A 3-year-old cow named Yuki, winner of this year's top Matsusaka prize, was auctioned off Wednesday for 30 million yen in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, despite the dark clouds hanging over the dairy industry due to the mad cow disease scare.

The bid for Yuki outjumped last year's bid by about 10 million yen, drawing attention in a country firmly in the grip of mad cow disease. The highest bid of all time was about 49 million yen, made in 1989 during the high-flying bubble economy.

The 670-kg Yuki, raised by dairy farmer Yukio Noguchi, 67, of Ise, won top prize at an annual cattle fair earlier in the day, receiving the stamp of approval certifying the cow as Japan's most prestigious brand of beef.

"Not only have I fattened up my cows, but I have made them walk everyday so they are in good shape," Noguchi said. "My cows are also free of mad cow disease because I use only natural soy-based feed."