Belgian Blue
The Commercial Crossbreeding Solution
Belgian Blue is a breed of beef cattle from Belgium. These cattle are referred to in French as Race de la Moyenne et Haute Belgique, or, more commonly, Blanc Bleu Belge. Alternative names for this breed include Belgian Blue-White; Belgian White and Blue Pied; Belgian White Blue; Blue; Azul Belga; Blue Belgian; Bleu du Nord; Belgian Blue Pied; Belgisch Witblauw; British Blue; Blanc - Bleu; Blue; Dual Purpose Blue and Blue Belgian.
The Belgian Blue's extremely lean, hyper-sculpted, ultra-muscular physique is termed, "double-muscling". The double-muscling phenotype is a heritable condition resulting in an increased number of muscle fibres (hyperplasia), instead of the (normal) enlargement of individual muscle fibres (hypertrophy).
This particular trait is shared with another breed of cattle known as Piedmontese. Both of these breeds have an increased ability to convert feed into lean muscle, which causes these particular breeds' meat to have a reduced fat content and increased tenderness. The Belgian Blue is named after their typically blue-grey mottled hair colour, however, its colour can vary from white to black.
The Belgian Blue's extremely lean, hyper-sculpted, ultra-muscular physique is termed, "double-muscling". The double-muscling phenotype is a heritable condition resulting in an increased number of muscle fibres (hyperplasia), instead of the (normal) enlargement of individual muscle fibres (hypertrophy).
This particular trait is shared with another breed of cattle known as Piedmontese. Both of these breeds have an increased ability to convert feed into lean muscle, which causes these particular breeds' meat to have a reduced fat content and increased tenderness. The Belgian Blue is named after their typically blue-grey mottled hair colour, however, its colour can vary from white to black.
Traits
As a modern beef breed, the Belgian Blue is outstanding for its:
Males - the weight of an adult bull ranges from between 1.100 and 1.250 kg, for a height at the withers of about 1,45 m to 1,50 m. Indeed, it is by no means rare to see animals heavier than 1.300 kg.
Females - the average weight of an adult cow at the beginning of pregnancy is 700 - 750 kg, with a height at withers of 132 to 134 cm. Cows can reach a weight of 850 to 900 kg and can exceed 140 cm.
- Ease of Calving
- Short gestation period
- Good mobility and structure
- Excellent temperament
- Hyper-developed muscling
- High degree of conformity
- Precocity, good size
- Capacity for young meat development
- High food efficiency for fattening
- Facility for cross-breed calving
Males - the weight of an adult bull ranges from between 1.100 and 1.250 kg, for a height at the withers of about 1,45 m to 1,50 m. Indeed, it is by no means rare to see animals heavier than 1.300 kg.
Females - the average weight of an adult cow at the beginning of pregnancy is 700 - 750 kg, with a height at withers of 132 to 134 cm. Cows can reach a weight of 850 to 900 kg and can exceed 140 cm.
Coat Colour
Apart from the "pie" character present in most coloured animals, three colour types are typical for the breed: all white, blue (pie-blue) and black (pie-black)
However, similar to the Holstein breed or Aberdeen Angus, one can see red coloured Belgian Blue animals - individuals with red factor. It is not too widespread, as in Belgium are not such coloured animals entered into the Herd-Book. They may be carriers of the gene, and thus between the current holder of breeding bulls of the gene found.
However, similar to the Holstein breed or Aberdeen Angus, one can see red coloured Belgian Blue animals - individuals with red factor. It is not too widespread, as in Belgium are not such coloured animals entered into the Herd-Book. They may be carriers of the gene, and thus between the current holder of breeding bulls of the gene found.
Characteristics
- A large long - bodied animal with a straight back and sloping rump, hidden hips and very muscular hindquarters, strong legs with a fine bone
- Coat colour can be from white through to black, including Blue Roan
- Gestation length at 285.6 days for males and 281.6 for females is slightly lower than bovine average
- Milk yield of recorded cows 3.400kg at 3.56% fat
- Calf birth weight averages 48kg for males and 44kg for females
- Bulls on average grow to about 150cm and can weigh up to 1.300kg. 400-day weights have been recorded as high as 692kg
- Food conversion is a major advantage. It has been found that ‘British Blue's’ Food conversion is 13% better than other continental breeds
- The breed has a very high boning out percentage. Up to 85% with an excellent yield of top quality/price cuts. The meat is very lean and has a much lower fat content than other breeds
Meat
The Belgian Blue breed has been selected by the breeders to satisfy the consumer's expectations. The breed is not only characterised by the quantity of produced meat, but also by its quality. Its high nutritional value is determined by 4 main elements: the meat is rich in high biological quality protein, in vitamins B3 and B12, in iron and zinc, both being in an easily assimilated form. The Belgian Blue meat is recommended by doctors and dieticians. Indeed, it contains less cholesterol (+/- 45 mg/100g) than skinless chicken meat (+/- 62 mg/100g). Moreover the BB meat contains on average 5% fat, that is to say, 2 to 3 times less than the meat produced by other breeds. Its lipid composition is characterised by a good fatty acids balance; fat of such quality is not unhealthy. The meat is very tender because of the finer fibres and a lower percentage of tough connective tissue. Belgian Blue meats require about 1/3 less cooking time than standard beef.
Belgian Blues offer consumers exactly what they want: naturally lean, tender and tasty meat, produced with respect for the animal wellbeing and the food safety.
Belgian Blues offer consumers exactly what they want: naturally lean, tender and tasty meat, produced with respect for the animal wellbeing and the food safety.
Crossbreeding
Preliminary results indicate that Belgian Blues are excellent candidates as terminal sire breeds provided producers are compensated for carcass and meat value. They produce 5-9% higher percentage retail product than other sire breeds with meat palatability similar to Angus and Hereford sire breeds. Using a purebred Belgian Blue bull over your herd the Belgian Blue bull will place more weight and muscle into the frames of your calves.
Double Muscling
Text by Iris Kolkman
Around the 1990‘s it was discovered that the extreme muscularity characterising the Belgian blue breed had its origin in a mutation of the myostatin (mh) gene. Myostatin is a member of the TGF superfamily of growth and differentiation factors (McPherron and Lee, 1997). In cattle, this gene has been mapped 3.1cM from microsatellite TGLA44 on the centromeric end of chromosome 2 (Grobet et al., 1997). In conventional animals, skeletal muscle growth is repressed by myostatin. A specific mutation in the mh-gene causes inactivation and gives rise to ―muscular hypertrophy‖ resulting in an increase in muscle mass of about 20% (Grobet et al., 1997). This increased muscle mass is created by an increase in the number of muscle fibres (hyperplasia; Grobet et al., 1997; Bellinge et al., 2005) rather than an increase in their individual diameter. The hypermuscularity in the DM-BB breed is due to a deletion of 11 nucleotides (Grobet et al., 1997), which has been mapped to the centromeric tip of chromosome 2 under a recessive model, suggesting an autosomal recessive inheritance (Charlier et al., 1995).
Around the 1990‘s it was discovered that the extreme muscularity characterising the Belgian blue breed had its origin in a mutation of the myostatin (mh) gene. Myostatin is a member of the TGF superfamily of growth and differentiation factors (McPherron and Lee, 1997). In cattle, this gene has been mapped 3.1cM from microsatellite TGLA44 on the centromeric end of chromosome 2 (Grobet et al., 1997). In conventional animals, skeletal muscle growth is repressed by myostatin. A specific mutation in the mh-gene causes inactivation and gives rise to ―muscular hypertrophy‖ resulting in an increase in muscle mass of about 20% (Grobet et al., 1997). This increased muscle mass is created by an increase in the number of muscle fibres (hyperplasia; Grobet et al., 1997; Bellinge et al., 2005) rather than an increase in their individual diameter. The hypermuscularity in the DM-BB breed is due to a deletion of 11 nucleotides (Grobet et al., 1997), which has been mapped to the centromeric tip of chromosome 2 under a recessive model, suggesting an autosomal recessive inheritance (Charlier et al., 1995).
Distribution
The Belgian Blue is gaining popularity as a beef breed around the world, that is why we see Belgian Blues in France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland, Denmark, the USA, Canada, Brazil, Australia, New-Zealand and the Czech Republic.
The breed is perfectly suited to a great diversity of soils and climates encountered in its international expansion. Its very calm temperament and its docility are also very much appreciated. Due to its exceptional qualities in crossing and full blood breeding, the request for breeding stock is constantly increasing worldwide.
The breed is perfectly suited to a great diversity of soils and climates encountered in its international expansion. Its very calm temperament and its docility are also very much appreciated. Due to its exceptional qualities in crossing and full blood breeding, the request for breeding stock is constantly increasing worldwide.