The WSU Premium Beef brand focuses on producing a high-quality, local product. The Department of Animal Sciences is home to a pasture-to-plate beef cattle herd that offers students an unparalleled learning experience in beef production.
Calves are born in the spring and spend the beautiful Palouse summer on pasture with their mothers. In the fall, students and faculty work together to hand-select the best Angus and Wagyu cattle for the Premium Beef Program. These cattle are then fed high-quality grains and hay.
Our cattle are harvested on campus in a USDA-inspected facility. Beef is dry-aged for about 14 days to ensure optimum flavor and tenderness. Beef cuts are stored in commercial freezers until they are sold.
Angus cattle have been an American standard for nearly 150 years. The breed is well known for genetics that balance calving ease, growth rate and carcass value. Our Premium Angus beef product is USDA Choice or Prime grade.
Wagyu (pronounced Wag-You) literally translates to Japanese Cow. There are four breeds of Japanese cattle. Although two of these breeds have been retained exclusively in Japan, the other two (Japanese Black and Japanese Brown) are available for breeding and harvesting internationally.
We raise purebred or full-blood Japanese Black cattle at the WSU Ensminger Beef Center. Wagyu beef is so highly marbled that it has its own grading scale. Marbling contributes to the rich flavor and juiciness for which Wagyu beef is famous. Wagyu beef sold by the Premium Beef a USDA Prime or better product. The succulent, melt-in-your mouth experience will tantalize your taste buds!