Master Breeder Shogo Takeda, of Takeda Farms has been a leading breeder in Japan and is a pioneer of the Wagyu breed throughout the rest of the world. Takeda Farms genetics have had an immeasurable impact on the breed in Australia and the United States. Numerous maternal were included in the Takeda Farms importation of live Wagyu to the United States. One of those lines is the Hikokura family, which trace back to the Ezokintou cow. This line has continually shown its genetic superiority with elite sires and cows constantly coming from this family. Some of the well-known and breed leading early bulls from the Hikokuras are TF Itomichi ½ , TF Teruntani 40/1, and Mitsuhikokura TF 149.
Three major matriarchs have emerged as leading females in this maternal line: Dai 2 Kinntou 3, TF Hikohime 3/2, and Hikokura 1/7. These females trace back directly to Ezokintou J11691 on the maternal side. Ezokintou is a daughter of the cow Takeda himself has said was his best cow, Kintou. These three cows have produced an astounding number of proven sires and dams in herds around the world including the likes of new breed leaders Mayura Itoshigenami JNR, Coates Itoshigenami G113, and Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F154.
The first matriarch on the list, Dai 2 Kintou 3, has produced direct maternal descendants and leading sires Mayura Itoshigenami JNR, Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126, Sumo Cattle Co Itoshigenami C158, Ginjo Marblemax Hiranami B901, Westholme Fujiteru 3,and TF Terutani 40/1. To top it all off, she is also a full sister to TF Itomichi ½.
Mayura Itoshigenami JNR needs no introduction and is widely regarded as the “King” of the Wagyu breed. He recently saw his daughter’s smash records at the 2019 Elite Wagyu Sale along with his sons setting records in the 2017 and 2018 Elite Wagyu Sales. His breed leading EBVs are backed up by jaw dropping raw data averages from Mayura Station on 805 carcasses of 9.05 MS, 448 kg (985.6 lbs.) HSCW, and 109 cm2 (16.90 in2) EMA (10th/11th rib). A highlight of his high selling progeny includes his daughter, Mayura N1229, selling for $280,000, his son, Mayura L10, selling for $105,000, and his polled son, Poll Wagyu Midnight M0775, selling for $185,000.
Other Dai 2 Kinntou 3 descendants seeing success include a few sires in the Sumo Wagyu program. Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F126 has impressive carcass results in the Sumo Wagyu herd and on 19 carcasses is averaging a 8.6 MS and 447 kg (983.4 lbs.) HSCW. Also, from the Sumo program is high EBV sire Sumo Cattle Co Itoshigenami C158 who has a MS EBV of 1.6 and has sired the new breed leader Coates Itoshigenami G113! Then don’t forget about Sumo Cattle Co Shikikan D233 who has a 1.2 MS and 11 CW EBV.
TF Terutani 40/1 is the Takeda bred and Sumo Wagyu owned sire who is renowned for making impressive females with fantastic maternal traits. He has carcass data published in the 2018 Wagyu Fullblood Sale catalog from Salisbury Wagyu and Sanjolincey Wagyu. On 106 carcasses in the Sanjolincey herd he was their 4th highest carcass weight bull and 8th highest marble score bull. This puts him in 4th place for their carcass value ranking behind Itohana 2, Overflow Kaneyama, and TF 148, but ahead of breed greats Michifuku, TF 151, TF 147, and 001. In the Salisbury herd 40/1 ranked 7th for ADG and 6th for MS making him one of the best overall sires in the herd.
From Mike Buchanan’s Ginjo herd comes popular sire Ginjo Marblemax Hiranami B901. He is well known as an all-round specialist and for making great cows. In the Mayura herd he has put up impressive carcass traits on 39 carcasses of 8.21 MS, 445.1 kg (979.2 lbs.), and 97.0 cm2 (15.04 in2) EMA at the 10th/11th rib.
In the famous Westholme herd a Kitaguni Jr son from the Dai 2 Kinntou 3 line has strong EBVs. Westholme Fujiteru 3 has an elite MS EBV of 2.0 and F1-TI of $177. Specializing MS and MF he lacks growth and traces back to a full sister to TF Terutani 40/1.
Lastly is the full brother to Dai 2 Kinntou 3, TF Itomichi ½. He is a renown growth sire who is generally considered weak on carcass traits, specifically EMA. In the Salisbury herd rankings he does well on ADG, ranking 6th, but is only 18th of 27 for MS. In the Lone Mountain Ranch herd, he does well as a dam sire averaging 31.28% IMF on 27 carcasses.
This brings us to the second matriarch on the list, TF Hikohime 3/2. She has produced leading direct maternal descendant sires Coates Itoshigenami G113, Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F154, Sumo Cattle Co Hirashigetayasu E148, Mayura D0482, CHR Kitaguni 07K, and CHR Takazakura 101L to name a few.
Current breed leading sire Coates Itoshigenami G113 is putting together an impressive carcass resume in the Macquarie Wagyu program. On 50 carcasses he is averaging a marble score of 8.5 and hot standing carcass weight of 513 kg (1,128.6 lbs)! Often described as a “freak combination of growth and marbling,” his genetics are in high demand with semen selling for a breed record $50,000/ straw in the 2021 Elite Wagyu Sale and two daughters selling for $100,000 and $80,000 in the 2019 Elite Sale. His Breedplan EBVs back everything up with an elite MS of 2.5 and CW of 60.
Back in the Sumo Wagyu program again we find Sumo Cattle Co Michifuku F154. He is leading the program in carcass results and EBVs with a 21 carcass average of 8.6 MS and 462 kg (1,016.4 lbs.) HSCW. He is also in high demand with a daughter selling for $80,000 in the 2019 Elite Wagyu Sale and a son selling for $50,000.
Also originating from the Sumo Wagyu herd, and now shining in the McCosker’s Codenwarra herd, is Sumo Cattle Co Hirashigetayasu E148. He is an elite 001 son with impressive growth and carcass weight EBVs on genomics and 6 carcasses in Breedplan. He indexes extremely high at $245 SRI, $196 FTI, and $164 F1-TI.
In the Mayura Station program, a Sanjirou son, Mayura D0482, is putting together impressive numbers. He is leading their progeny test program in marble score and eye muscle area the last 12 months as of May 2019. On 47 carcasses he is averaging 9.01 MS, 407 kg (895.4 lbs.) HSCW, and 97.2 cm2 (15.07 in2) EMA at the 10th/11th rib. A son of his sold for $25,000 in the 2019 Elite Wagyu sale.
In the United States, at Crescent Harbor Ranch, well known and highly used sires CHR Kitaguni 07K and CHR Takazakura 101L both hail from TF Hikohime 3/2. CHR Kitaguni 07K is well known for high marbling and producing great carcasses. CHR Takazakura 101L is found in many pedigrees and is synonymous with balanced females and great maternal traits.
The third matriarch on the list is Hikokura 1/7. She has produced leading direct maternal descendants TF 813 Kimitofuku, Itomichi TF 728, TF Yasutani 1012, TF Takefuku 823, LMR Akahige 8119U, and LMR Sensie 817T.
TF 813 Kimitofuku is a popular Itoshigenami son working well in many programs in the United State, including the Joseph Decuis herd, Marble Ranch, and Lone Mountain Ranch. According to the most recent published data from Lone Mountain Ranch, TF 813 is averaging 32.91% IMF on 9 carcasses in their program. This ranks 9th in the herd and slightly ahead of breed greats, Kitaguni Jr, Yasufuku Jr, and 003.
Another Takeda bred sire working in many herds, and a herd sire in the Joseph Decuis program, is Itomichi TF 728. In published data from the Marble Ranch program, and sale catalog, he has averaged an impressive line of 36.63% IMF, 964 lbs (438.2 kg) HCW, and 16.95 in2 (109.4 cm2) EMA.
Bred and proven in the Lone Mountain Ranch program are sires LMR Akahige 8119U and LMR Sensie 817T. LMR Akahige 8119U has averaged 29.24% IMF on 12 carcasses and is ranked 2nd in marble fineness. LMR Sensei 817T is the 3rd ranker dam sire for IMF at 32.8% IMF.
Sires, however, are not the only ones experiencing carcass data success from these matriarchs. Mayura Station’s top cow is Wagyu Genetics Hikohime D8223, a descendant of TF Hikohime 3/2. She has averaged a carcass camera predictive BMS of 11, 458 kg (1,010 lbs.) HSCW, and 115.33 cm2 (17.87 in2) EMA on four carcasses. She is the dam of exciting Mayura progeny test bull Mayura N0387.
In the Macquarie Wagyu program, the cow Coates Tani E417 has shown the power of TF Hikohime 3/2 also. This cow has produced an impressive average of MS 9 and 484 kg (1,062.6 lbs.) HSCW on 6 carcasses. She is the dam of top genomic tested Y408 son Macquarie Wagyu M0477, who has indexes of $244 SRI, $212 FTI, and $184 F1-TI.
This maternal line features the rare combination of great growth, size, and carcass quality. We have been greatly impressed by the performance of the Hikokuras and can see why they are the top of Takeda genetics. The Hikokuras will improve any herd, or program, through females and/or sires. This line can be bred from with confidence and taken in many directions. We have experienced a high demand for genetics from the Hikokuras.
