Product Summary (Registration No.56)

Registration No.56 近江牛

Registered name (Transcription) : 近江牛（Omi Ushi / Omi Gyu） 、OMI BEEF

Category of product

Class 6: Fresh Meat (Beef)

Production Area

Shiga Prefecture

Registered Group

Shiga Prefecture Livestock Industry Promotion Association

Characteristics

OMI BEEF melts in the mouth since it contains high amount of unsaturated fatty acid and oleic acid. OMI BEEF has more than 400 years of tradition, one of the longest beef production history among well-known beefs in Japan. It is also considered as one of Japan’s top three beef for its quality, production techniques, and the contribution to Japanese food culture.

Link with the Production Area

During the Edo Period, the consumption of beef was prohibited by the government, but the Hikone Domain (governed the production area) was the only Domain in the country allowed by the Shogunate to produce beef. Also, having rich water resource from the Lake Biwa, the production area has actively cultivated rice from the old times. Therefore, the fattening technique of cattle by mainly feeding rice straw has developed.