WagyuRanch.com

Elite Wagyu Genetics

​"Wagyu: The King of Beef!"

with the Dairy Zenkyo - Zenkyo is the all Japan show held for both dairy and beef every five years).  Due to the relationship Yukio had with the government of Kumamto, he was able to select the Red Wagyu with Kumamoto's blessing and yes Bruce was with Yukio during the selection process.
The cow that was the prefectural gem was not Akiko.  The cow was Dai 8 Marunami (mother of Tamamaru).
Since Yukio / Bruce did not have a quarantine facility to export the animals from Japan, Yukio with his prior relationship with Mannet got approval to include the Red Wagyu into Mannet's quarantine facility for a fee.  The Red's and Mannet's blacks (Takazakura / Kenhanafuji / Nakayuki / Nakagishi 5 /  Kanetani / Okahana) were all assembled together into the same quarantine.
Three Red Wagyu animals failed quarantine testing for Akabane / Ibaraki disease and quarantine was extended.  When the animals finally were allowed to leave Japan, Bruce flew with the cattle to the USA, with a refuel in Alaska into JFK.
Yukio had the brainstorm to have these animals bred to the top bulls in Japan while in quarantine (resulting in Big Al, Kaedemaru, Momigimaru, an additional female - Dai 9 Kobai x Namimaru).
Yukio then sold the cow Dai 9 Kobai to Englewood upon clearing JFK quarantine.
The two remaining red cows owned outside of this shipment - Naomi and Dai 3 Namiaki Ni + the two offspring Kaedemaru and Momigimaru made their way to Canada with the remaining red's going to Englewood (who then became Heartbrand later on).
Due to the BSE outbreak in Japan, both Naomi and Dai 3 Namiaki Ni were order destroyed by the Canadian Government for BSE testing (this order also included Rikitani herself).
Mannet also sold the rights to Kenhanafuji to a Japanese investor, Eiji Funatsuki for $150,000 cash.  
The JVP shipment followed after the second shipment of Mannet's.  
Our red's were then all sold to two astute cattlemen who we know will breed these animals true.
JVP had two Red animals in their shipment: Kunisakae and Dai 27 Homare.  As Dustin mentioned, I believe the former owner of Heartbrands cattle sold the genetics prior to being bought out.

Red Wagyu Info & Import History

The following is one of  "the old breeder's" personal accounts of the story behind the import of red wagyu or "Akaushi" to the USA from Japan.

Mannet's second shipment + the Reds.

Bruce Hemmingsen was approached by Englewood (Al & Marie Woods) in 1993 about the possibility of exporting Red Wagyu out of Japan.  Bruce approached my father Yukio (as the two had already had an established relationship with the Holstein breed of cattle) about the possibility of sourcing and exporting the Red Wagyu out of Japan.  Yukio already had a great working relationship with the prefectural government of Kumamoto in exporting over 300 head of high quality Holsteins from both the USA and Canada over a four year period (these animals were purchased by the Kumamoto Government to coincide