Cows, beer, massage and Harrods!

It may sound like a strange question but what has a Japanese cow, a local farmer, beer, massage and Harrods got in common?

The answer is that they have combined to become one of the most unlikely success stories to emerge from rural Wales.

Ifor Humphreys, 47, features in this month’s Harrods magazine which showcases the award winning businesses that supply the most famous shop in the world.

But Ifor’s success story stretches far wider than the streets of Knightsbridge, and shows that following a gut instinct can lead to pioneering businesses achievements.

Born in Abermule to a farming family, Ifor has farmed all his life, first with his parents at Llwynmadoc and then at Upper Bryntalch Farm since 1983. He was an active member of the YFC, being Montgomery County Chairman in 1984 and a former Abermule YFC club president.

He was also NFU county chairman in 2001, “a difficult year thanks to foot and mouth disease” he recalls, but has really made his mark after ‘turning Japanese’ in 2006.

After deciding to move away from the more contemporary farming, Ifor decided on rearing the much sought after Wagyu cows from Japan which started by implanting imported embryos and semen in his 30-cow commercial suckler herd.

“I chose to produce Wagyu as it is widely acknowledged as the world’s best-tasting, most tender beef,” said Ifor, who now runs the successful Ifor's Welsh Wagyu which is sold in shops including Harrods as well as served in top restaurants like Jamie Oliver’s in London.

“I wanted to use best-practice farming techniques to see if I could meet the challenge and deliver a superior eating experience for discerning food-lovers.”

The black Wagyu cattle, which are about the size of the Aberdeen Angus, produce the world’s most expensive gourmet beef. This is partly because of the intramuscular fat which develops within the meat, a marbling which gives the meat its superior flavour and juiciness.

These characteristics may also be due to the practice of treating the animals with a daily ration of four pints of Monty’s ale and a massage!

“The cattle enjoy their beer,” said Ifor. “They look forward to it and wait for it to arrive. Whether and how much it affects the meat quality is a bit of an unknown, but they enjoy it and it relaxes them and they get used to human handling from that and the massage.”

Wagyu were originally used in agriculture and were selected for their physical endurance. This selection favoured animals with more intra muscular fat cells which provided a readily available energy source. Japanese Black Wagyu derive from native Asian cattle. 

There were infusions of British and European breeds in the late 1800’s but the breed was closed to outside influence in 1910. Realising the value of their unique product the Japanese Government banned the export of Wagyu and declared them a national treasure!

However, the first Wagyu arrived in America in 1976, in Australia in 1990, in Europe in 1996, and finally in Wales in 2006.

Prior to his investment in Japanese cows, Ifor showed his eye for the unusual by establishing a ‘green’ burial ground on an 11-acre hay field on his land with enough space for 800 burials.

For more information on this truly unique local success story, visit www.iforswelshwagyu.co.uk.

Ifor’s Harrods article is on Page 108 at http://issuu.com/harrodsonline/docs/june_july_2014?e=8294210%2F5711655