Frequently Asked Questions

Hawksbill Peak Farms was founded by Clay, a native of Page County, Virginia, and Reyn, who hails from Washington, D.C. The two met as neighbors in Stanley, Virginia, united by a shared vision of providing high-quality beef to consumers in the region. Our farm has been operational for almost 20 years, driven by a commitment to sustainability and high-quality products. We offer both Royal Red Akaushi Wagyu and Registered Angus beef, ensuring our customers receive the best beef at a fair price.

There are four primary beef breeds of cattle in Japan (Japan Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled and Japanese Shorthorn). Many strains can be found within each breed depending on the prefecture (Island) and region. Within the Japanese Brown breed there are two main strains, the Kochi and Kumamoto Reds. In the late 1800’s to early 1900’s the Japanese imported live cattle of British, European and Korean breeds. The Kumamoto strain of Japanese Browns were crossed with Korean Hanwoo, South Devon and Simmental (Namikawa, 1992). Seven Akaushi females (Namiko, Akiko, Haruko, Fuyuko, Ume, Dai 8 Marunami, Ringo 117) and three Akaushi bulls (Shigemaru, Tamamaru and Hikari) constituted the eventual HeartBrand Cattle Company original purchase. Our first generation cross comes from the HeartBrand breed. Benefits Early marbling 95% or higher of F1 Akaushi terminal crosses will finish BMS 3+ at 18-20 months of age on short fed grain rations even when crossed with Bos indicus influenced females. As the grain finishing period lengthens they have the propensity to achieve higher BMS levels in a linear manner (Sasaki et al., 2006). Fullblood Akaushi steers that are 28 months of age at harvest will weigh ~1,450 pounds (660 kgs) and 75%+ will be BMS 7+ when grain fed for longer periods. Health benefits Additional marbling contributes to more health benefits of the beef. Akaushi specific research data done by Dr. Stephen Smith, TAMU reported per 100 grams of raw meat a MUFA:SFA ratio of 1.26, oleic acid content of 9.56 grams and CLA content of 89 mg. These values were well above the non-Wagyu commodity beef tested.

Yes, you can visit Hawksbill Peak Farm! Our farm is located at the base of the tallest peak in the Shenandoah National Park. The original homestead, a log cabin built with virgin heart pine in 1835, has been tastefully restored. We welcome guests who want to tour the farm or pick up fresh beef. Please contact us in advance to schedule your visit.