Comparable to Wagyu Kobe beef！ Kinmen successfully breeds 340 “Bula Angus cattle”

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The “Bula Angus cattle” have been successfully bred in Kinmen County since 2006. Since October 2011, when 250 breeding cattle were imported from Australia, 340 calves have now been successfully produced, creating a brand-new cattle breed unique to Kinmen.

 
▲ Kinmen County has bred 340 “Bula Angus cattle” calves, which will become a new cattle breed unique to Kinmen. (Photo / Provided by Kinmen County Government)

Wen Shui-cheng, director of the Kinmen Livestock Research Institute, said that Bula Angus cattle are originally a crossbreed of “Brahman” and “Angus” beef cattle. The “Brahman” breed is heat-resistant and highly resistant to parasites, while the “Angus” breed is known globally for its delicious and high-quality meat. The hybrid cattle bred from these two bloodlines are a premium breed most suitable for raising in Taiwan. Since their introduction, these cattle have been fed a diet that includes distiller’s grains—a byproduct of the Kaoliang liquor brewed at the Kinmen Distillery. Feeding cattle with distiller’s grains results in meat that is rich in protein, has evenly distributed marbling, and a unique flavor. Kinmen County has further combined its two major specialties—beef and Kaoliang liquor—to create a domestic beef brand distinct from those of New Zealand, Australia, and other regions, full of local character, and expected to become a new gourmet specialty of Kinmen County.

Wu Yongchu, a leading authority on domestic meat research, professor in the Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology at Tunghai University, and chairman of the Chinese Meat Association, believes that Kinmen Bula Angus cattle not only match the nutritional value of well-known beef from the U.S. and Australia, but also offer tender, delicate meat with fat marbling like marble. Even at just 20 months old, the meat quality can reach the USDA Choice (Select) grade, comparable to imported wagyu beef. When the cattle reach the optimal tasting age of 24–30 months, they are expected to achieve the highest Prime grade, rivaling Japanese wagyu beef.

Unlike native yellow cattle, which have traditionally been used mainly for making Chinese dishes such as beef jerky and beef noodles, Bula Angus cattle are the only domestically produced beef in Taiwan capable of meeting the standards for Western-style steak meals. Throughout the breeding process, no growth hormones or antibiotics are used, and the inclusion of distiller’s grains in the feed enhances the richness of the meat’s flavor.
Currently, Kinmen Bula Angus cattle are still in the experimental stage, with plans to launch and promote them by the end of 2015.