Okayama: Location & Background
With a name derived from the Japanese words for ‘hill’ (oka) and ‘mountain’ (yama) Okayama prides itself on the slogan: ‘The land of sunshine’. Located in south west Honshu, directly south of the Chugoku mountains which define its boundary with Tottori, the prefecture is a major logistics hub for trade by road, rail, sea and air. Prefecture capital Okayama city (pop. 700,000) lies on an inlet of Japan’s Seto Inland Sea about 75 minutes flying time or three and a quarter hours by bullet train from Tokyo. Okayama city sprawl has engulfed the traditional merchant/canal centre of Kurashiki city to give a combined metropolitan population of over 1.1 million – about 60% of the entire prefecture population, heavily concentrated on the coastal plain. Eighteen of a total 27 municipalities – mainly in the mountainous north and centre – are designated as depopulated. Like Tottori, much of the prefecture is forested (68%) and mountainous. The agricultural region makes up about 10% of land area. |
Okayama Wagyu History
It is believed foundation stock for the Okayama genetic sub-population (strain) were imported from Tottori. The requirement was for beasts of burden (pack animals) to transport produce across a similarly difficult landscape. The famous innovation of Okayama Wagyu breeders was the development of Japan’s ‘tsuru’ inbreeding strategies, focused on trait fixing in female lines. The Takenotani-zuru was established about 250 years ago, leading to the development of superior cow families noted for large frames and good milking capabilities. These genetics can still be identified today. During the Government sponsored infusion of European genetics of the early Meiji Period in the 19th century, Wagyu in Okayama were influenced by the Shorthorn and Devon breeds. (See Minezawa, M.). This improved frame size, weight and milking ability. Superior pack animals were the result: the large-framed Okayama sire ‘Dai 13 Hanayama’ won the 9th Chugoku Wagyu competition in 1922. Dai 13 Haneyama was also identified as a high marbling sire and was procured by the Japanese Government agency MAFF as a foundation sire for national herd improvement. He died at 13 years of age having sired 780 progeny. The genetic legacy of this bull is available in the U.S. today in TF 147 Itoshigefuji, TF Itomichi ½, UKB Dia 6 Kitaseki 36M, Takazakura, and others identified with growth. |
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