Over time, human interaction with animals has changed the course of both of their evolutionary trees.
To take a classic example, dogs gradually evolved away from wolves as a result of humans selectively breeding the less aggressive animals together over a long period of time. As a result, we now have the relatively docile dogs of today which differ greatly from wolves you might find in the wild. The same is true for larger animals like cows, many of whom have been selectively bred as a result of agricultural practices.
One unusual result of these breedings is the Belgian Blue, an extremely large and bulky animal.
Each of these animals has a unique trait commonly called “muscular hypertrophy,” a phenomenon also known as double-muscling. The meaning of this trait can be understood pretty clearly from a simple photograph. In the animal world, these cows are the equivalent of a human body builder. This is a relatively rare trait in the natural world, as it results from a gene which stops the production of myostatin, a protein which controls muscle growth.
In the case of the Belgian Blue, myostatin is suppressed and the muscles keep growing more or less indefinitely.
Although in some senses this trait could be called a disability, cattle farmers tend to disagree.
As a result of their unique genetics, Belgian Blue cows can grow to weigh as much as 1250kg while an average cow might weigh only 900kg. Still, the animals themselves face some serious complications from these practices. Belgian Blues tend to have narrow birth canals which can create difficulties in giving birth to other animals.
Though the breed is already the result of genetic pruning, keeping the line going also requires even more selectivity. As a result, all the world’s Belgian Blues are the result of fairly limited genetic stock—this in itself can lead to a lack of genetic diversity and the possibility of various genetic defects.
While these creatures are certainly incredible to look at, their existence raises some significant questions.
Although Belgian Blues may produce more meat for farmers raising them, are the benefits worth the cost of creating these unusual animals? Even considering these questions point to other ethical concerns about animal breeding and animal agricultural more broadly. Still, what do our readers think of these unusual animals?
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