Belgian Blue - Facts or Fiction

[WalnutCrest]

Jersey beef is really good ... as a test we're crossing Aubrac bulls on Jersey cows. We have 15 calves (by 5 different bulls) coming early next year.

 

[Muddy]

Jersey breed is the highest marbling breed - hands down.

I've had few people told me that Jersey beef is really lean but still tender.

 

[Muddy]

Oh yes I might add, though dairy breeds are skinny, believe me when I say they are good eating, their meat is fine grained and sweet, even though some look like a chickadee..
I know people who crossed Jersey heifers on BB bulls-through AI. I asked them if they had problems calving, and they said they never had a problem. Now I wouldn't do that, the very though makes be cringe, but they did and had good results ....

Chippie on here, bred his jerseyX cow to a Belgian Blue bull and the cow had the calf. Apparently the calf was delicious.

 

[WalnutCrest]

Jersey breed is the highest marbling breed - hands down.

I've had few people told me that Jersey beef is really lean but still tender.

The whole idea that marbling is the only indicator of tenderness and flavor is a great marketing job.

It's my opinion muscle fiber type is most closely related to tenderness ... and a tendency to marble evenly throughout the muscle (as opposed to huge seams of fat and fat converting that's easily trimmed) AND high butterfat genetics are positively correlated with beef flavor (plus the age of the animal; older = more flavor).

 

[farmerjan]

Walnut Crest has it pretty well nailed as far as the tenderness/marbling thing. In several tests, that I have read about over the years, (Wagyu are in a class by themself) ; jerseys are the most tender with guernsey second, then angus, hereford, and holstein actually coming in about 5th or 6th. This was according to a few times that they had done taste/tenderness tests with chef's and such. I can tell you from years of eating jersey beef; they are tender and do marble well if allowed to reach some maturity. Flavor does come with age. I kill at 26 + months, all according to if I want T-bones or not due to that age rule for BSE and no backbone etc. I usually do not do T-bones because the bone just takes up more room. I do grass fed beef and they might get a couple pounds of grain a day or every other day near the end but not much. After they get to the 36 month age they will get a little tougher, but not to where they are "tough". Add to it the high butterfat to contribute to the flavor.
I am looking forward to some of the Aubrac cross calves this next year. I have used 3 different bulls on some of mine; the 3 cows are holstein/jersey/angus cross. the 5 heifers are at least 1/2 jersey with angus...the dams were jer/angus and some holstein, bred back jersey so the heifers are more dairy than beef. There is a little guernsey in 1 or 2 of the heifers also.

I have read that there is a difference in the muscle fiber and that different breeds with the "double muscling" have different types. I just want to put more "butt" on these dairy cross calves so that they do better at the sales. But if I can get one that has better beef, then I might be able to market them direct and make it pay. I get tired of dealing with the public,but if I can prove that the meat is more tender with a cross and still keep my dairy animals, and raise several calves on them, then I think I will be ahead.

Have one dairy farmer that is going to be breeding only his top 1/3 of the herd to dairy and the rest of his cows to beef so the calves are more marketable. The jersey bull calves are not worth $25. here and although I don't mind them, a dairy farmer needs to be able to at least get $75-$100. for a bull calf to help pay for things. Milk is still so marginal that they are barely getting by. A nice limi cross or something like that will make the calf more saleable. I've gotten one and she is nice, and will be getting more if the prices aren't too high, even though I don't really want bottle calves, these are nice calves.

 

[Muddy]

I believe there are four different types of double muscle genes in Piedmontose cattle and two different types in Belgian Blue cattle as well.

 

[Nite Hawk]

Not sure about the double muscle genes in Piedmontese, but I do know they have----according to different tests that I have read-- one of the better flavors and tenderness in lean double muscled cattle..

 

[Muddy]

Just saw this in a cattle group on Facebook today. Belgian Blue X Brahman crosses in South America.

3/4 brahman 1/4 Belgian Blue







F1 bull

 

[slick4591]

I seen those types from there and I like that look Muddy but I doubt you'll change anyone's mind up here.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Sorry for bringing this thread up. Just wanted to share some experience. My one friend just had a new bull calf by AI BB bull. Born by c-section. 182lbs. He previously had some calves born by the same bull naturally.

The bull is adviced to use on plain mature cows only.

 

[Bright Raven]

Sorry for bringing this thread up. Just wanted to share some experience. My one friend just had a new bull calf by AI BB bull. Born by c-section. 182lbs. He previously had some calves born by the same bull naturally.

The bull is adviced to use on plain mature cows only.

Dear Lord. I am glad you are in Lithuania. Grit can only comment. Very unlikely that he will come after you. Lol

That is a big calf.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Sorry for bringing this thread up. Just wanted to share some experience. My one friend just had a new bull calf by AI BB bull. Born by c-section. 182lbs. He previously had some calves born by the same bull naturally.

The bull is adviced to use on plain mature cows only.

seen a vet pull a reg.Simmental calf... Popped the calf out ,cow hit the ground never to stand again...calf weighed a shade under 200..looked like a miniature pony..

 

[lithuanian farmer]

200.. that's some calf.
We might get our the first BBx calves in October, so I hope we won't have any calving difficulties. Cows haven't passed their heat term after AI, so will see if they stuck. Three were AI'd to two BB bulls. One proven easy calving on 1st calver, another with no info about calving on two big Charx cows. There are three more cows which should be for the 3rd BB bull after calving. That one was born 125.7lbs, and is said to be easy calving, even suitable for heifers. Well, we won't use him on heifers, but mature cows will be good enough to test his calving ease.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

200.. that's some calf.
We might get our the first BBx calves in October, so I hope we won't have any calving difficulties. Cows haven't passed their heat term after AI, so will see if they stuck. Three were AI'd to two BB bulls. One proven easy calving on 1st calver, another with no info about calving on two big Charx cows. There are three more cows which should be for the 3rd BB bull after calving. That one was born 125.7lbs, and is said to be easy calving, even suitable for heifers. Well, we won't use him on heifers, but mature cows will be good enough to test his calving ease.

never seen anything like it...

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Up and doing well. The dam is LimoxSimm.