Marbling Highest Grade Wagyu Beef

Learn more about the four breeds of wagyu cattle.

Marbling highest grade wagyu beef.

Due to the abnormally high level of marbling that exists in this beef breed it often exceeds the top usda grade prime and therefore it is difficult to grade those high end carcasses. Wagyu cattle are a breed of cattle that are genetically predisposed to have higher marbling levels than any other breed of cattle. The japanese meat grading association jmga goes into way more depth with wagyu grading the beef s yield and ranking quality based on fat marbling color brightness firmness texture and. The australian wagyu grading scores are identical to the japanese bms scale meaning an australian wagyu bms 5 is the same as a japanese wagyu bms 5.

Wagyu beef is generally regarded as the highest grade due to its extreme levels of marbling. A key way to classify beef is by the high degree of marbling or fat running through the cut of meat as a result of its diet. The japanese use a system called bms or beef marbling standard 牛脂肪交雑基準 to rate the degree of marbling of beef. These qualities are largely due to high marbling content.

Wagyu grading is similar in that the jmga gives a score for wagyu beef based on its fat color meat color rib eye shape size of ribeye area and imf which refers to its marbling. Beef grading fact sheet pdf courtesy of the amercian meat science association. The price of highly marbled cuts like usda prime kobe or wagyu beef. The other thing that keeps wagyu so expensive is japan s strict grading system for beef.

Prime prime is the highest grade of us beef. Specific feeding and raising practices are required to cultivate the marbling of wagyu. The scale ranges from 0 to 12 with 12 being the highest grade achievable. The japanese beef grading system gives wagyu beef a grade from 1 to 5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest.

Angus beef which is the most predominant beef in america averages a bms of 2 but reaches a maximum bms of 5. This scale goes from 0 no marbling to 9 extraordinary amounts of marbling the latter one being the highest grade. The united states department of agriculture usda classifies beef as prime choice select or a lower grade. Grass fed beef will grade choice at best very little of it may grade prime wagyu cattle averages bms 4 6 but depending on genetics.

The fundamentals involved in applying quality grades are learning the degrees of marbling in order from lowest to highest and minimum marbling degrees for each maturity group and understanding the relationship between marbling and maturity in each quality grade. Step wise procedure for quality grading beef carcasses. For example grass fed beef typically has lower levels of marbling than corn fed meat so it is often graded lower despite many people preferring the taste.