As most teenage boys know, bulking is a tedious process requiring them to consume copious amounts of protein whilst hitting the gym 5 times a week. Meanwhile, Belgian Blues seem to have no issues with putting on pounds of muscle and do so without having to hit the gym like mad men, seems a little unfair doncha think? Well, I guess humans must’ve been projecting or whatever when they selectively bred cows to make them bulkier than Arnold Schwarzenegger ever was.
As the name implies, Belgian Blue cattle originated in central and upper Belgium and due to the Belg’s indecisiveness, they’re also known as the Race de la Moyenne et Haute Belgique, Belgian Blue-White, Belgian White and Blue Pied, Belgian White Blue, Blue, Blue Belgian. Their colours range from white, blue, black, but they can sometimes be a combination of white blue and black with even the colour red.
The muscling seen on the cattle is often referred to as ‘double muscling’ and is all due to the mutation of the gdf-8 gene, a gene that normally suppresses the production of myostatin, a protein which normally inhibits muscle growth after the cattle has reached a certain age. However, due to its mutation, the cows now continuously produce muscle, a condition also known as myocyte hyperplasia. This eventually results in considerably large skeletal muscles, giving the Belgian Blue’s their buffed up appearance.
More muscles = more tender meat. The Blue beef has approximately 20% higher muscle mass than all other dairy or beef breeds and making them the most desired cow breed for farmers. Humans are selfish creatures and rely on money so when farmers realised that Belgian Blues had the ability to bring larger amount of dough than previous cows, they started selectively breeding the cows. This is when farmers choose the cows with the most muscle and breed them with the other cows, passing on the alleles to these cows’ offspring. This process was repeated over many generations, increasing the muscle yield on each Belgian Blue. Let it be noted that farmers had to ensure they wouldn’t breed closely related cows because not only is that gross, but would result in less genetic variation so they would be resistant against less diseases which could be an issue for farmers as I don’t think diseased meat would sell very well.
However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Although crossbreeding programmes have drastically increased the carcass yield of the cattle, they have also resulted in some not so fun features. The mutation also causes multiple other phenotypic changes, including decreased size of the heart, digestive tract, liver, lung, kidneys and decreased stress resistance. While the double-muscled phenotype has been well characterized, it is unclear whether this phenotype is associated with these issues but it is clear that being a strong cow is not as great as it sounds.
So Belgian Blue are not just beefy Instagram stars that happen to look super cool. They’re a result of decades of selective breeding and have been game-changers in the world of livestock. They allow farmers to produce more food whilst using less land and resources, making room for more sustainable farming. Finally, whether you're after a protein-rich, low fat diet, whether you care about sustainable farming, or just want to enjoy a tastier steak, remember that these cows come with a rich history. It’s important to recognize the hard work farmers have put in to provide us with such high-quality meat whilst also appreciating the food that you have in front of you.
Bibliography
The Cattle Site. www.thecattlesite.com/breeds/beef/8/belgian-blue/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.
National Library of Medicine. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11125627/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.
National Library of Medicine. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11125627/#B1-vetsci-11-00222. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.
Reddit. www.reddit.com/r/AbsoluteUnits/comments/8u188e/ever_seen_a_belgian_blue_cow_now_thats_an/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.
ScienceDirect. www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/myostatin#:~:text=Muscle%20Growth%2C%20Repair%2C%20and%20Preservation&text=Further%20examples%20of%20myostatin's%20regulatory,and%20considerably%20enlarged%20skeletal%20muscles. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024
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