3B Beef

The Belgian Blue-White cattle, also known as BBB (Blanc-Blue-Belgium – Blanc Bleu Belge), 3B cattle, or muscular cattle, is a specialized high-yield beef breed originating from Belgium. This is a unique beef breed created in 1919 through crossbreeding local Belgian cattle with Shorthorn cattle (France). BBB cattle are a special breed with exceptionally well-developed muscles, especially in the hind legs. They have an attractive appearance, excellent feed utilization, delicious meat, high economic efficiency, and are very docile. These cattle are revered as “super cattle,” bred specifically for the beef industry. In the very near future, this type of beef will be marketed as “super milk” or “super lean” products.

This breed is characterized by its muscular build, especially in the glutes. Belgian cattle have three basic coat colors: white, blue-spotted, or white-spotted. The three main coat colors are white, white with blue (gray) spots, and black due to the segregation of the Shorthorn gene. Crossbred cattle with Brahman or Droughtmaster often have light gray (blue) or white and black spots. Many individuals have spots, but some are pure white.

They have a beautiful, sturdy, and massive build, resembling a pig, with a strong and harmonious bone structure, rounded ribs, a non-sloping rump, a long tail with a thick tuft of hair at the end, and well-developed muscles, especially in the glutes and hind legs. A notable feature is their highly developed muscles, due to being bred specifically to develop the hind leg muscles. As a large and muscular beef breed compared to other breeds, Belgian Blue cattle have very well-developed muscles, especially in the rump.

While bulls weigh between 800 and 1,100 kg, cows weigh around 600-700 kg. Compared to common cattle, Belgian Blue cattle have 40% more muscle mass. In addition, they grow very quickly and produce high-protein milk. Their feed conversion ratio is high, 5.5-7 kg, the best among current beef breeds (approximately 5.5-7.0 kg/kg of weight gain). Mature 3B bulls weigh between 1,100 and 1,250 kg, while mature cows weigh between 750 and 800 kg. These cattle have good meat production capabilities, with an average weight gain of 1300g/day. The average weight gain is 1300g/day. The carcass yield is 66%.

The carcass yield is 70% (lean meat/carcass yield ratio: 78%). Notably, this breed has a very high carcass yield of approximately 61.6%, while other breeds only achieve 38-40%. The meat quality is delicious. First-term pregnant cows weigh 700-750 kg/cow, mature cows weigh 850-900 kg/cow, and adult bulls weigh 1100-1200 kg. The average age for first calving is 32 months, the gestation period is 280 days, the annual calving rate is 80%, and the calving interval is 14 months. The disadvantage of BBB cows is their poor pelvic muscle elasticity during calving; 90% of BBB cows require a cesarean section.

Newborn calves weigh 45.5 kg, averaging 44 kg/calf. Calves aged 6-12 months gain an average of 1,300 grams/day. At one year old, they reach a weight of 480-500 kg/calf, with male calves weighing 470-490 kg and female calves 370-380 kg. Adult bulls weigh 1,100-1,200 kg (1,100-1,250 kg/calf, with some cases reaching 1,400 kg/calf), and cows weigh 710-720 kg. First-term pregnant cows weigh 700-750 kg/cow, while mature cows weigh 850-900 kg/cow. At slaughter age, 14-16 month old male calves have a carcass yield of 66%.