Revolution of Beef Production with Design-in system for Sustainable Utilization of Rural Nature Resource

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19KT0013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 特設分野
• Research Field: Agricultural Resources for the Next Generation
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University (2022); Kagoshima University (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: GOTOH TAKAFUMI 北海道大学, 北方生物圏フィールド科学センター, 教授 (70294907)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-07-17 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 牛肉生産 / 代謝プログラミング / 放牧 / ICT / エシカルマーケット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We innovated a design-in beef production system that sustainably utilizes the rich nature and agricultural resources in the local area of Japan. This study demonstrated the effects of Wagyu metabolic programming to maximize the meat-producing potential of cattle, established a satellite and ICT management system for grazing cattle to manage grazing-fattening, and finally constructed the foundation for the construction of an innovative national land-use beef production system. We have clarified not only phenotypic differences in metabolic programming but also differences in epigenetic modifications in DNA of Wagyu cattle. We also developed a prototype of an automatic feeder for remote individual identification and vital sensing using ICT. Moreover, we sensed on information on pasture cattle behavior obtained by positioning satellites and on changes in pasture situation obtained by remote sensing.

Free Research Field

栄養生理学、産肉生理学、家畜管理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、科学を基盤とし，未来を見据えた理論的，理想的かつ現場に応用可能な現実的な牛肉生産システムのパッケージを示した。代謝プログラミングという概念は，ヒトの健康医学等の概念で、食料生産に応用している例はほとんどない。和牛肉質の特徴を、代謝プログラミングで、輸入穀物でなく、国内の植物資源による肥育で発揮し、衛星データ及びICTの革新的技術を用いて生産する技術は、革新的で有意義な持続的畜産システムとして意義深く、それを日本から世界へ発信できる。