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I like my beef… er, ripped?

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With a regular application of the right chemicals, it’s amazing what you can do to a living creature. Observe:

Belgian Blue cow

That’s a bull of the Belgian Blue breed, which has a genetic anomaly that suppresses the production of a hormone called myostatin that inhibits muscle growth – hence the ‘double muscling’ seen above.

“So what,” you say. Well, myostatin inhibitor drugs are being developed with the intent of treating muscle-wasting diseases like muscular dystrophy in humans. And we all know how the street finds its own use for things… as does the sports arena, the university, and the boardroom.

Double-muscled beefcake – coming to a gymnasium near you, very soon. [via SentientDevelopments; image from Kottke article, no attribution available]

4 thoughts on “I like my beef… er, ripped?”

  2. A similar mutation can also occur in whippets (and probably other creatures I don’t know about). They’re said to be good-tempered, despite their appearance, but sadly, shorter-lived than regular ones.

  3. Raven, you need to do some research before you open your mouth. Belgian Blue is the results of SELECTIVE BREEDING OVER SEVERAL GENERATIONS not through the use of chemicals.

  4. M, you need to read what people have written before you open your mouth. I NEVER AT ANY POINT CLAIMED THE BELGIAN BLUE’S MUSCULATURE WAS THE RESULT OF CHEMICALS. In fact, I clearly state that it’s caused by a genetic anomaly, and that a chemical that may mimic the effect is in development.

    Was there anything else?

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