The modern beef breed was developed in the 1950s by Professor Hanset, working at an artificial insemination centre in Liège Province.

[clarification needed] The Belgian Blue has been exported to many parts of the world; it is reported to DAD-IS by twenty-four countries, in Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania.

[7] The truncated myostatin gene is unable to function in its normal capacity, resulting in accelerated lean muscle growth.

[7] Because of this breed's increased muscle yield, a diet containing higher protein is required to compensate for the altered mode of weight gain.

[8]: 256 [10]: 110 [11] In bulls, testicular weight and semen quantity and quality are lower than in other cattle, perhaps because of the greater amount of connective tissue in the testicles.

[6] The economics of breeding and raising Belgian Blue cattle are inconclusive because of complications experienced during parturition and metabolic demand for more concentrated feeds.

[6] The slower rate of fat deposition causes slaughtering to be delayed in most cases, which means an increase in maintenance costs in those animals.