At 20 million yen, best not overcook Matsuzaka cow

TSU, Mie Pref. (Kyodo) The annual contest to select the best Matsuzaka cow was held Sunday in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, with the top honors going to Hime, which was later auctioned off for 20.06 million yen.

Mikichi Kubo shows off Hime, which won first prize Sunday in an annual contest in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, to decide the best Matsuzaka beef cow.

Mikichi Kubo, the 76-year-old livestock farmer who raised Hime, said that in 60 years in the business, this cow was the one that gave him the least trouble.

By definition, only black female cows native to Japan and raised in the Matsusaka area that have not yet had calves can be classified as Matsusaka cows. They are noted for their high-quality and pricey meat.

Fifty animals that had won preliminary competitions were brought to Sunday's contest, and one judge said they were all of superior quality.

Japan has banned the import of beef from the United States since December 2003, after the discovery there of a case of mad cow disease, but the government is expected to formally decide to lift the ban soon.

Organizers of Sunday's contest said, however, that they were not concerned about any adverse impact from the resumption of U.S. beef imports.

"Domestic beef tastes different. I don't believe that (the resumption of trade) would have a big effect on prices or sales," one person involved in the contest said.