Served in some of Dubai's top restaurants including in the Burj Al Arab and the Gourmet Station, Kobe beef - part of the 'Wagyu' range - could soon be off the menu as foot and mouth disease threatens the region it comes from.
Prized for its tender, marbled texture and succulent flavour, Kobe beef is a delicacy that can cost $200 for a slab of steak at some restaurants.
But Japanese cattle farmers near the central city of Kobe are worried an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki, another key beef-raising region that often supplies calves to Kobe breeders, could spread to them as well - and impact Japan's premium beef market for years to come.
"I have to think seriously about the risk," said Shigefumi Tanimoto, a rancher for more than 20 years on Awaji Island, just south of Kobe. "If the foot-and-mouth disease came to Kobe, I could loose everything."
The disease broke out about two months ago in Miyazaki, on the southern island of Kyushu. To keep it from spreading, more than 270,000 animals were destroyed, including several valuable stud bulls, bred to sire calves with optimal fattiness. Under a state of emergency declared by the governor, people who lived in particular areas were urged not to travel, and vehicles leaving the prefecture had to have their wheels disinfected.
The disease is highly contagious and the virus can be spread by water droplets, shoes, vehicles and other means.
"Foot-and-mouth disease is notorious for its ability to spread widely by many means, especially animal movements," said Peter Roeder, an animal health expert and adviser for the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Even if the disease is contained, the killing of so many cows is a heavy blow to the market for 'Wagyu' beef, which includes Kobe and Miyazaki brands, since it means farmers will have to restart the selective breeding process that is key to producing the high-quality meat.
"Usually it takes two to three years to raise and fatten cattle before slaughtering," said Yasuhiro Nakashima, a professor of food and agricultural economics at Tokyo University. The breeding process to replace lost stud bulls could take much longer, experts say.
Restaurant owners who specialise in Kobe beef say their products are untainted, but they worry consumers will still avoid the meat. Past scares about mad cow disease and bird flu have hit their businesses, says Kazuho Miyasu, owner of the Kobe steak house Miyasu. "It usually takes four to five years to get our customers back after so much damage is done," said Miyasu.
The owner of Kobe's Teppankyaki Onishi, Masakazu Onishi, said he agrees slaughtering cattle is the only way to eradicate the disease, but he sympathised with farmers.
"Some farmers care for their calves like their own family members," said Onishi. "I would be devastated if I were them."
© 7Days 2010
