Cooperating in raising local and environmentally friendly branded Wagyu beef to reduce methane gas emissions

Akaushi beef is one of the four types of Japanese beef that are considered to be endemic to Japan. It is a brown-colored Japanese beef with little fat and a rich red meat flavor. In June 2024, the Graduate School of Media Design, Keio University (KMD), the Kumamoto Prefectural Livestock Agricultural Cooperative Association (Kumamoto Chikuren), and Higo Bank Co., Ltd. started shipping Ethical Wagyu Kumamoto Akaushi beef, a new brand from the Aso region of Kumamoto Prefecture, to domestic and international markets. The Idemitsu Kosan Group is involved in the raising of Ethical Wagyu Kumamoto Akaushi beef in an unexpected way.

Ethical Wagyu Kumamoto Akagyu (Image provided by Keio University Graduate School of Media Design)

The Aso region of Kumamoto Prefecture, where "Ethical Wagyu Beef, Kumamoto Akagyu" is raised, is a treasure trove of water sources where abundant natural water springs up thanks to the recharge power of the vast grasslands. ^* In addition, the magnificent scenery has made a significant contribution to the tourism industry in the region.
One of the methods for protecting the grassland environment is "cattle grazing." When cattle eat grass, rainwater can easily seep underground, and the grass they eat becomes fertilizer, helping to cultivate rich grasslands. This method has been used for a long time, but with a decline in the number of people working in the livestock industry, sustainability is becoming an issue.
^{*Recharge: To slowly nurture and cultivate water so that it seeps into the ground naturally. It is said that thanks to the abundant grasslands and forests, rainwater does not immediately run off, but instead seeps into the ground naturally and slowly, becoming groundwater.}

In light of these issues, Minamiaso Village, KMD, and Kumamoto Livestock Association collaborated to launch the Minamiaso Village Grassland Regeneration and Red Cattle Restoration Project in July 2022. In order to maintain the grassland environment through the grazing of red cattle, the project aims to improve the sustainability of the livestock industry, including by improving and training the income of livestock workers and creating jobs.

The project also aims to reduce methane gas emissions from cows in response to the growing need for "ethical consumption (ways of thinking and acting that consider people, society, the global environment, and the local community)" in recent years. SDS Biotech K.K. support this project and provide feed containing cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), an ingredient that is expected to be effective in reducing methane gas emissions contained in cow burps, and support the demonstration of greenhouse gas emission reduction technology in the livestock industry in Minamiaso Village. CNSL is a difficult material to handle, but our group has developed a processing technology that makes it easy to handle and keeps the active ingredients from changing. This makes it safe to feed.

Feeding of feed containing cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL)

"Ethical Wagyu Kumamoto Akagyu" is a product that brings together a variety of solutions to problems, such as the conservation of grasslands, the promotion of local industries, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. You may have seen it at a restaurant you have visited.

The Idemitsu Kosan Group will continue to leverage the power of technology to provide carbon-neutral solutions for industrial activities and general consumers.

Grazing red cattle (Photo provided by Minamiaso Village Office)