Wagyu is the fastest growing beef breed in Australia and one herd located in SA’s Limestone Coast is on a rapid growth curve producing premium quality beef.
In 1998 Mayura Station near Millicent imported the second-ever shipment of full-blood Wagyu cattle into Australia from Japan via the United States.
Less than 20 years later it is easily Australia’s largest privately-owned herd comprising about 7500 full-blood Wagyu.
Managing director Scott de Bruin says the successful vertically-integrated business is continuing to expand.
Their aim is to treble the retail beef output from the 3000-hectare property from 25 tonnes a month to 75t a month in the next five years to meet their burgeoning luxury Asian and domestic markets.
Mr de Bruin says the formative years were challenging, being a “capital intensive business”, but he is thrilled with the brand’s recognition, estimating demand is significantly outstripping supply.
The main destinations for the award-winning beef with a price tag of more than $1000 a kilogram are Hong Kong, China and Singapore.
It is also exported to Taiwan, Dubai and the Phillipines – wowing Michelin star chefs such as Umberato Bombana as well as consumers buying in supermarkets.
Mayura Station’s beef is often marketed in Asia alongside another iconic SA brand, Penfolds Grange wine.
“There are some really wonderful synergies with both historic brands, with Penfolds founded in 1844 and Mayura in 1845 and both being luxury products,” Mr de Bruin said.
Mayura beef also features on the menu of some of Australia’s best restaurants including Gauchos, Jolleys Boathouse, 2KW and Windy Point restaurants in Adelaide, Steak Ministry, Koko’s at the Crown and Phillipe Mouchel in Melbourne, and Wasabi in Noosa, Qld.
Scott’s late father Adrian de Bruin, who was the founder of forestry company Auspine, was impressed by the highly marbled beef during business trips to Japan and could see the enormous potential.
And so he imported 25 full-blood females in 1998.
Six months later, four bulls were also imported, forming the foundation of Mayura’s herd.
In the early years the de Bruins multiplied their best females through extensive embryo transfer programs and also boosted their breeding numbers by buying from other herds.
A split calving from February to June and then August-December ensures year- round supply.
Cattle are raised from six to 18 months of age in a network of 10-12 hectare “free range feeding cells” across the property. These areas of improved pastures also contain feed bunkers to deliver supplementary feed to the growing cattle.
Each mob of about 70 cattle is in a cell for about a fortnight before being moved and returned about a month later.
“They are not reliant on the ration as they are still eating a lot of grass,” Mr de Bruin said.
At 18 months of age and about 550 kilograms they enter the undercover finishing barn and are fed for about 300 days to a target weight of 750kg, aiming for a marble score 8 or more.
The cattle are processed at O’Connor’s abattoir at Pakenham, Vic, and packed for Mayura Station’s three labels – Gold, Platinum and Signature.
Mr de Bruin says growing the majority of their own grain and fodder and having control of the production from birth to slaughter has put them in a great position, producing consistently top quality beef.
The secret is also out that Mayura Station uses jelly beans and chocolate in its ration to give a unique nutty, sweet flavour.
“The beef brand itself is recognised throughout Asia as a world leader of full-blood Wagyu beef and known for quality and consistency,” he said.
