Welcome to our Galloway web page.

Belted Galloway are renown for their wonderful qualities such as efficiency, easy care/ low maintenance, high fertility, ease of calving & the superior foraging abilities which are all traits that originally attracted Wilkamdai Stud to the Belted Galloway.

We have since become passionate breeders of the Belted Galloway with our focus primarily on the Red Belted Galloway.  Our aim is to continue to selectively breed & improve our Belties, with a strong focus on temperament, type, structure & early maturing belties with high
quality tender, tasty meat.

If you require any further information about our belties then, please do not hesitate to contact us, we will be more than happy to help.
 

Wilkamdai Stud is proud to announce our successful exhibits in 2009/2010 with:

Wilkamdai Chiquita winner of both Senior Champion, Grand Champion &
Supreme Belted Galloway Exhibit - National Bendigo Beef Show 2010

Wilkamdai Daria-Dawn winner of both Junior Champion, Grand Champion & Supreme Exhibit
Miniature Belted Galloway - National Bendigo Beef Show 2009......
and Junior Champion Miniature Galloway Heifer & Reserve Small Breeds Interbreed Champion -
Royal Melbourne 2009 Galloway Family Feature Show

Wilkamdai Dempsey - Winner of Junior Champion Miniature Galloway Bull
& Reserve Small Breeds Interbreed Champion -
Royal Melbourne 2009 Galloway Family Feature Show

Wilkamdai Bartholomew winning both Senior Champion, Grand Champion & Supreme Miniature Galloway
 then going on to win Reserve Interbreed Miniature Champion at Royal Melbourne 2008 Show, which followed up
from previous wins at the Bendigo National 2008 Beef Show, winning both Junior Champion,
Grand Champion & Supreme Miniature Galloway Exhibit....

For more information on our Show Success's in the show rings since 2005 see our Show Success page!
 

Click your selection below for more information:
 

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.