Aizakura Maternal Line

     The Aizakura maternal line is a proven cow family that has produced impressive carcass results in herds around the world. This maternal line descends from the great Aino 6 cow. Successful sires from this family include TF Itohana 2, Macquarie Wagyu C1176, Blackmore Aizatzurudoi Y398, Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017, MR Broken Arrow Itomichi, Mayura L0010, and more. The Aizakura maternal line is from the Takeda Farms export group and was largely influenced by the sires Itomichi J1158 and Dai 3 Kiyohime J632. These two sires are generally characterized by excellent carcass traits and high-quality cows with good maternal traits. The original matriarch Aino 6 has produced two great granddaughters that have come to prominence in the breed. They are TF Aizakura 5/1 and Aizakura 8. These cows’ descendants have had far-reaching influences on herds around Australia and have seen extreme success in the famous Blackmore Wagyu, Mayura Station, and Macquarie Wagyu herds. 

     The most famous sire from this maternal line is undoubtedly TF Itohana 2. He was one of five bulls included in Takeda Farms live export group in 1995, along with TF Itomichi ½, TF Kikuhana, TF Kinto, and TF Terutani. He is sired by the famous Japanese bull Itohana, a former #1 marbling sire in Japan and can be considered a product of heavy line breeding to the legendary Dai 7 Itozakura (in three of the four legs of Itohana 2’s three generation pedigree). Itohana 2’s dam is Aino 6 J674297, the matriarch of the modern Aizakura cow family, and is no doubt a driving force in Itohana 2’s genetic superiority and ability to produce profitable carcasses and cows. TF Itohana 2 has published data in many herds around the world including Blackmore Wagyu, Lone Mountain Ranch, Sanjolincey Wagyu, and Salisbury Wagyu.

     In Blackmore Wagyu’s published fullblood data from 2013, TF Itohana 2 had a limited 23 carcasses yet did well on marble score with 20 of the 23 grading AUS-MEAT 9 and 13 of 23 grading 9+. He also excelled in average daily gain at 0.79 kg/day, the highest of any sire in the progeny test! This resulted in the lowest average days on feed of any sire at 510 days. This illustrates perfectly his unique combination of growth and marbling potential. At Lone Mountain Ranch, TF Itohana 2 has averaged an impressive 28.48% IMF on 18 carcasses as of July 2018. This is only slightly behind legendary marbling sires Kitaguni Jr: 31.98% IMF, Michifuku: 30.14 % IMF and JVP Fukutsuru 068: 29.02 % IMF. According to data published by the Sanjolincey Wagyu program in the 2018 Wagyu Fullblood Sale catalog, Itohana 2 was their highest carcass value sire. On 33 carcasses he ranked number one for value ahead of TF 148, Terutani 40/1, Michifuku, and TF 151. He was the number one sire for marble score and the number two sire for carcass weight, impressive ranks in any fullblood Wagyu herd. The Salisbury Wagyu herd published their crossbred data in the 2018 Wagyu Fullblood Sale catalog also. In this data set of F1 to F8 carcasses, TF Itohana 2 ranked 10th for average daily gain and 16th for marble score. Beyond these impressive data sets Itohana 2 has elite EBVs through Australia’s Breedplan system. He boasts incredibly high reliability of 89-98% for all traits because of a large data base including 79 carcass records, 174 scan records, and 849 progeny growth records from an amazing 53 different herds. His EBVs are highlighted by a +33 Carcass Weight and +0.8 Marble Score! Once again, the calling card of the Aizakura’s is the combination of elite Marble Score and Carcass Weight. 

     Aino 6’s great granddaughter Aizakura 8 has had far-reaching influences on herds around Australia. The TF 146 daughter of Aizakura 8, Takeda Farm Aizakura U100 has been one of the Aizakura Maternal Line best brood cows ever in the Blackmore Wagyu herd. She produced 24 carcasses, all of which graded MS 9+ the highest marble score on the AUS-Meat grading system. They also averaged an impressive 96.60 cm2 (14.97 in2) EMA and Daily Gain of 0.73 Kg (1.6 lbs.). This remarkable brood cow has produced multiple successful sires in the Blackmore herd, including the well-known Blackmore Aizatzurudoi Y398 and Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017. Blackmore Aizatzurudoi Y398 is line bred to Japan’s famous “Hyogo Cow” Kikutsuru through his sire JVP Fukutsuru 068 and maternal grandsire TF 146 Kikutsurudoi. In the Blackmore herd he is regarded as creating some of their best cows with great maternal traits. He has a carcass record of 28 of the 36 carcasses recorded by him scoring a 9 MS and 20 of 36 scoring 9+ MS. This is along with an impressive Daily Gain of 0.79 Kg (1.74 lbs.) which is higher than TF 151 at 0.76 Kg and TF 147 at 0.77 Kg in the Blackmore herd! Y398 has also had some recent carcass data published from Mayura Station’s 300 day fed program where he averaged an impressive 8.33 MS, 420 Kg (924 lbs.) HCW, and 97.0 cm2 (15.04 in2) EMA. Then Blackmore Dai Ichi Kikuzakura H017 is an up-and-coming sire in the Blackmore herd. He is a high growth and good carcass quality sire with a sire stack of TF 147 x TF 151 x TF 146 (U100) x Aizakura 8. He is the highest Carcass Weight EBV sire in the Blackmore herd right now at +42.5 and still +0.1 MS. He is used in the Blackmore herd to increase size, robustness, constitution, fertility, and milk while maintaining marbling. 

     Aino 6’s other great granddaughter TF Aizakura 5/1 has influenced herds around Australia and the world, too. In the Macquarie Wagyu program, the highest MS EBV sire on Breedplan at +2.8 MS is from this maternal line. He is Macquarie Wagyu C1176 and a Kitateruyasudoi 003 x TF 148 x Haruki 2 x TF Kikuhana x TF Aizakura 5/1. He is now deceased but has many other relatives including a full sister performing well in the Macquarie herd. His full sister, Macquarie Wagyu C1155, is considered one of the best cows at Macquarie because of her incredible carcass results of an average 9.2 MS and 443 Kg (974.6 lbs.) HCW on five carcasses. Macquarie Wagyu F W191, the dam of C1176 and C1155 was mated to Kitateruyasudoi 003 and produced three carcasses averaging MS 9 and 418 Kg (919.6 lbs.) HCW. Macquarie Wagyu F W170 is a TF 148 full sister to Macquarie Wagyu F W191 and was also mated to Kitateruyasudoi 003. She produced three daughters who, in turn, have averaged 8.9 MS and 426 Kg (937.2 lbs.) HCW across a combined 11 carcasses. Now, these cows are producing high genomic sons and daughters in the Macquarie herd that paint a promising future for the cow family. 

      This maternal line is no stranger to success in the sale ring, with bulls from this maternal line selling well in the 2018 and 2017 Elite Wagyu Sale in Australia. Mayura L0010, a son of Itoshigenami JNR and from the Aizakura maternal line in the Mayura Station program, sold for a then record $105,000 in 2017. In the Mayura Station program, Mayura L0010’s dam Mayura H0159 has produced 3 carcasses with average MS 9.33, 1,087 lbs. HCW, and 16.34 In2 REA. This shows the Aizakura’s extreme potential even in a short 300 days on feed program. 

     The following year in the 2018 Elite Sale, Macquarie Wagyu M0549 who is a World K’s Michifuku son of Macquarie Wagyu C1155 sold for $80,000. Again, C1155 has averaged a 9.2 MS and 443 Kg HCW on five carcasses, which are breed leading results. This is Macquarie Wagyu's best cow in their own opinion. 

     The unique combination of high marbling and elevated carcass weights that the Aizakura’s bring to the table are what sets them apart. From original import TF Itohana 2 to high genomic sires like Mayura L0010, they have seen extreme success producing breed leading bulls. Perhaps more impressive yet are the carcass results of the cows from this family including Blackmore’s Takeda Farm Aizakura U100 and Macquarie Wagyu’s C1155. This cow family is undoubtedly the place to go if you are seeking to make strides in both Aizakura Maternal Line Marble Score and Carcass Weight at the same time!