Belted Galloway

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Belted Galloways at a show

Belted Galloway is a breed of Galloway cattle. It is thought to be a Scottish hybrid of Galloway and Dutch Belted. They are medium-sized bovines. The Belted Galloway is predominantly raised for beef, while the Dutch Belted is mostly a dairy cow.

Both the Galloway and Belted Galloway are listed as "watched" breeds with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, meaning that there are fewer than 2,500 annual registrations in the United States and a global population of less than 10,000. Belted Galloways (also known as Belties) have many upsides. Their beef is of good quality and their mothering instinct is good as well. They can tolerate very cold temeratures. They have been know to give birth to their babies in sub-zero temeratures. Being a hardy breed, they can live without having to be in a barn all winter.

Belties are usually polled. Unless they have crossbred with another breed, there are never horns, unlike some other breeds, like the Hereford or the Holstein. Belted Galloways, even the bulls, are not very agressive.

1 Coloration
2 History
3 Registration
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Coloration

Belted Galloways are black, red or dun (brown) with a white stripe around the middle. Black is the most common. Dun is a recessive trait, and is less common. There is also a red variation. They were produced by selective breeding and have many health problems. There is also a very rare thing that extremely few Belted Galloways have. It is a called a bullseye. It is when a blotch of color is inside the white of the belt and surrounded by white.

[edit] History

It was bred originally by rich Scots seeking a visual differentiatation from the herds (or "folds" as herds of Highland cattle are called) of their poorer neighbors. Cattle with clear straight-lined belts are the most prized.

[edit] Registration

In order to be registered, Belties have to have a belt that completly encircles the midsection. If not, it cannot be registered. There also has to be no white except the belt and above the dewclaw. Most animals that can't be registered are used for beef. Sometimes they keep the animals, but none of the calves can be registered. Both of the calves parents must be registered for the calf to be registered.