is black-haired wagyū

Wagyu

refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. The meat from wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness...

(Japanese beef

Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...

), aka "Kuroge Washu" or "Japanese Black", originating in the Matsusaka

Matsusaka, Mie

, sometimes called Matsuzaka, is a city located in central Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan. The city is famous for its beef.-Founding:...

 region of Mie

Mie Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. It is one of the most famous beef types within Japan and internationally, with a high fat-to-meat ratio. Within Japan, Matsusaka beef is generally considered one of the three top brands (known as "Sandai Wagyuu", "the three big beefs"), along with Kobe beef

Kobe beef

refers to cuts of beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyū cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The meat is generally considered to be a delicacy, renowned for its flavour, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak,...

 and Ōmi beef or Yonezawa beef

Yonezawa beef

is wagyū originating in the Yonezawa region of Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Within Japan, Yonezawa is considered one of the generally recognized three most famous beef brands in Japan, along with Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef.-External links:*...

.

Original Matsusaka beef

• Marbling ratio (level of 12 stages), called BMS, of all levels.
• Meat Quality Score (Score of 5 stages) of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Breeding

Matsusaka beef is produced from Tajima-ushi heifers

Tajima cattle

is one of the types of black Wagyū cattle in Japan. Many tajima cattle are born in Hyōgo Prefecture and raised as stock for famous beef such as Kobe beef and Matsuzaka beef.Tajima cattle has been fed from old times in Tajima Province...

 chiefly born in Hyōgo Prefecture

Hyogo Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...

. They are raised in the quiet, serene area surrounding Matsusaka between the Kumozu River to the north and Miyagawa River to the south. Only female wagyu are raised in Matsusaka, where they are fed plenty of fodder, as well as tofu lees

Okara (food)

Okara or Soy Pulp is a white or yellowish pulp consisting of insoluble parts of the soybean which remain in the filter sack when pureed soybeans are filtered in the production of soy milk...

 and ground wheat. When they have no appetite, they are fed beer to stimulate their eating, and receive regular massages. Soothing music is played to the cattle to "calm" them and promote better quality beef.

Further reading

• Stephanie Strom. "In Japan, A Steak Secret To Rival Kobe". The New York Times
  The New York Times
  The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
  
  , July 18, 2001. Accessed 16 June 2008.