For the first time ever, polled Akaushi genetics will be publicly available to interested cattle breeders – marking a significant milestone in the breed’s history.

“HeartBrand Dos Equis XX 3618H is the first homozygous polled purebred Akaushi bull ever bred,” says JoJo Carrales, vice president of cattle operations for HeartBrand Cattle. This is a turning point for the American Akaushi breed. “Through the careful selection for sire quality HeartBrand Cattle is known for, we’ve removed a significant obstacle for cattle breeders,” said Carrales. “Now, those who don’t want to use horned genetics can reconsider all the tremendous benefits of the American Akaushi breed.”

Cattle breeders interested in Dos Equis XX can bid for 50% semen interest, along with 20-unit semen packages, during the Elite of the Elite Akaushi Sale on March 16, 2021, at wagyu365.com. The sale also features other elite offerings from the HeartBrand Cattle herd: two heterozygous polled bulls (including a sibling to Dos Equis XX), four fullblood Akaushi bulls, three donor cows and semen from the original imported cattle.

Akaushi and polled: Best of the best

Dos Equis XX is the first Akaushi bull to genetically assure polled calves. Careful attention was paid to ensure that the overall genetic superiority of the American Akaushi breed was not sacrificed for this advancement. “We’re dedicated to the preservation of pure Akaushi genetics and the strategic selection for superior, modern cattle performance,” said Carrales. “Dos Equis XX is helping us elevate opportunities in our breeding program and for cattle buyers around the world.”

Akaushi is a Japanese cattle breed from the Wagyu origin – several breeds of cattle desired for their genetic predisposition to intense marbling and higher concentration of monounsaturated fat relative to saturated fat. The breed has many notable benefits:

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  • Akaushi cattle have extremely efficient, consistent production and low birth rates for calving ease.
  • Using Akaushi bulls to sire half-blood Akaushi cattle has shown to provide significant Akaushi genetic advantage when crossed with breeds worldwide, consistently doubling Prime grade and improving yield.
  • U.S. demand for Akaushi beef is surging – Akaushi cattle produce distinctly marbled beef with the melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery flavor consumers crave.

“Despite the tremendous quality and meat flavor Akaushi breeding offers to a cattle producers’ business, we know dehorning calves is a management practice many ranchers prefer to avoid,” Carrales said. “Now they can avoid it and still use Akaushi genetics.”

—From a HeartBrand Cattle news release

HeartBrand Cattle has a mission to transform the U.S. cattle industry with world-class, highly productive Akaushi cattle that exceed producers’ expectations and strengthen their bottom lines. HeartBrand Ranch is headquartered in Harwood, Texas. Its seedstock herd is derived from a small nucleus herd of cattle imported to the U.S. in 1994 from Japan.