06/14/2026
Did you know that Wagyu-Piedmontese cross cattle, commonly referred to as "F1" or "TenderCross" cattle, are raised in the United States? The specific breeder and source that specializes in this exact cross in the U.S. is Tender Cross Cattle Company, located in Vernonia, Oregon. Created in August of 2020 by AJ Gonzalez , Jonathan Myers, Sara Batterby and Carol Gonzalez. TenderCross specifically raises and crosses Fullblood Wagyu and Fullblood Piedmontese cattle to bring together the buttery marbling of Wagyu and the natural, low-fat tenderness of Piedmontese beef. TenderCross offers harvests in portioned family boxes, retail cuts, and fractional shares (e.g., 1/4 and 1/2 cow shares) directly through the TenderCross Official Website. Why this cross? The "2-Copy" Genetics & Tenderness: Purebred ("2-copy" or homozygous) Piedmontese cattle possess a unique inactive myostatin gene that restricts waste fat while accelerating muscle development and tenderness. The Best of Both Worlds: When crossed with Wagyu, the result is a gourmet steak that features incredible tenderness and health-conscious, lean protein profiles, while the Wagyu genetics provide that rich, buttery mouthfeel.
Featured in the photo are 3 of our 2026 heifer calves.
We bred a 1-copy Piedmontese/Wagyu cross Sire to a 1-copy Piedmontese/Wagyu cross Dam creating "Scarlet". We used the same Sire and different Dam of the same cross to create "Sweet Tea", trying to yield a 2-copy calf. Here is the exact breakdown of the genetic probabilities and breed percentages for this mating. 1. Determining Myostatin Gene Copies... The "copy" designation refers to the inactive myostatin gene (C313Y) native to the Piedmontese breed, which causes double-muscling. This gene follows standard Mendelian inheritance. Let 'M' represent the mutated Piedmontese myostatin gene, and 'm' represent the normal (non-mutated) gene. Because both parents are 1-copy animals, their genotype is heterozygous (Mm). Setting up a Punnett square for an (Mm times Mm) cross.
MM (2-copy)
Mm (1-copy)
mm (0-copy)
2-Copy Calf (MM): There is a 25% chance that the calf will inherit a mutated gene from both parents and be a 2-copy animal. 1-Copy Calf (Mm): There is a 50% chance the calf will be a 1-copy animal. 0-Copy Calf (mm): There is a 25% chance the calf will inherit zero copies of the mutation. The calves will always be 50% Piedmontese and 50% Wagyu, regardless of whether it inherits 0, 1, or 2 copies of the myostatin gene.
"Bubble Gum", 75% Piedmontese and 25% Wagyu. Here is the exact genetic breakdown and why it works: 1. The Myostatin Gene (The "2-Copy" Trait) The Sire: Our crossbred bull has 1 copy of the inactive myostatin gene (the gene responsible for the "double-muscled" hyper-muscularity trait). The Dam: Our Fullblood Piedmontese has 2 copies of this inactive gene. The Offspring: When you mate a 1-copy bull to a 2-copy cow, there is a 50% chance the calf inherits two copies of the gene, and a 50% chance it inherits one copy. Because both parents contribute the gene, every calf is guaranteed to be at least a 1-copy, and statistically half of them will be 2-copy calves. What this means for our herd: This cross gives TenderCross highly premium terminal calf. The Piedmontese genetics guarantee a massive ribeye area, heavily reduced external waste fat, and tenderness. The 25% Wagyu influence ensures the calf will retain the characteristic buttery flavor and intramuscular fat (marbling) that Wagyu is prized for, without being overly fatty.
We get them DNA tested at 6 months old, yet we believe "Sweet Tea" is a 2 copy.
