An Irish-based full-blood Wagyu breeder has contacted Agriland to highlight concerns on the low numbers of full-blood or pedigree Wagyu cattle avaliable in Ireland.

Based outside Kilcullen, Co. Kildare, Oliver O’Hanlon is the owner of the Ohanasaki (pronounced O-Hana-Sa-Ki) Wagyu Herd.

The first full-blood Wagyu calves were born on his farm in 2008 when O’Hanlon imported Wagyu genetics from Australia as embryos.

2026 has seen much more interest and publicity from retailers and processors on various Wagyu initiatives, something O'Hanlon says is to be welcomed.

However, he has voiced concerns at the low numbers of full-blood Wagyu cattle in Ireland, saying that it is a threat to future production of Wagyu beef here.

Much of the Wagyu beef produced in Ireland is bred from full-blood Wagyu sires crossed to dairy cows, resulting in an F1 Wagyu cross.

This sire genetics is often imported, but the Kildare-based Wagyu breeder says that with ongoing challenges such as bluetongue placing restrictions on cattle imports to Ireland, having a bigger gene pool of full-blood Wagyu in Ireland would result in a more resilient production system, less exposed to import restrictions.

O'Hanlon believes that there is not enough of a premium in Ireland for full-blood Wagyu, which is why he says the numbers of full-blood Wagyu cattle in the country are not increasing.

He said: "It seems that the Wagyu ship is sinking in many parts of Ireland.

"Breeders have, for the most part, lost direction with many now having sold their breeding stock."

On the reason for the decline, he pointed to pricing.

"The difficulty in getting the well-deserved premium price has proved too much of a challenge with many buyers not caring if the animals were 100% Wagyu or 50%," O'Hanlon said.

He added that the breed bonus for full-blood Wagyu here is not enough, saying:

O'Hanlon believes there are less full-blood Wagyu herds in Ireland now than five years ago.

He said that the full-blood Wagyu bull population situation in Ireland is "even worse".

Full-blood Wagyu cattle

As there is no Irish Wagyu breeders association, full-blood Wagyu cattle in Ireland can be registered through the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA) where genetics of these full-blood registered animals can be viewed.

He cited figures from the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA), which indicate that from January 1, 2025 to July 7, 2026, only seven bulls have been registered with the AWA in Ireland.

In light of these figures, he said: "In summary, there will be no Wagyu bulls for next season or the season after."

According to O'Hanlon, the AWA shows 439 full-blood animals registered in Ireland since 2008.

He said that many of these older full-blood cattle would have been culled by now and several have also been exported, which further depletes the numbers.

O'Hanlon estimates that there may now be fewer than 100 full-blood Wagyu females in Ireland.

Commenting on what needs to happen, the Wagyu enthusiast has urged more cattle breeders to look at global trends in Wagyu beef sales and see the potential that the sector has.

"People need to re-examine the Wagyu breed and what is happening in other countries.

"We need more knowledge-transfer and enthusiasm from cattle breeders in the production of full-blood Wagyu cattle for this to succeed in the long-term," O'Hanlon said.