Belted Galloway

basempires · #1 04/16/09, 09:33 PM

We're planning on adding cattle to our existing farm. After researching cattle breeds, we have settled on the heritage breed Belted Galloway for a variety of reasons. Does anyone have any of this breed? If so, are there any recommendations as to breeders to acquire our initial stock?
Thank you!

francismilker · #2 04/17/09, 09:38 AM

I've only seen them in pics. so far. I don't know of any in my area. (SE OKLA.) Sorry.

thequeensblessing · #3 04/17/09, 09:42 AM

Every once in a while they are offered for sale here in southern Ohio, however, they command such a steep price that although I'd love to own a few, I could buy 3 angus for what one belted would cost me. I just can't see doing that, personally.

wstevenl · #4 04/17/09, 02:44 PM

We've got 3 bull calves (to steer) and 2 heifers all are at least 3/4 Belted Galloway and non are registered. We're really happy with our so far. They stay pretty laid back all the time, 3 out of 5 will let me walk up and touch them, and they are small framed but have alot of depth to them. I'm waiting to see how the do with our heat to decide if we buy more in the fall. They've got alot of hair, but I can already see clumps of it falling off.

NWMO · #5 04/18/09, 01:16 PM

To beltie.org and check out the breeder page and also the hotline of cattle for sale.

I found mine priced right, as the lady who had them was just about to take them to the sale barn as a last resort and they would not have done well there, as Angus rules the roost around here when it comes to the sale barn.

The webpage has a "forum" that you can join. There are lots of good breeders out there. I am not sure where you are located, but I am sure you can find some nice breeding stock. You will pay more for registered stock and there is quite a variety out there. Take your time and visit a few places. The forum can also help you locate people in your area that might have stock for sale. We just had another beltie calf this morning.....totally surprised us, as I didn't realize she bred back so soon after her last calf. Very nice suprise!!

basempires · #6 04/18/09, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWMO

To beltie.org and check out the breeder page and also the hotline of cattle for sale.

I found mine priced right, as the lady who had them was just about to take them to the sale barn as a last resort and they would not have done well there, as Angus rules the roost around here when it comes to the sale barn.

The webpage has a "forum" that you can join. There are lots of good breeders out there. I am not sure where you are located, but I am sure you can find some nice breeding stock. You will pay more for registered stock and there is quite a variety out there. Take your time and visit a few places. The forum can also help you locate people in your area that might have stock for sale. We just had another beltie calf this morning.....totally surprised us, as I didn't realize she bred back so soon after her last calf. Very nice suprise!!

Thanks for the info NWMO.

PACrofter · #7 04/19/09, 09:33 PM

We just got two belties this afternoon - a first-time cow and her calf (steered), and *wow* is she feisty! Had a heck of a time unloading her - she is so protective of her calf that she just about killed me (literally). She's now locked in the barn and I'm hoping that she'll be calm enough to let out sometime this week. She had not been trained to electric before and tore our electric fence to shreds within a few minutes of coming out of the trailer. It looks like I'm going to have to set up a wood'n'wire fence to train her to electric before she gets out to the main pasture.

Her calf is cute as a button, though!

lyceum · #8 04/20/09, 09:06 AM

We bought a herd of 20 Belted Galloway cows and a Bull in early 2002. They started calving less than a week after we got them out in the pasture without any problems. They are very hardy, excellent grazers and great mothers. They graze the pastures down like a lawnmower, nice and even. They have excellent lean beef. Calves are relatively small when they are born, but grow out very nicely. They cross very nicely with angus as well as dairy breeds. Our Jersey raised out her 1/2 Jersey 1/2 Beltie and he was weaned earlier than we thought he could have been and was huge.

I second checking out beltie.org. A very nice site with a list of breeders and a ton of info on the breed and their history. May I also say, a nice choice in a heritage breed.

Carisa