Definition of Belgian Blue
:any of a breed of large beef cattle developed in Belgium that are blue, white, or blue-and-white pied and have an increased rate of muscle growth resulting from a mutation in the gene coding for myostatin
- Fed normally, Belgian Blues develop 20 to 30 percent more muscle than average cattle, and their meat is lower in fat and unusually tender.
- —John Travis, Science News, 22 Nov. 1997
- Belgian Blues are unlike any cows you've ever seen. They have a genetic mutation that means they do not have effective myostatin, a substance that curbs muscle growth.
- —Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2004
