“Genetic improvement” is a term with far-reaching implications, uniquely and individually defined by those in the beef industry.

Crossbreeding isn’t a new technology. We’ve known about it and have been doing it for ages. Yet, crossbreeding remains a severely underutilized tool industrywide, with less than 50% of commercial operations using it meaningfully.

The number of straws of beef semen sold to the dairy industry has more than doubled in the last five years, although dairy cow numbers have been relatively stagnant. So what has changed?

Akaushi (pronounced ah-kuh-OO-shi), or Japanese Red, is one of the four Wagyu breeds. Akaushi genetics can make an immediate impact on your next calf crop. You’ll find Akaushi cattle on ranches spanning from coast to coast. 

To remain competitive in today’s beef industry, commercial producers must identify and implement technologies that have favorable impacts on their beef cattle enterprises, and crossbreeding is one such technology.

In recent years, the dairy industry has witnessed a significant rise in the number of beef cross calves being born. This emerging trend of crossbreeding dairy cows with beef bulls at a large scale has not been a linear process.

As cattle producers – beef or dairy – it is critical to remember that both our industries have the same end product: beef. This concept that all cattle contribute to beef production has never been more closely aligned than with the current growth in the mating of dairy cows to beef semen.

Akaushi (pronounced Ah-ka-OO-shi), or Japanese Red, is one of the four Wagyu breeds. Since their introduction to the U.S., American Akaushi genetics have increased carcass performance and premium grade opportunities for cattle producers. 

A growing number of commercial cattlemen are discovering advantages of using Wagyu bulls (or semen) in their herds, especially to breed heifers.