Super Cows

[omni]

A bit of history: It is widely accepted Belgian Blues originated in the early 1900s when a few Durham Shorthorns were introduced into the local cattle population in Southern Belgium, although blue coated animals were often mentioned during the Middle Ages on the actual Belgian territory. Initially employed as a double purpose animal, breeders began selecting for the heavy muscling trait around 1950. The breed was well established by then and from 1960 onward scientific genetic selection techniques were used to further the expression of a high proportion of muscle. This eventually led to the now familiar double muscling trait which makes the Belgian Blue such an exceptional breed.

Source (http://www.lagantoise.com/bbbbreed.htm)

Video showing the cow (http://youtube.com/watch?v=rW54_vM9SF0&feature=bz303)

[tempus fugit]

I'm sure you know about the myostatin animals, Omni:

http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/195bbpic.jpg

[omni]

I'm sure you know about the myostatin animals, Omni:

http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/195bbpic.jpg

If that article was on T-Nation awhile ago (that's what the URL says), I've probably come across it.

Here's a small dog that's pretty massive due to the myostatin gene:

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/vitc/20070625/2192-640.jpg


http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=67f15c17-2717-4022-bb76-1b982456e793

Wendy was recently part of a genetics study done in the U.S. on mutation in the myostatin gene in whippets, which resemble greyhounds in appearance. The National Institute of Health study reported that whippets with one single defective copy of the gene have increased muscle mass that can enhance racing performance in the breed, known for speeds up to 60 kilometres an hour.

But whippets with two mutated copies of the gene become "double-muscled," like Wendy. It has been seen before in one human, and also in mice, cattle and sheep, says the study.

The uber-muscled whippets are called "bullies," not because of their nature -- Wendy likes nothing better than a good back scratch and isn't shy about sitting in your lap to ask for one -- but because of their size. She's about twice the weight of an average whippet, but with the same height and small narrow head -- and the same size heart and lungs, which means she probably won't live as long as normal whippets.



I don't understand why they're saying the muscle weight will cause them to have a shorter lifespan, that doesn't seem to make sense.

[omni]

I found another article about the animals:

http://www.technologyreview.com/Biotech/19589/page1/

In addition to treating muscle wasting, such drugs might prove effective in treating metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance, which is linked to obesity and diabetes. Previous research has shown that diet-induced obese mice given Acceleron's drug showed an increase in lean muscle mass and reduced fasting glucose and insulin levels. Says Evans, "I think these drugs, perhaps used in combo with exercise, might have great potential in reversing the trend toward increasing obesity and decreasing muscle mass."

[Warka]

I don't understand why they're saying the muscle weight will cause them to have a shorter lifespan, that doesn't seem to make sense.

It doesn't matter if the increased mass is in the form of muscle of fat- the supporting elements, organs like the heart, remain normal and are taxed twice as much and thus more likely to break down sooner.