Ginjo Shigefuku K921

Ginjo Shigefuku K921

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Background

Our objective was to breed a ‘special purpose’, high quality, high Tottori AI son from the little-known international foundation sire, Shigefuku J1822 (IMJFF0005 – aka 005). This bull is generally understood to be the highest Tottori Prefecture-content sire ever to leave Japan. And one of just two sons of the famous sire Dai 20 Hirashige. (The other being fellow Westholme herd founder, Hirashigetayasu aka 001).

We focused on the unique incremental source of Dai 20 Hirashige genetics that Shigefuku offers. So to ensure a satisfactory performance outcome, we ‘stacked the deck’ with a high power dam side for K921 pedigree. In the selected dam Ginjo G687, this combined the best proven, high Tottori genetics from Ginjo and Tak Suzuki’s Echigo Farms. Dam/sire is Echigo Farms B1001, sire of a substantial number of high carcass weight/high ms carcasses at AACo Aronui. This sire is then over Ginjo Hiranami C868, one of the two best full flush sisters to Ginjo MarbleMax™ Hiranami B901 – a proven successful pedigree & carcass production combination in other joinings. Overall, this provides a ‘high comfort level’ of 75% at the grand parent level. The result, in genetic analysis terms, Ginjo Shigefuku K921 is probably the highest Tottori-influence AI sire available outside Japan:  Approx 74% Tottori/Kedaka; 17% Hyogo/Tajima, plus traces.

Growth

Strong growth performance in the overall context of Japanese Black breeding is a feature of Tottori Prefecture bloodlines. Shigefuku K921 growout history reveals good growth with excellent conformation and temperament.  His Tottori line pedigree credentials are impeccable: two infusions of Dai 20 Hirashige, Hirashigetayasu, and B901, plus Itomoritaka on the dam side.  The following is a raw data snapshot from early growout:

Marbling

Dai 20 Hirashige is the legendary influence on the sire side. The dam side of K921 then comprises excellent growth with strong marbling performance, in the form of a full flush sister to B901, plus a well proven FB feeder production sire (at AACo Aronui) in B1001. K921 was selected in 2017 for commercial fullblood feeder joining at Blue Mountains Wagyu (Tak Suzuki). Detailed carcass data performance is expected in 2019 from progeny in a unique, Japanese-model feeding system.

The Package

The best ‘semen available’/ recessives free sire currently available to put a lot of Tottori/Kedaka blood into fullblood black calves, with some outstanding background performance evidenced in the genetic package. The early growout on K921 and calf performance so far suggests this bull is a good selection for smaller, higher Hyogo/Tajima joining in producing of a generation of improved feeders and breeders. These should be suitable for joining to larger sires in a stepped move towards optimised growth/MS performance in Japanese-style breeding.