Dawson County rancher sees benefits in raising Wagyu beef

While Angus beef has reigned supreme in Montana and the United States for about as long as cattle ranching in the U.S. has existed, Wagyu beef has been gaining in popularity for several years and could become a much bigger player in the market before too long. Originating from Japan, Wagyu beef was first brought to the U.S. in 1976 and has been steadily growing since.

Wagyu has even made its way into Dawson County, with a few producers adding it to their herds.

Area rancher Kelsey Crawford's family is one such group, as she, her father and her uncle all breed and raise Wagyu cattle. She herself has been doing it the least amount of time among the three of them, but still has roughly a decade of experience working with Wagyu.

So far, Crawford said the Wagyu they raise they keep for themselves while they continue sending Angus cows to market, but just with the cattle they have, she says she can see the benefits of it. Her family butchered a Wagyu cow this year and she noted the end result is something special.

"We keep ours, we don't send them to market. It's nice to have something good to eat for ourselves," she said. "It's beautiful, the marbling, it's almost all white. The one we did this year was just beautiful."

Among the characteristics that have made Wagyu so popular are its noted unique taste, high marbling content, tenderness and it generally being considered healthier than Angus beef. Wagyu meat is higher in mono-saturated fats and contain various amino acids that have been linked to decreased risks of cardiovascular disease and other conditions.

Crawford noted that while there aren't many differences between raising Wagyu versus Angus, there are still a few significant ones. It is a much slower process. Based on her own experience, she said it can takes years from the beginning of the breeding process before a Wagyu is slaughtered and butchered.

It can be a more expensive process as well, however. In general, the cows themselves are more expensive than Angus and they have a longer feed time, roughly three years compared to 18 months for regular cattle, so the cost to feed them is double.

These additional expenses mean that consumers are paying more for Wagyu as well, so it's unlikely to become the main meat on the market just yet. However, Crawford said she can see its popularity continuing to climb, especially in an age where everybody is more mindful of their food.

"I can see it catching on. People these days in general are being more conscience about where their meat comes from. It may cost more, but it's also local and a lot of people are willing to pay that extra price to support local," she said.

Outside of the U.S., Wagyu is growing in popularity all over the world as well.

According to MarketWatch, the global Wagyu market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 6.15% between 2021 and 2025, with an estimated revenue of $2.43 million.

Reach Hunter Herbaugh at [email protected].