Brazil may be the world’s largest cattle producer… but its Wagyu industry is still just getting started.

In this episode, we sit down with Brazilian Wagyu researcher and breeder Dr. Ricardo Zanella to break down how Wagyu is growing across Brazil and South America, and why the rest of the world should be paying attention.

We cover:
• How Wagyu first came to Brazil
• Why Brazilian Wagyu tastes different than U.S. Wagyu
• Full Blood vs Crossbred Wagyu in Brazil
• Brazil’s strict traceability and DNA verification system
• Why environment matters more than most people think for marbling
• The health benefits of Wagyu
• The future of South American Wagyu production

If you want to understand where the global Wagyu industry is headed, this episode is a must-watch.

To get in touch with Dr. Ricardo Zanella: ricardozanella@upf.br

How do you actually pick the right Wagyu steak?

In this episode, we sit down with Dave Dreiling from BoothCreek Wagyu in Kansas to break down everything consumers need to know—from marbling and grading systems to how to choose the best steak for your taste.

We cover digital marbling percentage (DMP), why USDA grading falls short for Wagyu, the differences between F1, Purebred, and Full Blood, and the biggest mistakes people make when buying and cooking Wagyu.

If you’ve ever felt confused about Wagyu, this episode willchange that.

Find Booth Creek Wagyu: https://boothcreekwagyu.com

What does a butcher actually see when they look at a cow?

In this episode, we sit down with Travis Stockstill, Dir of Operations at Jack Mountain Meats—a career butcher who has processed over 75,000 animals, been selected to the US Butchery Team and understands the full lifecycle of beef from harvest to retail.

We break down:

• How butchers evaluate carcasses
• Why so much beef becomes grind
• The difference between Wagyu and conventional processing
• Underrated cuts consumers should be buying
• How ranchers can get more value from every animal

This is a real conversation about how the meat industry actually works—and how to think differently about beef.

Learn more about Travis: @Americanbutcher on instagram

Host of "The Meat Block" podcast