The marketing of Wagyu beef is unique in its kind. Carcass sales are carried out exclusively by auction. The farmer delivers his animal to the slaughterhouse and will patiently await the grading of the carcass by qualified staff from the Japan Meat Grading Association.
The grading criteria for Wagyu beef
The carcass grade results from the complex combination of several criteria.
Wagyu beef carcasses awaiting auction
The yield of the wagyu carcass
The first, represented by the letter A, B or C, determines the yield of the carcass (meat, fat, muscle value). To determine it, a cut must be made between the 6th and 7th ribs in order to assess the thickness of meat at various points along the rib, from the base of the spine to the end of the rib, as well as the thickness of the rib cap or the proportion of the ribeye...
The letter A denotes a yield of 72% or above, B from 69% to 72%, and C below 69%. The letter evidently takes into account the conformation of the animal, the fat-to-meat balance... Next, the round (the prominent muscle of the hip or thigh) is observed, along with the reasonable balance of the front part of the animal.
But the most important consideration concerns the animal's loin (ribeye and sirloin).
The quality balance of 4 points
The number following the letter, ranging from 1 to 5, indicates the quality balance across 4 determining points:
- The marbling of the meat (5 for substantial marbling, 4 for good, 3 for average, 2 for low, 1 for poor);
- The colour and brightness of the meat (from 5 for a meat of a lovely red through to 1 for a rather pale meat);
- The firmness of the meat and its texture (from 5 for good firmness and a very fine grain to 1 for a soft meat with a coarse grain);
- The colour of the fat, its texture, its pearlescent appearance (from 5 for a very white, pearlescent fat with a low melting point, to 1 for a cream to yellow-coloured fat, fairly soft and non-melting).
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Quality is assessed between the 6th and 7th rib
With regard to marbling, the grade, or BMS (Beef Marbling Standard), is scored from 1 to 12 — 1 for a lean and lightly marbled meat, up to 12 for an ultra-marbled meat with homogeneous intramuscular fat.
An exceptional animal will therefore receive a grade of A5-BMS 12.
When the animals are slaughtered, the carcasses are placed in a cold room for 4 to 5 days, which sets the carcass and removes excess residual moisture. The carcass is then graded after an opening has been made between the 6th and 7th rib.
Auctions reserved for connoisseurs
A panel of approved and registered buyers (purchasing is not open to all — one must be capable of assessing quality and committing to a purchase) may then come to inspect the carcasses and prepare for the auction.
Most buyers then make their way to the auction floor where, for some, they remain close to the carcass to confirm their choice. The auctioneer announces the farm, the genetics, the breed type and the grade awarded to the carcass. All of this is displayed on a screen visible to everyone in the auction room. A minimum floor price is then set. The buyers, equipped with small remote controls or with their hand under the table and a finger on a button, send impulses intended to drive the bidding higher.
The competition can be fierce, and I have had the opportunity to see carcasses fly to over 4,800 yen per kg — that is, close to €40 per kg of carcass!
The wagyu auctions enchant me, as they are governed by codes, gestures and glances, the eyes of every participant fixed on a screen, disturbed only by murmurs of astonishment, satisfaction or frustration.
This auction system rewards good farmers and penalises poor ones. It is then easy to understand the attention and care devoted to rearing these exceptional animals.
At Nishikidori, we offer wagyu year-round to order through our customer service team: +33 (0)2 40 83 33 99 or contact@nishikidori.com.
