About Us.....
Family Owned and Operated
Foley Wagyu Ranch is family owned and operated as well as a member of the Texas Wagyu Association. Located in Brownwood, Texas, our ranch provides whole Wagyu beef of F1 (50% Wagyu) & F2 (75% Wagyu) meat to the public in the Central Texas area. We believe that how the animals are handled and cared for directly impacts the Wagyu beef quality.
Is Wagyu Beef the Same as Kobe Beef?
Kobe beef is derived from the Wagyu breed of cattle. However, to be correctly labeled as Kobe beef, the calves must be born in Kobe, Japan, and be raised by a rigorous regiment. Since our calves are born in Brownwood, TX, we can never claim to sell Kobe beef.
*Note: Many sellers do advertise Wagyu beef as Kobe beef when it is not.
About Our Beef
Our Wagyu calves receive no antibiotics, growth hormones, or animal byproducts. Our calves are raised with care and are given whatever they need, within reason! Their mothers raise them on milk and grass until they reach weaning age. From there, they go to the weaning pasture, where they have a specific ration set by an animal nutritionist. Also, they rotate between two fields. Both pastures are planted with native grasses, as well as oats and winter ryegrass, for the frigid months. They are free to graze at their choosing!
Why Wagyu?
Foley Ranch decided to introduce Wagyu into our cattle's blood line because of its potential to improve the meat. Wagyu is a breed of cattle originated in Japan for its superior marbling quality. This in turn results in a more tasty beef and the added benefit of a healthy source protein related to the high oleic acid. Oleic acid is an monounsaturated fat which when substituted for fats and oils higher in saturated fat may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. (FDA Constitute update 11/19/18). We breed registered Wagyu bulls to Black Angus cows and F1 cows, in order to produce F1 (50% Wagyu) and F2 (75% Wagyu) calves. All Wagyu calves are born on the ranch and remain here until taken to the processor.
More Details
Our target weight for the Wagyu calves is 1400 lbs. Why so large? Because you are buying Wagyu beef. In order to get the best marbling then they need time to develop. A younger Wagyu calf is very good meat however, it does not make financial sense to process them before they reached their full potential. As mentioned earlier we sell F1 and F2 Wagyu. Full blood Wagyu will marble to a greater extent but, a median ground needs to be reached between quality and expense. Our F1 and F2 have produced high quality beef and appear to be at a cost that can be afforded by those other than the wealthy.
Processing
Foley Ranch will take care of transporting the live calf to the processor. The customer will be responsible for the expense of processing, which varies somewhat depending on the cuts of beef selected. Your Wagyu beef will come, from the processor, vacuumed sealed and freezer ready! Foley Ranch will deliver your Wagyu beef, free of charge within 100 miles*.
*Dallas area included.
So What Do You Get?
What do you get when all is said and done? The cost of the 1400 lb. F1 Wagyu calf is $3,200. An F2 Wagyu is $3,500. The variation in price is due to Wagyu's percentage of the beef. The higher the percentage of Wagyu, the longer it takes to reach 1400 lbs, which increases the expense. However, you will not receive 1400 lbs of meat. First, the calf is prepared for dry aging, which involves removing the hide, head, internal organs, etc. This is generally referred to as the "hanging weight" or "carcass weight", about 65% of the live weight. After the calf has hung for your requested amount of time, we like 14 days. Then the processing can move forward. Drying, blood drainage, bones removal, etc.. reduce the weight to 60-65%* of the hanging weight. The best way to convey what you should expect is through example. The last two calves we took to the processor produced the following:
1) 1396 lbs - live weight = 525 lbs of vacuumed sealed meat for the freezer
2) 1406 lbs - live weight = 528 lbs of vacuumed sealed meat for the freezer
A good rule of thumb is 30-35 lbs of meat per cubic ft of freezer size. Processing cost vary depending on the cuts of beef you have done. The processing cost has run about $800 per calf. We will put you in contact with the processor so the calf can be done the way you choose.
*Note: The hanging weight to the final yield can vary by up to 12%. Suppose the customer chooses to reduce the fat left on the meat and/or selects boneless cuts. In that case, the percentage to final return drops. We like to cook with the fat left on the steak for added flavor, and then we will decide whether to eat it or cut it off after cooking. Remember this is monounsaturated fat, which is a softer, omega acid-rich fat, lower in cholesterol and conducive to a healthy diet.
Consider the Cost
Foley Ranch is not a butcher shop. We only sell whole calves and not individual cuts of Wagyu beef. We understand this might limit potential customers that are not interested in a whole beef. Our suggestion would be, if you are interested in a superior grade of beef, that you might consider sharing a whole beef with a friend.
Purchase of a whole Wagyu beef clearly requires a significant financial commitment. However, it is by far the most economical way to purchase quality beef. After researching local Wagyu beef prices, we found a New York Strip steak sold for $26.87 per lb. By purchasing one of our whole Wagyu beefs, you should average about $7.60 per lb for all cuts! This price includes all expenses.
If you are interested in purchasing a Wagyu calf or have any questions, please contact us below. When we get your information, we will get in touch with you by phone. Afterwards, your name will be added to our waiting list. No deposit is necessary!
We will contact you within a month of your calf's processing date. At this point, payment would be expected. If you change your mind, no problem, we will simple go to the next person on the list!