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A History of the
Galloway....
Galloway's are recognised as an ancient breed whose origins have been lost
back in the mists of time. All through out their history they have been renown as
an extremely hardy breed with excellent temperament and strong
maternal attributes, such as ease of calving and
having the ability to supply plenty
of rich milk to their calves, providing their
calves with a great start
in life.
Originating on the exposed cold, damp windy hills & ranges of Galloway in the south west of Scotland
they thrived on unforgiving, harsh terrain of heathery mountain ranges,
moors, granite hills and fertile glens. Their name is derived from the
word Gallovid or Gaul. The Gauls were the native inhabitants or the
region known as the Province of Galloway.
The Belted Galloway's have been recorded since the 19th century, however are
believed to have been introduced to Scotland from Holland in the 17th
century with the crossing of the Galloway with the Dutch Belt. This has yet
to be proven, with others claiming that they were just another varient of
the original Galloways. They are recognised as the oldest
polled breed
of
beef cattle in the world.
Belties come in red,
black
or dun colouring, all with the characteristic white belt, which completely encircles
the body. The Black Belted Galloway are the most common of all the
colours with Red Belted being quite rare in Australia, although they have
been gaining more interest from many new
breeders in the past few years.
Galloway are also known for their unusual coat which consists of
a double layer of hair with the outer hair being more coarse and longer and
the inner layer or under coat, which has been compared to a beaver's fur as
it quite mossy like, being shorter and a lot thicker than the outer coat.
This 'double' layer serves a dual purpose, with the coarse outer coat
shedding the wind and rain, whilst the soft, fur-like under coat provides
insulation, warmth and water proofing.
The moss like under coat is
shed in the summer, allowing the Belted Galloway to be able to adapt to any
temperature & climate.
Belties have been shown to be able to adapt, survive & do very well in even
the harshest terrain. They are non-selective grazers which make them
environmentally friendly & assist in improvement of pasture which is of
benefit for those who also wish to run sheep.
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