1994, after approximately two years of efforts to overcome legal and protest barriers, an opportunity arose through HeartBrand Beef, Inc., based on trade law between the US and Japan, of the importation of 11 specimens of the Akaushi breed to Texas, USA.

In the US, HeartBrand Beef strived to preserve the pure lineage of the Akaushi breed. Specimens were multiplied from a careful production system and improvement program. For each birth, the cows and bulls were carefully selected in order to guarantee the formation of a high performance herd. Thus, the lineage and performance of each calf born in the US is registered, being possible to trace back to even more than 30 previous generations.

Additionally, HeartBrand Beef adopts a management system for Akaushi cattle that respects the Japanese traditions from which they originated. It produces 100% natural, certified beef under quality guidelines considered to be above the USDA Prime Standard.

In 2011, after a thorough selection process, Origine Group was chosen to enter into an international contract with HeartBrand Beef for the production, industrialization and commercialization of the breed, on the condition of exclusive multiplier of this animal’s genetics for the global market, via implementation of a “Sustainable Akaushi Beef Model”
in Brazil, based on the insemination of cows of selected NeloreZebu cattle.For nearly 20 years, Brazil prohibited the importation of animals from the U.S., but finally in 2016,  the founding president of Origine Group managed to introduce pure-blooded Akaushi animals (PO) to the country.

Akaushi stands out for the benefits that the meat can provide to human health. The high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), especially oleic acid (Omega 9), component of intramuscular fat, makes its consumption highly favorable to reduce heart risk, preventing high blood pressure, as well as diminished memory loss. Also present in Akaushi meat is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which contributes to the retardation of the growth of some types of cancerous tumors, to control the insulin level and reduce risk of diabetes and weight increase.

As observed in the table and graphics below, Akaushi beef is healthier compared to other types of meat due to the higher concentration of monounsaturated fat (MUFA) in relation to saturated fat (SFA); its oleic acid composition is unique and cholesterol levels lower.Decrease in bad (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood is due to the Akaushi breed’s capacity to accumulate more monounsaturated fat in relation to saturated fat.

Another meat parameter in which Akaushi stands out in the Prime beef market is its naturally intense marbling, i.e., the quantity of intramuscular fat, which give the meat greater tenderness and juiciness. Tenderness is correlated to the breed, feeding and age at slaughter. Akaushi beef’s marbling is above the USDA standard, which makes it more appreciated in global markets.

In regard to environmental conditions, we point out that the Akaushi breed is highly adaptable and resistant, thanks to its rusticity. In Japan, it lives in mountainous regions, with annual temperature varying between a low of 5oC in winter to a maximum 34oC in summer. Rain averages are around 1,500 mm and soil is made of up of volcanic ash and pumice, which does not retain moisture.

Here in the tropics, cattle face climactic stress, disease, parasites and other endemic elements of the natural habitat. Nevertheless, monitoring experiments conducted until today, which have already totaled around 100 partnerships and the herd F1 formation of around 23,000 animals has allowed to record the high adaptability of heterosis to the environmental conditions of the region, where the project is under development considering its functional and production efficiency.

It is well known that genetics should be matched to the production resources, environmental factors and consumer demands to produce cattle in a profitable manner.
This systematic breeding of breeds that complement each other, such as Akaushi with Nelore, has provided the manifestation of joint economically important characteristics, such as rusticity, adaptability, functional efficiency, production and meat quality (high marbling). Around 75% of the Akaushi’s characteristics are transfered to F1, thanks to the genetic predominance of the breed.

Therefore, the choice of Akaushi, which has exceptional animal husbandry performance in regard to reaching weight and adaptability, is a determining factor to the formation of a tropical herd that produces tastier, healthier, safer meat and which propitiates profits to all involved in the production chain.