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Our Breeding Program
Longford has been breeding Full Blood Japanese Black Wagyu and Wagyu Infused cattle since 1995. Red Wagyu are not produced. Initially Full Blood and Pure Bred embryos and Full Blood semen were imported from Canada and the USA. This genetic material was used to establish a small Full Blood breeding herd and to commence an AI program over Longford’s established Angus herd to produce F1s.
Over succeeding years a selection of the various pools of genetic material available was acquired. At the present time, Longford carries representations of all these various bloodlines in its Full Blood herds. Currently Longford operates several different but complimentary Wagyu programs.
Full Blood Program
Longford’s Full Blood female herd was reduced during the drought. Longford in 2022 will produce over 1,700 Full Blood calves from natural mating and AI and ET programs and will join some 1,800 Full Blood females. We will also transfer approximately 200 embryos. The female herd is both naturally mated and joined by AI to sires with proven carcass data. In general the female production recently has been predominately retained whilst the male portion is mainly sold as steers as production is now almost back to normal heifers and cows will be sold as 1,700 breeding females. The steers may be exported live or sold into Australian feedlots or contract fed for carcass production. The breeding strategy is to cross the various Wagyu strains to produce an animal with at least 25% Tajima bloodline and the ability produce superior marbling with a focus on fineness, increase Eye Muscle Area to 100+ together with satisfactory growth rates and superior final carcass weights. In addition some pure Tajima line cattle are produced for bull and embryo production.
Longford also produces small quantities of bulls and embryos for sale as well as semen from sires with proven superior carcass data. This semen is available for use in both infused programs as well as production of Full Blood cattle and embryos.
H2631 BMS No. 12 - Sire: Mr Awesome
Mr Awesome D12558
H2637 BMS No. 11 - Sire: Mr Awesome
Breeding Policy
Longford is committed to the development of its Wagyu programs and to the production of quality Full Blood Wagyu cattle for the local and overseas market. We intend to cooperate with our current trading partners and other groups in an effort to produce to the highest specifications possible and to support our production with appropriate data and facilities. Ongoing utilisation of feedback data and other techniques such as genetic and IMF testing are being used in an effort to select the cattle capable of delivering consistent superior marbling and EMA scores with adequate growth rates and high final carcass weights.