Italian farmers pin beef hopes on Japanese cows

By Svetlana Kovalyova

COMAZZO, Italy (Reuters Life!) - A farm near Milan is raising Japanese Wagyu cows to woo meat-loving Italians with the world's most expensive Kobe steaks.

The Italians are hoping the tender, marbled beef will revive falling beef consumption and give their profits a boost.

Described by one chef as "the Ferrari of meat," Kobe has been making inroads in Italy even though it costs about 100 euros ($148.2) per kg to buy. That's twice the price of Italy's Fiorentina T-bone steaks from Chianina cows.

Chocolate-colored Yoko, Waghino and Hirino, stumbling in their stall on a farm just south of Milan, are about a month old and are the first Wagyu calves to be born in Italy. They come from embryos imported from Australia.

They will be meticulously reared and coddled for 2-3 years, with massages and a diet including beer to give them the famous marble-like meat texture webbed with fat veins for the first "Made in Italy" Kobe steak to land on someone's plate.

Matteo Scibilia, chef at a haute cuisine restaurant near Milan and an adviser to Italian retailer Metro, cannot wait to give his connoisseur clients a taste.

"There is a demand for high quality meat. Kobe beef may sell for 300 euros a kilo in a restaurant. It is a niche product, like a Ferrari for meat," said Scibilia, who currently uses imported Kobe beef at his restaurant, Osteria della Buona Condotta.

Fausto Cremonesi, veterinary professor at Milan's Universita degli Studi and a driving force behind the plan to raise Wagyu cows in Italy, said the project is aimed at boosting farmers' dwindling profits as well as reviving demand.