Chef, I know one reason why you love Hitachigyu.
Farms raising Hitachigyu in Ibaraki Prefecture take very special care to keep their calves warm, comfortable and healthy during the cold months of winter. First of all, farmers put jackets made of cotton blankets or quilts on their calves. Some calves even receive a woolen belly cover as well. Secondly the quarter where calves live are thickly covered with a frequently changed mixture of rice straw and saw dust, so that calves lying down can always stay warm and comfortable.
Let us share with you two wonderful photos in which you can see how calves are taken care of by our Ibaraki farmers. This happy and comfortable calf comes from Dream Farm, one of our best six select farms producing Hitachigyu Premier meat. At Dream Farm calves are receiving even more care than usual. Each calf’s quarters are equipped with an electric heater. These lucky calves have no stress due to being left cold and unattended. They enjoy the love of being so carefully to be taken care of. The result is that they sleep very well. Perhaps they even have sweet dreams. In the morning when they wake, happy hungry calves drink lots of milk and consume some grain feeds prepared specially for calves given to them by devoted Chihoko Sato, who, with her husband, is the owner of Dream Farm. Chihoko Sato’s daughter, Sumire (2 years old), loves to spend time with the calves even on a cold winter morning. Here is Sumire, wrapped up in warm clothes with a woolen hat, sitting next to her favorite calf, just 4 weeks old. She maybe telling the calf a story about growing up happily on the farm.
You may think this tale of a farm whose purpose is to raise cattle for premium beef production is a bit maudlin, since ultimately the cattle are slaughtered. But our point is that care and respect for the cattle is an important part of the animals’ lives. Providing this care and respect is characteristic of all of the farms supplying Hitachigyu. Yes, these animals are raised to provide you and your customers with the very highest quality meat available, but raising them in a happy, healthy, and stress-free environment that continues throughout the life of Hitachigyu cattle is what we do. Our farmers see this as a duty. And for you, the chef, and your customers we are certain that the care and attention given to our cattle without a doubt produces the premier cru meat that is Hitachigyu and Hitachigyu Premier. ‘Harmony in Every Bite.’
