Welcome to Ad Astra Akaushi

Ad Astra Akaushi is excited to announce we are offering custom order beef shares, available April 2022. Consider early, plan ahead, reserve now! Akaushi is a relatively new breed of cattle in the United States, yet renowned as one of four Japanese Wagyu breeds. We are eager to provide a premium beef eating experience that offers great taste, tenderness, and health benefits.

Who we are: We are based on a small family farm located near Pretty Prairie, Kansas. My parents, Tim & Mary Jo Bergkamp, are fourth generation agribusiness producers. Both enjoy off-farm occupations in addition to managing the cow-calf operation on the farm. I am their son Blake; my wife, Hannah and I reside in Salina, Kansas. In addition to our careers in Salina, we enjoy the opportunity to assist my parents raising & caring for cattle, along with managing sales and marketing of our beef.

What we do: We operate a cow-calf operation with commercial Angus-cross cows. In 2019, we began using a registered Akaushi bull for cross-breeding. This results in F1 (first generation half-blood) Akaushi calves, which offer improved growth characteristics and beef quality. A unique aspect of our operation is that our calves spend the entirety of their lives on our farm. Our calves are born on native grass pastures and are finished with a grain ration in grass paddocks. This lifespan process ensures we have sole control of the health and well-being of our cattle.

Our mission: To raise high quality, nutritious beef, while striving to be good stewards of the land & environmental resources.