The Misty Lane Cattle Company has a foundational herd of fullblood black Wagyu cattle from the finest genetic stock. The word Wagyu refers to all Japanese cattle as Wa means Japanese and gyu means cattle. The history of fullblood Wagyu cattle in the United States is an interesting story that only began in 1976 with the importation of two Tottori Black Wagyu bulls and two Kumamoto Red Wagyu bulls.
Wagyu cattle were derived from native Asian cattle, which were crossed with British and European breeds in the late 1800s. Although the breed was closed to outside bloodlines in 1910, regional isolation has produced a number of different lines with varying conformations. The health benefits of Wagyu cattle have been extensively studied in both Japan and the United States. This research has shown that Wagyu beef has about a 2:1 ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acids compared to British cattle with a ratio of about 1:1. Other studies have shown that a higher percentage of monounsaturated fatty acid in the diet is associated with lower cardio vascular disease. Thus, Wagyu beef is not only rich in taste and tenderness, but is also perfectly suited for a part of a well balanced diet.
