KOBE — Prized for its tender, marbled texture and succulent flavor, Kobe beef is a delicacy that can cost ¥19,000 for a slab of steak at some restaurants.

But cattle farmers near Kobe are worried an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Miyazaki Prefecture, another key beef-raising region that often supplies calves to Kobe breeders, could spread to them as well — and impact the nation's premium beef market for years to come.

"I have to think seriously about the risk," said Shigefumi Tanimoto, a rancher for more than 20 years on Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture. "If foot-and-mouth disease came to Kobe, I could lose everything."