|
 As
the name implies, Belgian Blue Cattle originated
in the small European country of Belgium. While
today Belgian Blue cattle are their own fullblood
registered breed, their roots can be tracked back
well over a century to a crossing of Durham Shorthorns
and Friesian cattle.
Initially the Belgian Blue was developed, as
most European cattle are, for their use as a dual
purpose breed or, more simply, for both milk production
and meat production. For most of the early to
middle 1900s the breed tried to exist in the dual
role. However, even at this early stage of breed
development there was an increasing movement among
many breeders to develop cattle of a more meaty
type. Following the second world war, a liberated
European economy quickly demanded an increased
quality and quantity of meat, particularly those
cuts of high retail value. This economic demand
accelerated the development of Belgian Blue cattle
in a more heavily muscled direction.
| Finally, in 1974,
the breed was divided into two branches, one
for continued use as a dual purpose animal
and the other exclusively for meat production.
The vast majority of breeders concentrated
their efforts on breeding the Belgian Blue
for beef production. Today we see the result
of the 150 years of work in the modern Belgian
Blue. An animal that is structurally correct
and sound, docile in temperament, fertile
in breeding, and above all the ultimate beef
machine. |
Photo: Craig Philips |
|
