The animal world does not cease to amaze humanity with its diverse extraordinary representatives. Moreover, they are sometimes found even among the usual for all domestic animals.
Belgian blue cows
This breed belongs to the meat direction and differs from the very developed muscles that is usual for all Burenki. Muscles are especially pronounced in the shoulders, neck, on the rump and on the back. It is for this that they were given the nickname of bodybuilder cows. Owing to their very unusual forms, representatives of this breed are also called “two-muscular”. Animals simply amaze with their large size, muscular body, thin neck and minimal amount of hair. The yield of Belgian blue cows is much lower than that of dairy cattle, so they are classified as meat.
The menu of adult animals includes straw, hay, chaff, silage and beets. A Belgian blue cow is grazed (photo attached) on pastures. For top dressing with minerals, tricalcium phosphate, bone meal, and defluorinated phosphate are added to the feed.
Breeding history
The Belgian blue meat breed of cows was obtained in the 19th century in Belgium by crossing the local red-motley and motley cattle of the dairy direction with short-legged bulls imported from England. After lengthy experiments, local cows became large with a low torso, and as a result of experiments on artificial insemination of Professor Hanset, a mutation of the double muscle gene occurred in Liège, resulting in a modern look of animals. It was then that the breed, which is now called blue, was completely formed (it is also called the Belgian white-blue, the Belgian blue or white flycatcher, the blue Belgian). Widespread in Belgium, as well as in Germany, France and the United States.
Physical features
Belgian blue cows can have a white, white-blue, bluish-piebald and black color. Sometimes red or a combination of colors may be present. Animals are significantly different from ordinary bulls and cows. They have:
- muscular body;
- strong straight back;
- case of impressive volumes;
- round muscles
- strong, short, straight legs;
- thin skin.
Interestingly, calves of this breed are not born with “doubled” muscles. The appearance of muscles begins to appear at about 4-6th week from birth.
The average weight and height of the animals are:
- at 12 months, calves weigh 475 kg, height - 120 cm; females have a mass of 370 kg, height - 115 cm.
- in 24 months, bulls weigh 775 kg, height - 135 cm; females - 500 kg and 122 cm.
The live weight of adult males is 1100-1250 kg, and in some cases more than 1300 kg. Cows, as a rule, reach a body weight of up to 850-900 kg. When slaughtering animals, the meat yield is up to 70-80% of their total weight. Despite the rather heavy weight, cattle, thanks to strong legs, move quickly enough.
Character Features
Despite the very impressive size of Belgian cows and bulls and their severe appearance, these animals have a very flexible disposition. Blue giants are friendly, gladly make contact and have a good, calm character.
Reviews
Each type of cattle has its advantages and disadvantages. The Belgian blue breed of cows, according to livestock breeders, belong to the following positive qualities:
- good body structure and mobility;
- continuous growth of muscle mass throughout life;
- fast development;
- high daily gain;
- calm, friendly temperament;
- early and frequent calving;
- after slaughter, a high percentage of meat yield;
- beef diet, juicy, very tender;
- special care is not required;
- excellent feed intake;
- short period of gestation;
- production of crossbred young animals;
- milk is possible.
Despite a considerable list of advantages, the Belgian white-blue cow, according to the observations of some skeptics, has some negative aspects:
- massive animals often cause swelling of the legs;
- relatively short life span;
- GMO (gene modifications) may be present in meat.
Meat quality and milk yield
As a result of experiments with genes, breeders were able not only to raise animals with a large amount of meat, but also to significantly improve it - to make it more juicy, soft and dietary. With one carcass, you can get about 80% of pure meat with excellent characteristics, a minimum of fat and cholesterol.
Belgian blue cows have an order of magnitude lower than milk animals. Large sizes and huge muscle mass affected the amount of milk. On average, for 180-250 days of lactation, milk production is from about 2000 to 4500 liters with a fat content of about 3.5%. Therefore, blue cows are credited to the meat category.
Calving Features
The main problem of breeding this breed of cows is to obtain offspring. Due to the formation of large muscle mass in cows in females, a physiological feature such as a narrowed pelvis appeared, which greatly worsens labor. Yes, and calves are born large, which causes additional difficulties. As a result of this, normal physiological calving in representatives of this breed became practically impossible. In purebred animals, almost 50% of all newborn calves are born by cesarean section.
Belgian blue offspring
Cows bring to light their first-born, usually at the age of 28-35 months (at 3 years). Compared to other cattle breeds, Belgian cows have a slightly shorter pregnancy — the calf is born on average in 281 days, and the calf in 285 days. The weight of newborn calves is 40-70 kg, the mass of heifers is 40-60 kg.
Each calf after birth receives a gene responsible for accelerated growth. Therefore, starting from the 4th week of life, they begin to grow intensively, and they gain up to 2 kg per day, which contributes to their rapid growth to adulthood. Daily calf weight gain: calves - 1300-1800 g, calves - 800-1500 g.
Conclusion
Belgian blue cows are an amazing breed that evokes many different emotions and the most controversial opinions. Many livestock farmers single out exclusively its advantages - a huge amount of muscle, a large daily gain, the withdrawal of crossbred young animals, receiving one of two genes that are responsible for building muscle mass. Food lovers appreciated the extraordinary taste of meat. There are also skeptic farmers who are frightened by the possible presence of GMO products and believe that a lot is actually hidden from the public. We can only guess which of the livestock breeders is right, since the Belgian blue cow is not raised in Russia.