Dutch Belted Breed of Cow:

The Dutch Belted breed is a breed of dairy cattle that has a unique, distinctive, and pleasing appearance, and also produces rich and tasty milk.



The breed is highly productive, with a single cow being able to give over 9000 liters of milk per lactation. The breed also reproduces very quickly, and the reproductive rate is much higher than the average for most similar breeds. The average lifespan of the cattle is also quite long, which is another reason why they are profitable.



It is said that Dutch Belted cows are the only direct descendents of the early belted breeds of Switzerland and Austria, where they were highly prized by the nobles. The characteristic “belt” of the breed was not a natural feature, but was bred over several decades. Other livestock, including rabbits, goats, and pigs, were also bred with this unique feature.



Of course, the physical appearance of the cattle is only one facet – the quality of their milk is what they are really prized for.

Dutch Belted cattle are typically black or red in color, and have a broad “belt” of pure white. The belt begins a little behind the shoulders, and stops a little before the animal’s hips, going all around its body. Dutch Belted cows typically weigh around 1100 pounds, and Dutch Belted bulls weigh around 1600 pounds. They have a high muscle to bone ratio, and as a result the beef yield is quite high. However, this breed is rather rare, and is therefore not often used for beef. It is in the dairy industry that it is most popular, and its primary role remains that of a dairy breed. During the 18th century, the breed had become extremely popular and was widely found, but in recent years, the numbers have fallen considerably, in spite of the popularity of their milk and their dairy products.

Dutch Belted milk is considered to be the ideal milk for drinking, as its fat content is only around 4.5 per cent. The milk is also unusually well mixed and even, and is therefore considered to be naturally homogenized milk, in a sense. This characteristic too is said to make the milk easily digestible and therefore great for drinking, as well as for producing dairy products such as cream and cheese. If you wish to find more Dutch Belted cow information, you can look for the various cattle associations, many of which have resources online.