Holy Cow! - Page 1

I have alwasy been impressed by the Belgians dogs and breeding selections above all others. After watching this, I am just wowed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmkj5gq1cQU&feature=related

 "Myostatin" is the gene that limits muscle growth.  These cattle are being bred, by mutating this gene.  There have been threads on the DB, regarding the "Myostatin" gene.  These threads, showed Bully Whippets, and even humans with the mutated gene.  It would definitely be possibe to mutate this gene in GSD's, and create a muscle freak.

This kinda reminds me of the musclar Whippet named Wendy.

http://blogmuscle.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/wendy-the-whippet-a-mutant-double-muscled-dog-has-internet-abuzz/

I wonder what this genetic disorder would look like if a German shepherd had it? would be pretty interesting to see.

The Belgain Blues are amazing.   The first time I saw one I couldn't believe my eyes.

http://www.simnet.is/japan/belgianblue.jpg

http://home.blarg.net/~wayule/graphics/hulk_cow.jpg

The question is, how DOES the meat taste

What a bunch of bull........................a whole lotta  BBBBIIIIIIIIGGGGGGG bull!!!!! 

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Science/2004/06/24/512617.html

http://www.who-sucks.com/people/monstrous-myostatin-misfortunes-a-collection-of-myostatin-deficiency-pictures

All double muscled cows grade US Inferior...aka not fit for human consumption.  According to my beef proff. it tastes terrible...the meat has less fat and is very tough and stringy.

The Piedmontese is another double muscled breed.

~Cate

Cate,

According to the Belgian Blue site, I think not all would agree with your proff.  Less fat is becoming a good thing, if raised right can be tender.  Also, as somebody that raised grass fed Katahdins, which some considere double muscled sheep, double muscled and lean does not result in stringy or tough.

Yes - of coarse the belgian blue site would say that...lol, they're trying to sell something, it is a business after all.

On the other hand, Dr. Eversole has only been in Beef (he is also a small time cow-calf operation owner in Virginia) for something like 3 decades.  He also runs our beef farm at Virginia Tech - we are a major research agricultural university, his works have been published in refereed journals like the J.Animal Sci.

Lean meat is becoming very popular in the US...the however...there is a huge export market for the Prime and Choice meats that come from our cattle...mainly to Japan.  However - I will also say the palatability increases as the fat content does - not the toughness....rather the taste.  Some people prefer leaner meat (usually select) while others prefer more marbling (Prime and Choice).

It doesnt change the fact that double muscled cattle are graded US Inferior when it comes to cattle...again - it's not eaten by humans - so arguing it's palatability is kind of moot - it isnt eaten.  A single copy of the gene however is not a problem, actually...(and this might be wrong because I am remembering off the top of my head) but I think one copy of the gene increases tenderness in lean meat.   Double muscling also tends to cause problems with dystocia....cow-calf operators tend not to like it because it means a commercial loss for them.

~Cate