Elite beef finally on Namibian shelves

THE Namibian Wagyu beef society says sought-after Wagyu beef has become available in retail stores in Namibia.

This was said in a press release issued by the Namibian Wagyu Society (NWS) on Tuesday.

According to the NWS, Wagyu meat is a prized international beef product originating from the Japanese Wagyu cattle breed, which has a genetic predisposition for high levels of intramuscular fat, known as marbling.

“Wagyu beef also has a distinctive taste often described as ‘beefy’, ‘salty’, ‘buttery’ and/or ‘nutty’, which gives it an excellent experience in taste, juiciness and flavour,” the society says.

The NWS also stated that with a new industry demanding a premium price for its products, opportunists will enter the market.

For livestock producers to start breeding the premium-price beef cattle, they have to register as Wagyu breeders with the NWS as well as the Namibian Stud Breeders Association (NSBA).

The first condition is that breeders and sellers of Wagyu cattle must be registered as Wagyu breeders with the NWS as well as the NSBA.

Proof of registration must be provided with every Wagyu animal presented for sale and each animal should have its own registration tag that must correspond with its documentation, the society noted.

“Both the NWS and NSBA should be notified of changes in ownership or location of Wagyu animals. Should animals be sold to breeders who are not registered, the animal loses its registration and cannot be sold or bred as Wagyu, unless the new breeder becomes a member and complies with the constitution and protocols of the NWS,” the statement read.

The society also mentioned that it is implementing and testing a series of protocols to ensure quality, integrity and traceability within the Wagyu value chain.

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