Galloway Cattle

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Does anyone have Galloway cattle? What significant differences are there between Galloway and Highland cattle? I would like more information about both breeds, especially if there is someone out there raising them. Thanks for any help you can give.

-- Cindy Clarke (rclarke@revelstoke.net), February 24, 2001

Answers

Cindy,

Are you talking about belted galloways? I have those.

They have been a dissapointment. I did mucho web and printed info reading on them before diciding to buy. The material I read indicated they had all the characteristics I was looking for. Calm temperament, good foragers, good gain on grass, disease and pest resistant, high quality beef, etc.....

I suspect out problems may stem from the breed being a bit too inbred. Please understand that these are just my thoughts.

We lost one the first week when she ruptured both rear achilles tendons. We had two vets look at her and neither had ever seen anything like it. They also could not give us a clue as to how it happened.

They have not gained well on grass or anything else. We feed them cubes and worm regularly and still have to really baby them to get any good gain. They have trouble finding their way from the pasture where we feed hay to the pasture where grass is growing now. The gates are all open.

My three brangus cows were bred to this bull last year. Their calves are the best looking ones of the lot although this particular bull throws bull calves 4 out of 5 times. One of the purebred calves is a dwarf.

I will probably stick with crossbreeds from now on. They usually get good things from both breeds.

If someone else has this breed and has good things to say about it, please, please let me know.

-- Mona in OK (jascamp@ipa.net), February 27, 2001.


The Belted Galloways tend to be more inbred (to intensify the color in just the right places) then other Galloways. The belted is more of a color variety of the breed however, they tend to have a little more milk then other Galloways. The Scotch Highland is from an area close to (& similar to) the Galloways. They were once thought to be so closely related they were once in the same herd book (registry).

All Galloways are polled (hornless), while Highlands are horned (there are a rare few exceptions to the Highlands). Both breeds forage/graze/browze (?) the same if not very similar. Both are good breeds for the cold climate areas. It has been reported that the Highland has better tasting beef (with the Galloway such a very close second that they almost tie, if it were a contest) then most. Both breeds take longer to mature then most other beef breeds (hereford, angus, crosses), but thats the price you pay for less fat (without grain) & better taste. The Galloway will mature quicker then the Highland, as well as gain faster (there by Galloways will reach butchering weight before Highlands). Both breeds have a better reputation on birthing (calving ease, live births, more living after birth) then angus.

If you want more info. check ok state U.

www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/

Hope this helps.

As for the other post, check with other breeders. I'm not saying anything bad, but even the BEST (meaning you) of us can sometimes get bad stock. Either by accident or we were conned (been there), then again there's just plain bad luck (also been there).

Good luck to all

animalfarms

-- animalfarms (jwlewis@indy.net), February 27, 2001.


All breeds have problems, especially when raised outsite their proper enviroment or when the almighty dollar is a factor. While there are bad Galloways and Belted Galloways to be found there are alot more of excellent quality. As a rule Galloways are excellent milkers, have good confirmation, longevity not found in modern breeds and docile and intelligent animals. Being naturally polled they will dehorn any offspring. All this and a beef breed that tastes better than most. Buying from a reputable breeder will avoid most health and genetic problems.

A. S. Bias Pine Valley Galloways Lovingston, VA http://pinevalleyfarm.homestead.com/PineValleyindex.html

-- Alan S. Bias (asb5w@virginia.edu), April 09, 2001.


We have been raising purebred Galloway cattle for almost 5 years now. We find them to be extremely self-sufficient and hardy, and have adapted,over time, to our hot summers. We originally bought stock for our direct marketing business (grassfed beef), but are now branching out with some breeding stock sales as demand seems quite high. BTW, we raise solid Galloway, not belted. They are excellent foragers and will make a meal out of most anything. This past summer they were eating 14 inch high wiregrass when lush big bluestem was equally available. One bull would stand in a dried up slough and munch 4 foot high sloughgrass. We have not wormed the cows for 2 years, and they keep in good flesh. Composite fecals indicate no worm load. And hey, when you read these cattle have a distinctively superior flavor, believe it! Best of luck, Judy Decker

-- Judy Decker (anagenao@valu-line.net), December 29, 2001.

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