With a 50-strong entry, the first official Wagyu sale in the UK, at Hexham and Northern Marts' Hexham Mart, next weekend, is expected to draw a huge crowd of new and existing breeders.

The Wagyu Breeders Association (WBA) sale on Saturday, June 30, 2018 includes fullblood females, some with calves at foot, bulls, semen and embryos along with a selection of first-cross (F1) heifers and steers.

Animals benefit from Breedplan Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) on a dozen or more traits including Terminal Carcase Index (TCI), which combines Carcase Weight EBV with Marble Score EBV to predict the carcase value of its progeny in monetary terms.

Commenting on the sale, WBA director Steve Ramshaw said: "There are great rewards to be had in producing Wagyu which is renowned as the world's best beef with tremendous returns possible throughout the supply chain. BCMS figures are up 48% on the year with the time ripe for those wishing to get on board."

The sale will start at 3pm, with purchasers able to buy in person, over the phone or through an online bidding facility. This will be a ‘virtual’ sale with no animals present on the day. Prior to the sale, at 1pm there will be a number of presentations on breeding, feeding and finishing Wagyu, and embryo transfer from Paragon Vets.

As well as selling Wagyu cattle and genetics, there will also be an auction of high quality full blood Wagyu beef with the proceeds going to the North Air Ambulance.