Dutch belted (Lakenvelder) young bull - Fotografia de stock

The original belted cattle originated in Austria and Switzerland. By the 17th century, these ancestors of the Dutch Belted breed were moved to the Netherlands by Dutch nobility. The 'belted' color pattern was highly desirable in the Netherlands, and the nobility who owned these cows are also claimed to have bred the belted color pattern into other livestock, including Hampshire pigs, Dutch rabbits, and Lakenvelder chickens.Dutch Belted cows were imported into the USA in the 1830s, where they were exhibited as a rare breed.During the 1900s, numbers of Dutch Belted cattle declined worldwide to the point of near-extinction.Currently, a 'Breeding Up' program designed to increase numbers and genetic diversity of the Dutch Belt is in place. The program breeds registered Dutch Belt bulls with grade cows.