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Business View Australia - May - June 2016 105
and quite simply the word translates
into Japanese cow. It produces a
highly marbled beef sometimes
known as Kobe beef. We started
with three fullblood Wagyu heifers in
1997 and through the use of embryo
transfer and artificial insemination
we expanded our herd.
Our core business then was selling
both Wagyu and Angus bulls and
since then we have decided to go out
of the Angus business and nowwe are
a 100% fullblood Wagyu operation,
producing both black Wagyu and red
Wagyu. Red Wagyu are quite rare
in Australia. We probably have one
of the most significant red Wagyu
herds of cattle in the whole world.”
Extensive operations
There is a great demand for Wagyu
beef world-wide and therefore there
is a strong demand for Wagyu bulls.
Bald Ridge Wagyu plays a critical
role in this supply chain by providing
bulls and genetics to this market.
The company aims to produce
exceptional quality, large frame
Wagyu cattle with high marbling at
its Mudgee, New South Wales farm.
Both the bulls and females bred
at the farm are in high demand as
are the genetics that are produced
here. Genetic Edge Australia,
established in 2012, is the part
of the business that specialises in
embryo collection, embryo transfer
and artificial insemination and is an
AQIS accredited facility for export.
Rick Hunter describes the role of
his company in the beef industry,
“We are 100% full blood Wagyu
producers.
The
majority of the
bulls that we sell
go to producers
who own Angus
or other breeds
of females. They
cross them with
Wagyu bulls and
that
produces
a first cross, or
an F1 Wagyu, which is the highest
proportion of the Wagyu industry.
Currently about 80% of Wagyu beef
production in Australia is exported
and about 20% is consumed
domestically.
At present, we supply embryos for
export to USA, South Africa, New
Zealand and some Asian countries
and our immediate goal is to supply
to Canada, China and countries in
South America including Brazil and
The company
aims to produce
exceptional
quality
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