Galloway Cattle - What is your opinion?

[tonyb]

What is everyone's opinion on Galloway cattle (I mean Black Galloway, rather than Belted)? I don't know anything about them from first had experience, but they are described as very good for grass-fed beef.

But across the web I've heard more about the Devon breed actually being used on farms than the Galloway. Why is that? Is there some big drawback wth raising Galloway for beef?

[NWMO]

I would say the lack of familiarity and pretty much only that. The double coat looks different than most people are used to with cattle, thus looking "wooly".....but I have had Galloways (belted) and many will acclimate and shed their outer coat and then it "builds" again when the weather is cooler.

To me, the choice of cattle will have a great impact if you are going to sell them "fattened" at market.....but if you are marketing from the farm and selling individually to buyers, you would be fine with Galloways. I do know that mine were not picky grazers and ate what others in the herd would not touch.

Don't know much about the Devon, other than being highly touted as a dual purpose breed and good for milking, which is not a huge attribute for the Galloway.

[cathleenc]

No experience keeping - just eating. Bought 1/2 organic-grass fed jersey/black galloway a few months ago and it is absolutely delicious. Would buy again in a heart beat.

[Yldrosie]

We had a bunch for a while. Got rid of them and their calves as soon as possible. Were impossible to brand, and when you got them branded, couldn't read it without a shave.

[allenslabs]

Only ever had 4 and they were belted and CRAZY! LOL! So....didn't stay long. LOL! Surely all aren't that insane but those 4 weaned us. LOL!

[DJ in WA]

I went and looked at some this spring and decided I didn't like long hair that gets matted and dirty.

And I would stay away from them if you have any kind of heat, which I understand Michigan had this year.

Black cattle are much more prone to heat stress than lighter colored.

In addition, long hair coats prevent them from cooling.

So a long-haired, black animal is prime for problems in the summer.

I've read elsewhere of people getting rid of them after getting tired of watching them panting from the heat.

Might be good for Alaska, or cool British islands where they originated.

Simplest thing is to go for smaller framed quality red angus, such as Kit Pharo offers at www.pharocattle.com.

Or I'm trying some smaller framed British Whites as you can see here

http://www.texasbritishwhitecattle.com/the_herd.htm