Originally draft animals, Wagyu were used in agriculture – selected for their physical endurance. This physicality made for a more flavorful and therefore more desirable animal, as it contained additional intra-muscular fat cells. This marbling provided a better source of energy for human consumption. 

Japanese Wagyu derive from native Asian cattle. There is some evidence of genetic separation into the Wagyu strain as much as 35,000 years ago. There were infusions of British and European breeds in the late 1800’s, but the Wagyu were closed to outside genetic mixing in 1910.

The variation of conformity within the Wagyu breed is greater than the variations across British and European breeds. These differences have produced a Japanese national herd comprising 90% black cattle with the remainder being red