A POST on Zestie Malaysia’s Facebook page seems to have caught the imagination of netizens.
It has to do with the Colla Cattle Farm in Kuala Selangor and the enterprising farmer’s attempt at raising premium cattle to produce meat that rivals Japan’s famed Wagyu beef.
An enterprising Jamal Abdul Karim called his highly marbled beef Mygyu to reflect the Malaysian origin of the cows since “Wag” means “Japan” while “Gyu” translates as “beef”. Henceforth, “Mygyu” is thus self-explanatory.
Showing off his stock, the proud CEO of Colla Cattle Farm went on to highlight “Dollah” which is his prized stud used in breeding this Mygyu cattle.
A slaughter house was on also on site which the farmer claimed is among the biggest in the country while boasting that it once managed to slaughter 799 cows in 96 hours.
He also gave tips on how choose the best specimens for slaughter – they are typically with a pronounced bulge on its back.
Formerly an ICAEW-certified accountant, Jamal has shifted to agriculture because he believes that “agriculture is the future”.
The post has already generated 10K likes, 535 comments and 1.7K shares, signalling Malaysians’ keen interest in this farmer’s endeavour.
One netizen wondered if the cattle were allowed to roam free like those in Japan and Holland. The reply was that this was quite impossible due to geographical factors.
This is given that giant solar companies have swept up land, thus raising land prices in the process.
At the end of the day, although the cows were caged, they were also being fed with healthy raw materials and “are happy” as they were treated to music from the radio and automatic showers.
One commenter chided the feeble attempt at copying the Japanese moniker for premium beef. He called for names that better reflect local language. His suggestions included “Bumimas”, “Kasturi” and “Mahligai” beef.
A few commenters were very supportive of the idea as they opined that there should be more Malay-Muslim farmers out there to produce premium quality beef for daily consumption as well as for Hari Raya Haji festivities.
Unable to help themselves, a few netizens alluded to scandals related to previous cattle raising enterprises, chiefly those involving former Wanita UMNO chief Tan Sri Sharizat Abdul Jalil.
One asked just how could that National Feedlot project failed when millions if ringgit were being pumped in?
One commenter commended the farmer for his presentation skill as well as for looking like a macho rodeo rider that very much suited the role of a cattle farmer.
But perhaps the most pertinent question posed what tunes were the cattle listening to? Was it songstress Datuk Siti Nurhaliza to give it a more Malaysian flavour?
All said and done, FocusM wishes this enterprising farmer all the best in this ambitious project. Will Mygyu take off and be part of an international culinary scene? Only time will tell. – May 23, 2025
Main image credit: Anim Agro Technology
