Kitaguni 7: An Essential Breeding Line In Japan
Table of Contents
* 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.
Figure 1. Kitaguni 7
Kitaguni 7 is presumed to be the cow with the most calf registrations currently in Japan.
Early Life
Kitaguni 7 was born on August 14, 1974, at the home of Toshio Ooguni in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture. Her mother, Morinaka, was a prolific and long-lived cow from the Kurahana line, a descendant of the 9th Koushin. Morinaka recorded 16 consecutive births, including her 7th birth, Kitaguni 7.
Kitaguni 7’s father, Harumi (father: 2nd Kiyoka), was a famous bull from the Kiyoka line, imported from Tottori Prefecture to Shimane Prefecture. Kitaguni 7’s third-generation ancestor, the 9th Koushin, was also a famous bull from the Kurahana line, which was in its prime in Shimane Prefecture before the Itozakura line was introduced. Kitaguni 7’s fourth-generation ancestor, Fukutoku, was a representative bull of the Fukufukuna line, known for high marbling ability.
Kitaguni 7 inherited the prolific and long-lived traits from her mother, Morinaka. Her offspring include:
- The 1st calf: Kitaguni 7-1
- The 2nd calf: Kitaguni 7-2
- The 3rd calf: Kitaguni 7-3 (Used in Okinawa and Kagoshima, died at age 15 in 1994)
- The 4th calf: Kitaguni 7-4 (Champion in Shimane Prefecture in 1981, later bred in Iwate Prefecture)
- The 5th calf: Kitaguni 7-5 (Champion in Shimane Prefecture in 1982, later used as an egg-laying cow at the livestock research station in Ibaraki Prefecture)
- The 7th calf: Kitaguni 7-7 (Bred in Fujisawa, Iwate Prefecture)
- The 8th calf: Kitaguni 7-8, which conquered the entire nation
- The 9th calf: Kitaguni 7-9, used mainly in Hokkaido
- The 10th calf: Kitaguni 7-10, her last female calf, carefully bred in Iwate Prefecture’s Chiden Town. Recently, her offspring (the 8th Kuraguni, father: Fukusho) entered testing as a potential breeding bull in Iwate Prefecture.
Kitaguni 7 was used for breeding until her 15th calf (14th calf was a miscarriage) and died on October 5, 1993, at the age of 19. All of Kitaguni 7’s offspring from 7-1 to 7-10 were from the 7th Itozakura line.
The offspring of Kitaguni 7 are considered a very rare case.
Features
Strengths: High growth rate, Strong and robust constitution, Gentle temperament, High fertility, Strong genetic influence, Slightly late-maturing with minimal decline in ability, Good fat content and meat color as a growth line
Weaknesses: Short stature, Black hair, Thick bones, Facial features, Shape of the hindquarters
Since all of Kitaguni 7’s offspring come from the 7th Itozakura line, they can be roughly divided into two groups based on whether they take after the father or the mother’s side. The ones that resemble the father, 7th Itozakura, are 7-3 and 7-9. Kitaguni 7-3 excels in growth, and Kitaguni 7-9 produces many offspring with a longer body.
On the other hand, the type resembling Kitaguni 7’s mother’s father, Harumi, is 7-8. These cows often have broad shoulders, a stocky boxy body shape, and tend to be slightly shorter in stature, which is close to the ideal traits for beef cattle. Most of the offspring have coarse black hair, which distinguishes them from cattle of the Hyogo lineage.
Even though they belong to the Itozakura line, these offspring tend not to lose much ability as they age, which is believed to be influenced by the late-maturing genes from Harumi.
Main Successor Bull Candidates
1. Kitaguni 7-8 (Livestock Improvement Association, Morioka)
Born: February 5, 1984 (Showa 59)
Kitaguni 7-8 is now on the verge of surpassing 7th Itozakura as a famous bull. It is used in all prefectures except Hyogo Prefecture, and after the death of Monjiro, Kitaguni 7-8 has become the cow that truly supports the Livestock Improvement Association. Even as of 1997, its abilities show no signs of decline, and it is a regular top finisher in competition exhibitions. In its home area of Iwate Prefecture, where many famous bulls are used, Kitaguni 7-8 consistently achieves the most stable results in competitions.
Recently, the offspring of Kitaguni 7-8 have been passing direct breeding tests in various prefectures, strengthening the possibility that Kitaguni 7-8 will be remembered as the founder of the Kitaguni line in the future.
2) Kitaguni 7-3 (From Okinawa Prefecture → Kagoshima Prefecture)
Born: April 28, 1979 (Showa 54)
Indirect test: DG 0.94 kg, loin area 47 cm², BMS 2.5
Initially, Kitaguni 7-3 was used in the Ishigaki Island area of Okinawa Prefecture. Hearing about the fame of the 7th Itozakura line, Mr. Uebetsu from Kagoshima Prefecture traded for Kitaguni 7-3 from Okinawa to Kagoshima. After that, Kitaguni 7-3 was mainly used in Kanoya City and Kimotsuki District, but straws (semen) are still being used throughout Kagoshima Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture. (Kitaguni 7-3 died in 1994.)
Compared to Kitaguni 7-8, Kitaguni 7-3 had a larger birth weight and stable growth, and it is expected to produce good meat quality. It is an excellent breeding bull that can still yield good results if vitamin deficiency and breeding are carefully managed. It is recommended to preserve the remaining female cows from Kitaguni 7-3.
3) Kitaguni 7-9 (Livestock Improvement Association of Hokkaido)
Born: January 20, 1985 (Showa 60)
Field results (average of 10 cows): loin area 45 cm², BMS 2.5, A5 grade rate 50%
Initially, Kitaguni 7-9 was used as a draft bull near Lake Toya in Hokkaido. However, around 1993, when the fame of Kitaguni 7-8 spread, Kitaguni 7-9 was promoted to a breeding bull for semen collection. Kitaguni 7-9 is still actively producing straws.
The carcass results of Kitaguni 7-9’s offspring when it was used as a draft bull were favorable. Compared to Kitaguni 7-8, Kitaguni 7-9 has the drawback of having a narrower shoulder width, but if this issue can be resolved, it is expected to perform very well in the future.
Other breeding cows (Kitaguni 7-1, 7-2, 7-4, 7-5, 7-7, and 7-10)
These six cows, following the fame of Kitaguni 7-8, have been actively involved in producing successor bulls, and it is expected that high-performance cattle will be produced in the near future.
Additionally, at the Iwate Zenkyo (National Livestock Exhibition) held in September 1997 (Heisei 9), Kitaguni 7-10’s offspring “Kurashiki” and its two calves were selected as representatives of Iwate Prefecture in the 9th category (highly registered group).
Breeding Considerations & Recommendations
1. For Kitaguni 7-8 type:
Cattle of this type have broad shoulders and hindquarters with deep bodies, but many have short stature and poor facial features. Therefore, it is recommended to improve height by breeding with bulls from the Heimo 20 line or the Yasufuku line, and to improve appearance by breeding with bulls from the Kikutsuru or Mitsufuku lines.
2. For Kitaguni 7-3 and 7-9 types:
While these types have good growth, they tend to have narrower shoulders and longer bodies. Therefore, bulls like Yasufuku or Tanifukudoi, which produce large loin areas, are ideal mating partners.
With the current popularity of cattle related to Yasufuku and Tanifukudoi, the importance of the Kitaguni 7 lineage is extremely high. Actively using it for breeding cows is considered essential for improving the breeding value in the region
Ideal Breeding Model Focusing on Bloodline Compatibility With the Kitaguni Line
- Anbidoi Line × Kedaka Line
- Anbidoi Line: Chuyufuku or Jinkofuku
- 7th Itozakura Line × Shigenami Line
- 7th Itozakura Line: Kitaguni 7-8
- 7th Itozakura Line x Kedaka Line
- Kedaka: Heimosho (Heimokatsu)
- 7th Itozakura Line x Shigeharu Line:
- Shigeharu Line: Shigeharu or Shigekatsu
- Anbidoi Line × Kikubidoi Line
- Yasufuku Line × Shigeharu Line
- Yasufuku 165-9 or Anpei
- Anyadoi Line × Kikubidoi Line
- Kikubidoi Line: Yukikuni
References
小野健一. 日本名牛百選〔改訂版〕. 肉牛新報社.
