Belted Galloways

The Family Farm Favorite

Frequently Asked Questions

Belted Galloways are recognized to be a very ancient breed, although much of the history prior to the middle of the 18th century has been lost. Galloway is a coastal district of Scotland, characterized by winds and damp cold, combined with rugged terrain consisting of moors, stoney hills, heathery mountain ranges and fertile glens. From this challenging environment, the wavy haired cattle, with undercoats like beavers, originated.

It is thought that Galloway cattle have never been mixed with other breeds, but since there was trade between Scotland and the Netherlands, the belted characteristic of Belted Galloways most likely developed from a crossing of early solid Galloways with Dutch Belted cattle. The first exportation of Galloway cattle to North America came in 1853, and Michigan State College in Lansing imported the first Galloways to the United States in 1866. Prior to 1989, only about 100 Belted Galloways had been imported from the United Kingdom into the United States.

What colors do Galloways come in?

Most of the early cattle Galloways were black but red, brown and brindles, and cattle with white markings were not uncommon. Although the most common color for Belties is black and white, thus the common reference to "Oreo Cookie Cows." Belted Galloways also occur in dun (a chocolate-brown) with a white belt, and less commonly, in red with a white belt.

Are there other cattle with belts?

Dutch Belted Cattle are primarily a dairy breed and at one time were one of the top five breeds of dairy cattle in the United States. Their numbers declined as Holsteins began to dominate dairy herds. However, there is renewed interest in Dutch Belts with the return to grass-based dairy farming. A breed of cattle called the Buelingo has been developed in the United States in recent years. The belted characteristic is also present in other species such as Hampshire hogs and hooded rats.

What makes Galloways unique?

Two of the most important characteristics of Belted Galloways are their performance on poor land and their ability to survive in harsh environments. The Mols Laboratory in Denmark demonstrated that the Galloway cattle will consume more varieties of flora than any other breed tested.

Their long hair coat consistis of a double coat of hair which functions much like feathers and down on ducks and geese. Research at Montana State University has shown that a beef cow with a thick hair coat requires 20-25% less digestible feed in cold weather to maintain body weight. In hair density, Galloways rank second only to the buffalo.

Belties' uniqueness goes far beyond their belts, their most distinguishing characteristic. Belties are exceptionally long-lived, with many cows remaining productive through their late teenage years, a trait which contributes to economic efficiency.

They are also known for their strong will to survive. At the Meat Animal Research Center in Nebraska, Belties were found to have the highest weaning percentage, the highest calf survival, and an outstandingly low incidence of calving difficulty.  The calves themselves are hardy and they get up and nurse quickly.

How does the beef of the Belted Galloway compare to that from other breeds of cattle?

Belted Galloways produce an extra-lean, fine textured and flavorful beef. Galloways have been rated the top breed group for flavor and juiciness by the USDA Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska. Because of their double hair coat, their beef is lean but well marbled. Some studies have shown beef from Galloways to have less of the undesirable fats. They produce high quality beef directly from grass, and the Beltie steer, whether grass or grain fattened, can produce the ideal 600-750 pound carcass.

What is the disposition of Belties?

One of their most valued characteristics is that they are quite docile when handle appropriately. It is rare to find a mean or troublesome bull. Being moderate-sized, they are usually quite easily managed, although mothers are protective of their calves, and bulls, by virtue of their size alone, can be intimidating.

Their moderate size and gentle dispositions make them easy to handle, even by the novice cattle handler. Belties are courageous however, and if annoyed by coyotes or wild dogs, they will form a tight herd and drive off their enemies. It is claimed that Belties can be grazed with sheep to protect them from predators.

What do I look for in selecting Belted Galloways?

Check out the information on the Belted Galloway Society web site: 

http://www.beltie.org/brochure.html

How big are Belted Galloways?

Belted Galloways are considered a moderate-sized breed, mature Beltie bulls weighing approximately 1800-2000# and mature females around 1000-1200#. Females are bred for the first time when they weigh approximately 65% of their mature weight.

At birth, bull calves weigh approximately 70-80# at birth, with female calves about 10# less, and incidents of dystocia (difficult births) are uncommon. Most calves will reach about half of their mother's weight by the time they are 6-7 months of age.

In 2002, Robert Rose of Vermont generously donated his entire herd of Belted Galloways to the Belted Galloway Foundation for purposes of research and education, and some base line data were taken on his entire herd. Weights in the Rose herd for the mature cows ranged from 1030 lbs to 1365# at the time of weaning fall calves, with the average weight being 1198 lbs. Although the current commercial cattle industry would prefer a larger frame size, the weight and frame size of the Rose Herd is preferred in many forage based production systems and would appear to be typical of many small Beltie herds.

Three year old cows ranged from 925-1175 lbs with an average weight of 1045 lb, or 87% of the average weight of a mature cow. There was only one 2 year old heifer and she weighed 76% of the mature cow average weight. Frame sizes of the mature animals ranged from 2.5-5 with the average frame scored of 3.7.  A frame score of 3.5-5.5 is considered the ideal by many people who have chosen a grass fed management system.  A two year old heifer should obtain a weight of approximately 75% of adult weight and a three year old, about 85%.

Where can I find EPDs for Belties?

Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) for Belties do not exist, and the use of EPDs is somewhat controversial.  They can be an excellent tool, but only if properly used.  Some believe that the commercial use of EPDs has created a problem with freakish sized, giant bulls that resemble dairy cattle or draft cattle more than beef animals.  EPDs have been based on a performance paradigm rather than profitability.  Any environment can only support so much growth without huge amounts of expensive, supplemental feeding.

EPDs predict the difference between the average progeny of one individual and the average progeny of another individual.  These determinations are made by measuring large numbers of off spring from different sires; accuracy of the EPDs varies with the amount of information provided to make the calculations.  In Belted Galloways, there simply is not enough accurate information to make them useful or reliable.

The best information available can be obtained by comparing individuals within a particular management system.  If all bulls are raised in the same environment, individual differences should be a reflection of individual potentials.  The purpose of the Bull Test is not to determine a "winner," but simply to identify a group of bulls which are superior in the areas of heritable, economically important traits.Please refer to the tab on the left, "A Lot of Bull," for more information about our Grass Fed Bull Testing. 

What do Belties eat?

Belties are considered "easy keepers," and tests at the Olds Agricultural College in Alberta, Canada, showed that Galloway cattle are superior feed converters. Belted Galloways are known for their foraging abilities and will eat vegetation ignored by many other breeds. Many Beltie breeders maximize the use of their pastures by using rotational grazing. The animals are easily trained to electric fencing. Some Galloway breeders, including Malabar Farm, maintain their herds on set-aside pastures throughout much of the winter, the cattle digging through the snow to find their forage. Some breeders finish their cattle on grass alone, producing a rich tasting, lean beef.

Is raising Belties difficult?

Because of their gentle dispositions, moderate size, easy calving and good mothering, Belted Galloways are quite suited to the novice cattleperson. Belties resist disease, have a strong will to survive, and are naturally polled (without horns).

Here is an excellent site for information on raising cattle on small farms:

http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat/ec1514.pdf

Do I need to keep a bull?

This is one of the great debates among breeders. Artificial insemination can be used but can be expensive and requires greater management skills than natural breeding, but keeping a bull is more expensive, and bulls by virtue of size alone can be quite intimidating. Since there are advantages and disadvantages to either method, the choice is based strictly on the breeder's preference. The best way to decide is to discuss this with one of the experienced Belted Galloway breeders.

For information on semen collected from sires at Malabar Farm and Blossom Ridge Farm, click on the tab to the left, "A Lot of Bull." 

To read more about breeding Belted Galloways, click here.

How much do Belties cost?

Prices for Belties will vary depending upon a number of variables, but in most cases, prices are comparable to other purebred cattle. Factors effecting the price include the age of the animal, its pedigree, reputation of the breeder, performance of the herd, show ring competitions, cattle market prices as well as the relative availability of Belties in your area. The best investment for most novices is to purchase a mature bred cow which previously has had other calves.

To read more about marketing Belted Galloways, click here.

What happens if I breed a Belted Galloway bull to another breed of cattle?

Many of the characteristics of Belties including the belted coloring, hairy coat, and the lack of horns, are passed on to cross-bred progeny such as the half-bred steers in the above photo. Cross-bred animals often show a hybrid vigor, i.e. a tendency to be more productive that either of the parental breeds alone. Belties' ability to convert forage to meat efficiently is also passed on to cross-bred progeny. The herd book of Belted Galloways allows for crossbred females to be included in the "appendix registryk," and with successive breeding of cross-bred females to purebred bulls, the offspring in the fifth generation are considered "purebred."

What is the difference between "full blood" and "purebred?"

Full blood Belted Galloways have no crossbred ancestors, while a purebred may have been "up-bred" from crossbreeding of purebred Beltie bulls to other breeds of cows. Both the American Galloway Breeders' Association and the Belted Galloway society offer an Appendix Registry system in addition to and kept separately from their purebred registries.

What is "Conservancy Breeding?"

Conservancy breeding is the management of a breed of animals as a genetic resource; all existing bloodlines are considered important. Genetic purity is also considered paramount, and breeding focuses on maintaining the original characteristics of the breed. As compared to conventional breeding, a larger number of males are used in order to preserve genetic diversity. An excellent resource is a book called The Conservation Breeding Handbook, available from the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

To contact The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy,

http://albc-usa.org/about.html 

What is "Production Breeding?"

Production breeding involves applying the pressure of breeding selection by comparing economically desirable traits like rate of daily gain, to benchmark values. If the selection criteria are too narrowly focused, however, other desirable characteristics may be sacrificed. Records are useful only in comparing animals to others raised under comparable conditions. One of the most important measures of performance is the adjusted yearling weight, a trait which encompasses several economically important traits.

For more information about performance breeding, click here.

What is "Management Intensive Grazing?"

Management intensive grazing is a system of rotational grazing which seeks to maximize forage utilization by a system of paddocks through which livestock are rotated after a short interval of grazing. Stocking rates are heavier, encouraging livestock to consume species of plants which they might otherwise ignore. Rotational grazing has been shown to improve pastures and increase the number of animals which can be stocked in a given area.  Paddocks are frequently formed by using simple and relatively inexpensive electric fencing, for cattle often just a single strand of wire on fiberglass posts. An excellent resource about Management Intensive Grazing is The Stockman, Grassland Farmer. SGF address is:

www.stockmangrassfarmer.com

What is "Sustainable Agriculture?"

The sustainable agriculture movement has been successful in developing economically viable and environmentally sound alternatives to large conventional livestock production systems. These environmentally friendly alternatives include intensively managed pasture systems, reduced ground water contamination, reduced use of feeds from row crops, and minimal use of chemical soil enrichment and weed control agents. Farming practices tend to be more labor intensive with the focus on soil enrichment and preservation. These practices are often accompanied by direct marketing to consumers either through farmers markets or subscription.

To learn more about Sustainable Agriculture, click here.

What is "Natural" Beef?

Under current USDA policy, meat may carry the "natural" label if it contains no artificial ingredients and is minimally processed. The label must explain the use of the term (e.g., "no added colorings or artificially ingredients"). Production methods must be documented

Contacting Malabar Farm and Blossom Ridge Farm