A few South Dakota producers are giving expensive Japanese cattle a try.
The Tri-State Neighbor reports that some producers in the state are raising specialty Wagyu (wa-goo) cattle.
Farmer Reid Jensen first got his hand on Wagyu cattle in 2010. He now has 70 cows and a couple of breeding bulls in his pastures in Burbank. Jensen says he started his herd for a pricey $5,000 a head. Most of his beef goes to high-end hotels and restaurants.
The best-known breed is the black breed that comes from a region near Kobe, Japan. Kobe beef is a type of Wagyu.
A Wagyu steak can go for more than $100. The meet is lower in cholesterol. Most of the Wagyu cattle in the U.S. are in Texas and New Mexico.
