Meaning
松阪牛 (まつさかぎゅう, Matsusaka gyū) is Matsusaka beef, a Japanese food (meats).
What is Matsusaka beef?
Matsusaka beef is the meat of Japanese Black cattle reared under strict conditions in the Matsusaka region of Mie in Japan. It has a high fat-to-meat ratio. Within Japan, it is one of the three Sandai Wagyū , the "three great beefs"; the others are Kobe beef and Ōmi beef or Yonezawa beef. About 2500 cows are slaughtered for Matsusaka beef each year; the meat commands high prices. The cows take roughly three years to mature. In order for the meat to be sold under the Matsusaka name, it must meet strict standards. Only virgin female cows can be sold as Matsusaka beef and all calves must be of a breed registered by the Matsusaka Beef Management System. Most of the meat is sold through stores owned by the Matsusaka Beef Cattle Association. To prevent cheap meat from being sold under the Matsusaka name, all authentic stores have an "Association Member's Certificate". The Mie Prefecture Matsusaka Shokuniku Kosha has implemented a system for tracking the cows to ensure authenticity. All cattle are given a 10-digit ID. The date of birth, location of birth, date it was slaughtered, shipping information, and the bloodline of each cow can be found by entering the ID on a website.