Menu
* Note: This is not a direct translation of Kenichi Ono’s “Top 100 Famous Beef of Japan [Revised Edition]” but a summary that was written using it as a direct source.
There is a strong sense that, nationwide, the mainstream Hyogo-lineage sires are transitioning from the Tani-Ina-Kami-Ijo line to the Yasufuku line. As direct descendants of Yasufuku, sires like Kaku-Hen (father: Yasufuku 18509, stationed in Aomori), Yasufuku 6-3 (father: Yasufuku 1, stationed in Hokkaido), Hirojun (father: Yasufuku 165-9, stationed in Akita), and Yasufuku Sakura (father: Yasufuku 1, active in western Japan) are active in eastern Japan. Meanwhile, others, such as Yasufuku 2-9, Yasufuku 57, and Haba 2 (father: Yasufuku 1, stationed in Yamaguchi), as well as Yasufuku 165-10 and Yasufuku 165-8 (father: Yasufuku 1, stationed in Nagasaki), are also contributing. (However, performance varies depending on the bull.)
Additionally, in Miyagi Prefecture, second-generation bulls related to Yasufuku are starting to be utilized, such as Miyafuku Shige (father: Shige Namihashi, stationed in Miyagi). In Miyazaki Prefecture, bulls such as Anpei (father: Yasufuku, Miyazaki), Fukuzakura (father: Takasakura), Kikuhira Fuku (father: Kikuan, Miyazaki), and Itohira Fuku (father: Itofuku, Oita) are active.
Amid these circumstances, one bull that has rapidly gained nationwide popularity, securing its place as a renowned sire within the past year, is Fukusakae, bred by the Livestock Improvement Association.
Figure 1. Fukusakae
Fukusakae was born on August 3, 1993, at the home of Ms. Reiko Tanaka in Kawahara Town, Tottori Prefecture. His father is Yasufuku, a legendary sire crowned Japan’s top bull at the end of the Showa era, and his mother, Rumi, is a cow of the Kikubi lineage from Hyogo Prefecture. Fukusakae was bred through backcrossing of the Yasutani and Yasumi-Doi lines, with his third-generation ancestor being Yasutani Doi and his fourth-generation ancestor Yashige Doi.
In the Chugoku region, there are several farms, such as Mr. Katsube’s and Mr. Mukinoki’s, in addition to Ms. Tanaka’s, which primarily focus on producing and training sires. Among these, Tanaka Farm has been nationally recognized since the Heisei era for producing outstanding sires.
Fukusakae, along with his half-brothers Fukuan (father: Yasufuku) and Anjiro (father: Monjiro), was purchased by the Livestock Improvement Association in March 1994 for indirect evaluation testing. The evaluation, which concluded in July 1996, showed excellent results for all three bulls bred by Ms. Tanaka (see Appendix 4). Unfortunately, Fukuan was culled due to poor semen quality. However, Fukusakae and Anjiro have since been utilized for both Wagyu and crossbreeding purposes across Japan.
Fukusakae was purchased by the Livestock Improvement Association shortly after Yasufuku 165-9 became famous. As a result, even before the evaluation results were finalized, he was widely used by F1 breeders. This early usage allowed him to achieve field performance about two years earlier than his peer Fukutani Fuku, enabling him to join the ranks of renowned sires.
Semen collection has been progressing smoothly, and as of 1999, Fukusakae is producing the standard number of straws for sires used by the Livestock Improvement Association. There are high hopes that he will achieve success comparable to Yasufuku 165-9 in the future.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Fukusakae, as a Hyogo-lineage bull, demonstrates decent growth and excellent physical conformation, with an extremely low rate of deformities. Additionally, studies have revealed that the vitality of its straws is outstanding, with sperm showing significant longevity.
Fukusakae was the first case in Japan of a purebred Hyogo-line Yasufuku progeny being utilized nationwide. Initially, when used for Japanese Black cattle, concerns were raised about poor growth rates and weak constitution. Although some of these concerns were observed in a portion of Fukuan’s progeny during the same period, such issues have rarely been reported for Fukusakae’s offspring. However, recent rumors circulating online about Yasufuku’s genetic disorders (e.g., CL16) are cause for concern. Going forward, it is critical for breeders to minimize risks by avoiding close inbreeding involving Yasufuku, Yasuhira, and Yasutani Doi lines, as this will contribute to the stable management of breeding operations.
Fukusakae’s paternal grandsire was Yasukata Doi, born in 1980, one of Japan’s renowned bulls from the 1980s. Contemporary bulls like Kikumi (Iwate), Kaneyama (Fukushima), Second Yasutani Kami, and Yasuyuki Doi (Hyogo) were also active during that era, but none matched the balance of growth and meat quality demonstrated by Yasukata. Thanks to bulls like Yasufuku, countless Wagyu producers have seen their livelihoods transformed (e.g., Anpei, Yasufuku 165-9, Anjo Haru, Hida Hakusei).
On the maternal side, Fukusakae’s dam, Harumi, hails from Mikata Town in Hyogo Prefecture and is a progeny of Kikuteru Doi. Fukusakae was born as Harumi’s first calf. Kikuteru Doi, a representative of the Kikumi lineage, is known for producing long-lived, prolific breeding cows with exceptional refinement.
1. Kofukusakae (Livestock Improvement Association, Morioka)
Fukusakae has already begun producing successors from an early stage, with Kofukusakae being among the first to be utilized. Other bulls, such as Fukusakae 2 (Yamaguchi), Kitafukusakae (Hokkaido), and Kikuman Doi (Kagoshima, sire: Mitsuwadoi), are also currently in use.
1. Ideal Crosses:
Based on indirect evaluation results, mating with bulls from the 7th Itosakura line and the 20th Hirashige line is recommended for balancing growth and meat quality. Progeny from Hokkoku 8 or Hirashigekatsu cows are expected to deliver stable results in the near term.
2. Avoiding Genetic Disorders and Growth Decline:
To prevent genetic disorders and reduced growth rates, breeders are strongly advised to avoid inbreeding involving high inbreeding coefficients with Yasutani Doi, Yasufuku Ito, or Yasuhira lines, including backcrossing. Some regions, such as Gifu Prefecture, are already conducting genetic screening for carriers and non-carriers.
3. Retention of Fukusakae Heifers:
In regions where breeding values for meat quality are stagnating, it may be beneficial to retain Fukusakae’s heifers. Without this, there is a risk of wasting valuable resources that could contribute to finishing cattle production. This suggestion is made with the aim of preserving genetic diversity.
小野健一. 続 ⦁ 日本名牛百選. 肉牛新報社.
©Wagyu Evolution, 2023
All Rights Reserved