4 Diamond Ranch sells American Wagyu that is grass-fed and grass-finished on Montana pasture. There’s a lot of confusion about what Wagyu is, what grass-finished means, and what we’re doing here at 4 Diamond Ranch. So let’s get into it, straight from our ranch manager, Jim Willis, who’s spent over a decade building this program from the ground up.
What is Wagyu?
When most people hear “Wagyu,” they picture a $200 steak at a Japanese restaurant, almost translucent with fat, so rich it’s more of an experience than a meal. In fact, Wagyu translates to “Japanese cow," and there are several breeds of Wagyu recognized in Japan.
When Wagyu cattle were introduced to countries like the US and Australia, they carried the “Wagyu” label but were largely derived from one breed: the Japanese Black (Kuroge Washu). In the US, for beef to be labelled “Wagyu,” it needs to come from animals with 50% or more Wagyu genetics. This standard was set by the USDA and supported by the American Wagyu Association. Most of the Wagyu beef sold in this country comes from these crossbred animals, commonly an Angus and Wagyu cross, often marketed as American Wagyu.
This crossbreeding is done for various herd management reasons, including taking advantage of the slightly increased growth rate and strong finishing ability associated with the Angus breed. In our case, we aim to provide grass-finished beef with a totally unique flavor profile and elevated eating experience. By crossing Wagyu genetics with our herd and grass finishing the cattle, we’ve spent over a decade developing a product that does exactly that.