Westholme
BORN WILD, ROAM FREE
Westholme wagyu is exceptional. They have been at the forefront of wagyu breeding in Australia and continue to build on their extraordinary heritage to craft our distinctive Australian wagyu. Westholme crafts contemporary Australian Wagyu for professional kitchens. Chefs love the fine, even marbling that creates deep, rounded flavours and delicate mouthfeel: the Westholme signature.
No producer has more distinguished bloodlines. Westholme's Full-Blood herd is derived from prized Japanese Black wagyu sires and cows. Initially exported from Japan to the US, their progeny were brought to Australia in 1996, thanks to the dedication of a small group of Australian cattlemen and women. Westholme continues to improve this herd of unrivalled provenance.
They match their wagyu sires with their own Mitchell cows, a breed Westholme have developed to thrive on the vast northern Australian rangelands. The result is a unique Australian wagyu that is further crafted by their skilled and passionate people, the pristine lands where their cattle roam free, and, above all, a continual striving to do better.
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Australian Wagyu Dream
PERFECTION THROUGH SELECTION - BREEDING FOR TEMPERAMENT AND TASTE
Westholme Wagyu Sires. Starting with a heritage of distinction, their genetics team continues to improve on perfection with their Full-Blood bulls, part of the single largest registered Full-Blood herd in Australia. Westholme wagyu bulls are their heroes, selected for temperament and fertility, and for their fine marbling and exceptional flavour. Their Mitchell mothers have been developed to thrive in northern Australia, building on over a century of dedicated animal husbandry. They are a key element in their craft. Calm, sturdy cows with a strong maternal drive, they complement the wagyu sires by nurturing our Westholme calves. The result is a pinnacle expression of Australian wagyu with signature marbling, tenderness and deep, complex flavour.
EXCELLENCE IN FEEDING - FROM GRASS TO GRAIN
Raised on Grass. Westholme herd is born and raised on pristine northern Australian rangelands, eating a diverse diet of grasses and legumes. Their primary food is nutritious native Mitchell grass. They also forage for other grasses, flowering plants and herbs and have access to customised mineral lick blocks as required. Their cattle are attuned to their nutritional needs and use the lick blocks like a self-service supplement store. Finished on Grain. Westholme finishes their herd in their own spacious feedlots for a minimum of 330 days. They’re fed either a steam flaked or tempered grain mix that is made up of nutritious almond hulls, cotton husks and distillers’ grain that they source locally and calibrate daily. The care they take with their feed is part of the craft that is reflected in the final appearance, flavour and mouthfeel that sets our wagyu apart.
CARING FOR THE CATTLE - 'OUR CATTLE ARE OUR HEROES'
They are devoted to giving their Westholme herd the best life possible. Their herd are born wild and free in an environment that’s closely monitored; shade, clean water and nutritious food are always available. They keep animals in their family groupings so they stay relaxed. Vet attention is consistent and meticulous. Calm, relaxed cattle mean tender, flavourful wagyu, a Westholme signature.
GRADING PHILOSOPHY - A NEW WAY TO TALK ABOUT WAGYU
Quality. Because the quality of Westholme wagyu is exceptional and ever-improving, they hold themselves to ever higher standards. This includes the way they describe their Australian wagyu and its special qualities, particularly the consistent, even marbling. Assessment. Each carcass is graded by independent AusMeat inspectors, then their own in-house graders hand-select cuts, assessing colour and marbling to ensure consistency and quality across their own rigorous benchmarks. Principles. Based on decades of experience and ongoing search for improved wagyu quality, they have developed a grading philosophy dedicated to Australian wagyu. Combining AusMeat principles and bespoke Westholme methodology, they progress their Australian provenance story with every single cut.
TRACEABILITY - PADDOCK-TO-PLATE
Westholme oversee the entire supply chain to ensure they can guide and monitor what happens to their Westholme herd at every stage. They tag each animal and track its movement, growth, family group and medical history. This ensures traceability, both for biosecurity purposes and to enable continual advancements in handling, feeding and care regimes.
CUSTODIANS OF THE LAND - IT’S IN THEIR NATURE
Westholme prioritises caring for their land, people and animals today so they can see them excel tomorrow. Their Westholme wagyu are exemplary converters of the Mitchell grass that’s of limited value to other animals, and which grows naturally on their land. Expansive stations mean their herd graze widely and avoid overburdening any tract of land. They continue to reduce emissions, renew pasture and waterways, and foster the ecosystems which nurture their cattle in a continuous cycle of nourishment.
AN EXCEPTIONAL DINING EXPERIENCE - ELEGANT RICHNESS AND SAVOURY COMPLEXITY
Westholme, together with the University of Queensland worked to develop a world-first wagyu flavour wheel that catalogues tasting profiles for their wagyu. Using similar principles to wine tasting, researchers identified the aroma, flavour and textural components which form the sensory experience of Westholme wagyu. The dining experience is proof of their craft, the culmination of their genetics, provenance, environment, feed and the utmost care they take at every step. The entire Westholme range is identified by its roasted and caramelised aromas, tender melt-in-the-mouth juiciness and elegant, complex flavour with buttery notes balanced by sweet and tart elements.
