The Belgian Red is a Belgian breed of dual-purpose domestic cattle from Flanders in Belgium and Northern France. In the twenty-first century it is an endangered breed.
It is similar to the Flemish Red (Rouge du Nord, Rouge Flamande) of France, but is considered a distinct and separate breed. Although often red-and-white in colouration, it is also distinct and separate from the Belgian Red Pied (Pie-Rouge, Roodbont) and from the Belgian White-and-Red (Witrood Ras Van Oost-Vlaanderen, Blanc-Rouge de Belgique).
History
The Belgian Red is thought to derive from the local cattle of the area of Cassel and Hazebrouck in French Flanders – which were formerly widespread on both sides of the Belgian-French border – with influence from the British Shorthorn (or Durham, as it was then known). From 1906 there may also have been some influence from the Danish Red. A herd-book was started in 1919.
In 1986 there were still about 50,000 Belgian Red cattle left in the region, but the population decreased rapidly. In 2001 there were recorded to be less than 100 of the cattle left in the world.
Characteristics Belgian Reds are primarily solid red with potentially a few white patches on head, dewlap, underline and legs, and udder or scrotum. They are generally long, large and heavy animals.
This breed is primarily a dual purpose breed, being raised for both meat and milk. However, after 1980's selection for two separate strains (meat and milk or dual-purpose) were created by the breeders of this breed.
Bulls generally weigh about and cows .
Use
The average milk yield of cows was measured in 2004 at per lactation; milk-fat content was 4.27%.
References
Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. . Archived 23 June 2020.
Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. .
Breed data sheet: Belgisch roodbont / Belgium (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2025.
Valerie Porter, Ian Lauder Mason (2002). Mason's World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Types, and Varieties (fifth edition). Wallingford: CABI. .
Rood West-Vlaams rund (in Dutch). Oosterzele: Steunpunt Levend Erfgoed. Archived 20 February 2015.
Breed description: Belgian Red. Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Archived 19 May 2008.