The Chiyotake maternal line has seen success around the globe but is especially prominent and influential in the Australian Wagyu herd. The line was imported by Shogo Takeda along with other popular maternal lines such as the Hikokura, Kinu, Kensei, Tetufuku, and Aizakura lines. The Chiyotakes all trace back to the original Chiyotake cow and two of her daughters, Chiyotake 3 (FB459 or PEDFA459) and Chiyotake 5 (FB460 or PEDFA460). Descendants from these cows are experiencing success in herds around the globe such as Blackmore Wagyu, Sumo Wagyu, Macquarie Wagyu, Mayura Station, Lake Wagyu, Joseph Decuis Wagyu, and Marble Ranch, to name a few. Popular sires from this line include the legendary Macquarie Wagyu Y408, Blackmore Dai Ichi Yasuchiyo G615, Blackmore Chiyofuku K733, Mayura Admiral A0113, Sumo Itoshigenami X0081, Kimifuku TF 726, Lake Wagyu C087, and the popular high genomic sire Macquarie Prelude M0495. These sires excel in a variety of areas from carcass traits such as Marble Score (MS), Rib Eye Area (REA), and Marble Fineness (MF), to growth and maternal traits. This balance of traits is a major contributor to the overall success and popularity of these sires. Thanks to the Takeda export, we now regularly see the Chiyotake name in leading Wagyu pedigrees and breeding programs throughout the world.
The original Chiyotake cow had two daughters, Chiyotake 3 and Chiyotake 5. In turn, these two cows each produced a daughter sired by the original Itomichi, Chiyotake 8 and Chiyotake 9. Chiyotake 8 and Chiyotake 9 have gone on to be two of the most influential cows from the Chiyotake maternal line. They have formed the foundation of numerous high ranking proven and genomic sires pedigrees. For example, Chiyotake 8 is the maternal great grandam of Macquarie Wagyu Y408 and Chiyotake 9 is the maternal great grandam of Diamond Brand Ichiryuno Z626.
The obvious highlight of the Chiyotake maternal line and a true leader of genetic progress in the Wagyu breed is Macquarie Wagyu Y408. Macquarie Wagyu Y408 is a former #1 ranking sire on the old Terminal Carcass Index and is highly proven on Breedplan. He maintains his elite ranking on the new indexes with a Self Replacing Index of $223, a Fullblood Terminal Index of $215, and a F1 Terminal Index of $203 (Dec 2018 EBVs)! Y408 is a Kitateruyasudoi “003” son and his maternal sire stack reads 003 x TF Yukiharunami 4 x TF Itohana 2 x TF Chiyotake 8. This bull does it all with a MS EBV of +2.1, MF of + 0.34, EMA of +2.6, Carcass Weight EBV of +17, and growth EBVs of 400 Day +23 and 600 Day Weight of +21. These numbers are backed up by 56 carcass progeny on his proof and genomics to give high reliability values for all traits. It terms of raw data, Macquarie recently published that now on over 100 carcasses Y408 has averaged a 7.7 MS and 416 kg (915 lbs.) HCW. Both impressive numbers for a now deceased bull from 2003.
Beyond Y408, multiple Chiyotake descendants rank at the top of the Breedplan EBV system. The high rate at which the Chiyotakes are producing leading sires has catapulted the line into the spotlight as an elite maternal line. From the Mayura program, a TF 148 son out of a Sanjirou Chiyotake line dam, Mayura Admiral A0113 has compiled an impressive proof on 17 carcasses. A highlight of his EBVs include a MS of 2.1, EMA of 3.1, and CW of 27. In the Sumo Wagyu herd, we find Sumo Itoshigenami X0081 who is a leading marbling sire with a MS EBV of +1.8 and is the sire of the grand champion carcass from the 2014 Australian Branded Beef competition. Lake Wagyu C087 is a high-ranking Michifuku son of the Chiyotakes at +$167 on Self Replacing Index. These are just a small highlight of the many successful Chiyotake sires that can be found in Australia.
In the Blackmore Wagyu herd, the best all round proven sire that David has bred to date is a Chiyotake. This is Blackmore Dai Ichi Yasuchiyo G615, who is a son of David’s best cow Blackmore Chiyotake Y377. His sire stack reads Blackmore C058 (Yasufuku Jr x TF 146) x TF 151 x TF 148 x TF 147 x Itohana 2 x Itomichi x Chiyotake 5! His GEBVs in the Blackmore herd are +1.2 MS, +2.8 HCW, +1.3 EMA, -3.8 P8 Fat, -2.2 Rib Fat, with a baseline herd averages of 9.1 MS, 424.8 kg HCW, 93 cm2 EMA, 18 cm P8 Fat, and 22.2 cm Rib Fat. G615 is current the largest bull David has bred to date weighing over 1,000 kg and still 72% Tajima! His dam, David’s best cow has produced an incredible 9+ MS on 6/6 carcasses with an average 94.9 cm 2 EMA and 0.74 kg (1.63 lbs.) A.D.G. (average daily gain) on these steers. Her GEBVs are +1.0 MS, +13 HCW, and +4.4 EMA! Her other proven son by Michifuku is Blackmore Chiyofuku K733 who has GEBVs of +0.9 MS and +9.2 EMA. Both G615 and K733 have EBV accuracies over 90% now in the Blackmore herd.
In the USA Kimifuku TF 726 is working in the Joseph Decius Wagyu herd and has put up some fantastic results published in the recent Marble Ranch sale catalog. In the Marble Ranch herd TF 726 had three daughters who’s progeny averaged over 30% IMF and over 975 lbs (440 kgs) HCWT. Now seeing widespread use around the globe as an ABS Global high genomic sire is Macquarie Prelude M0495. He is a balanced-double bred Chiyotake through his sire Y408 and his dam, a Chiyotake maternal line female. On the high-ranking genomic side there are also several full brothers Prelude, in Macquarie Wagyu M0546 and Macquarie Wagyu M00491. Once again from the Mayura herd, is a high genomic bull in Mayura N0268. He is a Mayura Itoshigenami JNR son from the Chiyotake maternal line with strong index values of $222 SRI, $190 FTI, and $182 F1-TI. Other high genomic Chiyotake bulls include Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku N527 (a Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126 son at $254 SRI), Irongate Michifuku F126 JNR M244 (Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126 son at $250 SRI), and Irongate Michifuku F126 JNR M353 (Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126 son at $209 SRI). With a flurry of Chiyotake line sires dotting the genomic leaderboards, there is no question this family possesses the ability to transmit elite traits to the next generation.
Another mark of a premiere maternal line is the ability to produce prolific donor dams. A great example is the dam of the above-mentioned Macquarie Wagyu Prelude M0495. His dam, Macquarie Wagyu C1589 is a Michifuku daughter who possesses a $227 SRI on three carcass progeny and genomics. In the Macquarie program she has produced 4 carcasses averaging a 8.25 MS and 474 kg (1,042 lbs.) HCW! She has 16 registered progeny, of which 11 of the 16 have a Self Replacing Index over $200. Moreover, 13 of the 16 have a Marble Score EBV over 1.2. This donor dam has proven to be a factory for high genomic testing progeny. Further back in C1589’s pedigree is another great matriarch, TWA F U561 (TWAFU0561). She is the maternal grandam of both C1589 and the legendary Y408. In addition, another branch of the Chiyotake line has also risen to prominence through the matriarch TF Chiyotake 22/4. An Itohana 2 daughter of Chiyotake 9, she is the maternal grandam of Sumo Itoshigenami X0081, Diamond Brand Ichiryuno Z626, and Diamond Brand Ichiryuno Z680. She was a great donor dam with 28 registered progeny including the Michifuku full sisters who produced X0081, Z262, and Z680.
Examples of females similar to this can be found throughout the Chiyotake line, further illustrating their potent fertility and genetic potential. The Chiyotake maternal line is now more than ever making its presence visible and impact felt around the world through top EBV sires, such as the now widely marketed Macquarie Prelude M0495. The EBVs lead back to their proven ability to make superior carcasses. The Chiyotake line’s excellence extends past the carcass and into growth and maternal traits as well. Proven examples of this include Macquarie Wagyu Y408, Mayura Admiral A0113, Sumo Itoshigenami X0081, Kimifuku TF 726, Lake Wagyu C087, and Macquarie Prelude M0495. The females from this family are producing a promising next generation of high genomic sires and females in many programs around the globe. Watch this maternal line and be sure to capitalize on it’s well-balanced sires to increase your bottom line.
