Belted Galloway cattle
Summary
Extremely hardy and adaptable to a wide range of habitats and environmental conditions, the Belted Galloway has proven value for both conservation and commercial use. A gentle, placid nature and attractive appearance makes the Belted Galloway a very useful animal for grazing sites with public access.
Hardiness: a very hardy breed, particularly useful in wet climates and in year-round grazing situations.
- Extremely tolerant of wet weather – has a thick mossy undercoat & long wavy overcoat that sheds rain, enabling it to graze contentedly through the wettest weather.
- Prefer to winter out-of-doors – not ideally suited to being housed during winter months and unlikely to grow a winter coat in this situation.
- Supplementary feed – fares well on coarse grasses even during winter and may only need minimal amounts of hay or concentrate.
Physical Attributes & Husbandry: a good allround breed of cattle, which is placid, easy to handle and of good general health.
- Handling – generally docile and easy to handle. Even animals in semi-feral situations quickly become used to handling if their circumstances change. Some individuals may have a tendency to kick. A polled breed.
- Sure-footed – is particularly adept at grazing on steep slopes without causing poaching or erosion damage. Flatter areas are necessary for resting and ruminating.
- Containment – standard stock fencing is ideal, but will respect electric fencing provided they are not short of keep and there is a strong charge.
- Insects – not particularly susceptible to flies and ticks.
- Breeding – good, milky mothers.
- General health – very good. Cows will usually live at least 10-12 years.
- Size – medium build, average weight of a cow 500-600 kg.
- Appearance - an attractive breed with a broad white belt around its otherwise black or dun body and is classified as a Minority Breed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
Grazing Characteristics: adaptable to grazing and browsing a great range of species and habitats.
- Preferences – not particularly selective. Appears to take a wide range of grasses, shrubs and coarse herbs.
- Browsing – appears to take a wide range of shrub species. See table overleaf detailing sites where the breed has been used.
- Grazing – see table overleaf for site-specific information.
Interaction with the Public: a gentle animal with high aesthetic appeal.
- Placid nature – placid, gentle nature and unusual markings are helpful in achieving local support in potentially controversial grazing schemes (see example in site table overleaf).
- Temperament in breeding situations – not such strong mothering instincts as the Galloway and so not as likely to be over-protective of calves. However, calving may best be avoided on well visited sites. Bulls very placid in a herd situation.
- Curiosity – generally oblivious to visitors and unlikely to take any notice of walkers or dogs on a site.
Marketability: a breed with great possibilities for both conservation and commercial viability.
- Commercial value – able to produce tasty, lean meat off rough grazing. Fattening on improved grassland to finish within 30 months may be necessary.