Rank Breed | Scientific name Bos taurus coreanae | |
 | ||
Conservation status FAO (2007): not at risk Other names HanuKorean BrownKorean Native Use formerly draught, now meat Weight Male: 466 kgFemale: 355 kg Height Male: 124 cmFemale: 117 cm Similar Wagyu, Jeju Black, Jeju Black pig | ||
The Hanwoo (Korean: 한우), also Hanu or Korean Native, is a breed of small cattle native to Korea. It was formerly used as a draught animal, but this use has almost disappeared. It is now raised mainly for meat.:193 It is one of four indigenous Korean breeds, the others being the Chikso, the Heugu and the Jeju Black.
Contents
Pyeongchang hanwoo world best beef
History
The Hanwoo was traditionally a draught breed. Until the expansion of the South Korean economy in the 1960s it was little used for beef production.:193 A herd-book was established in 1968. Hanwoo beef has since become a premium product.
The Hanwoo was listed by the FAO as "not at risk" in 2007.:93 In 2003 the total population was reported to be about 1 240 000; in 2014 it was reported as 2 670 000.
It was suggested in 2001 that the Hanwoo is a hybrid between taurine and indicine cattle. A mitochondrial DNA study in 2010 found it to be closely related to two taurine breeds, the Holstein and the Japanese Black, and distinctly different from the indicine Nellore and Zwergzebu. In 2014, single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis found Korean cattle to form a distinct group with the Yanbian breed of China, separate from European taurine breeds and distant from the indicine group.
Characteristics
The Hanwoo is a small breed. The coat is brown; both sexes are horned. Cows have good maternal qualities, but milk production is low, little more than 400 l in a lactation of 170 days. The cattle are fed rice straw as their principal source of roughage.
A rare white variant of the Hanwoo has been bred since 2009; in 2014 there were 14 head. It is reported to DAD-IS as a separate breed.
Use
Despite its high price, hanwoo beef may be preferred to cheaper imported meat in Korean cuisine, as the former is regarded as fresher and of better quality. Kim et al. (2001) noted, "Hanwoo is regarded as a premium beef because of its high palatability and desired chewiness". Since Koreans consider hanwoo beef a cultural icon and one of the top-quality beefs of the world, it is used in traditional foods, popular holiday dishes, or as a special-day gift. Hoengseong County is best known for its hanwoo cattle, where the environment is well-suited for cattle farming. The county began a strategic marketing campaign to brand itself as the origin of the highest quality beef in Korea; selling meat as a "premium product".