Written records, dating back to 1530, suggest that this unusual and remarkable breed of cattle may be one of the oldest known to man. Described then as small but hardy, they were brought to the mountainous and wooded Southwestern region of Scotland by the Viking hordes which overran Great Britain in the Ninth Century. The Vikings named that region Gaul, after their king, a name which later became Galloway and gave these cattle the name they retain today. Having brought the cattle, the Vikings undoubtedly left them to fend for themselves on that bleak, forbidding terrain, while their masters were taking up spear and shield with conquest in mind.

This, as it happens,
was fortunate for us.

The fact that these resourceful, polled, black and white cattle were left to their own devices may have been one of Nature's richest gifts to us. Forced to grace the roughest of country, wide open to the assault of the elements, they developed completely unique and heavy double coats of long wavy hair as protection against the bitterly cold sea winds. These heavy coats consisted of a short and soft, yet dense undercoat which the animal carried throughout the year, plus a long shaggy overcoat that made its appearance with the approach of winter. To this day, this double coat provides the additional insulation the animal requires, rendering unnecessary the extra layer of fat put on beneath the hide by other breeds.

Early historians remarked on how "tender and sweet and juicy" was the flesh of the Galloway. Had they been nutritionists, they might well also have noted that this was a beef which, by its very natural leanness contained less saturated fat, too.

Today, of course, this combination of characteristics--a leaner, more tender beef, and less unwanted fat--is a headline-making blessing to both beef-eating consumers and to the breeders who market the beef to them commercially. The consumer enjoys leaner beef. The breeder enjoys a carcass which, if properly finished, dresses out at 60% to 62% of live weight.

Belted Galloways are characterized by a unique combination of very special qualities which make them, quite honestly, a breed apart from all others. These qualities commend them not only to commercial beef producers, but to that growing number of people fascinated by the act of preserving and enhancing the bloodlines with a view to competition in livestock shows. There is still a third group of breeders, small farmers with limited acreage, who simply love the animals for what they are, and welcome their presence on their acreage.

Some general characteristics.

0ur concern here is with the Belted Galloway--a subspecies of the original Galloway introduced to Scotland by the Vikings. The typical cattle are black or dun in color with a white belt engirdling their bodies. Protected by their fine mossy undercoats, and their long, rough outer hair, they normally live outside throughout the year. They are adept at eating whatever Nature provides, subsisting if need be on forage other breeds might turn away from.

They are long-lived, regular breeders, and they produce valuable crosses with other beef breeds, calves that grow vigorously and are naturally polled. In so doing, they succeed in passing on their dominant characteristics.

To be a little more specific.

On average, the weight of the mature Belted Galloway bull is in the range of 1800 to 2100 pounds; the cow, from 1100 to 1400 pounds. Newborn heifers weigh 60 to 70 pounds on average; newborn bulls 70 to 80 pounds average. Whether purebred or crossbred, Belted Galloways are noted for their high quality meat, particularly its leanness and taste. The meat is nicely marbled but otherwise is naturally lower in superfluous fat because the carcass does not contain an extra layer of fat under the hide.
 

Foundation stock of the present Belted Galloway herds in the United States dates back to 1948. Since then, whenever there have been no import restrictions, additional stock has been brought over from the British Isles, and herds now have been established from Maine to California and from eastern Canada to Florida and Texas.

It is hardly surprising then, that owners of these herds should enjoy increasing opportunities to exhibit their cattle in livestock shows in competition with Belted Galloways and other breeds as well. The animals themselves are extremely docile if properly managed and this makes them easy to handle. This kind of friendly competition has also helped sustain the pure bloodlines and health of American herds and continues to do so.

It is common in America for responsible farmers who have the inclination to own these cattle simply because they love the animals. To such farmers, the Belted Galloway is an unusually attractive breed. They have the ability to cover large pastures unattended--even wooded and rocky acreage--and they enhance the pastoral beauty of a farm while actually improving the ground they graze.

Practically speaking, they can satisfy a farm family's needs for lean beef. They are adaptable to all climates, so they are at home anywhere in the United States.

Belted Galloway cows are strong protectors of their offspring immediately after calving because they equate intruders with wolves and other predators they have encountered throughout history.

Beyond the business like affiliation that exists between breeders and/or marketers of beef cattle, there also exists a very real bond, not commercially driven, among those promoting the Belted Galloway breed in the United States. Beltie breeders come to know each other well in the course of pursuing their mutual interest in the cattle.

The first recorded importation of Belted Galloways was by Mrs. McLean of Hast Kortwright, New York in 1939. The oldest continuous herd in the country today is the Aldermere herd of Mr. A.H. Chatfield Jr. of Rockport, Maine, which dates back to 1953. Mr. Harry Prock imported Belted Galloways to Hapwood Farms, Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania in 1949, and on July 1, 1951, he was responsible for the formation of the American Belted Galloway Cattle Breeders Association. On August 19, 1962 the Association was incorporated as the "Belted Galloway Society, Inc." by Harry T. Burn and was charged with promoting and preserving "the purity of the breed by maintaining pedigree records and dates," and "to carry on all legal and proper activities" of the corporation.

Today, membership in the Society is a prerequisite to the registration and transfer of registered animals. For further information contact the secretary's office at the address shown below.

THE GERMANS have been major buyers of Belted Galloways in the past several years, to the point that their purchases have threatened to deplete Scottish herds. Their reasons:  the precise bite of the grazing Galloway functions as a "vacuum cleaner" to the turf, leaving the remaining grass in first-class shape. (Lawn-mower manufacturers, be advised!)

FOR THOSE who breed for "show," a respected judge reminds that "being half the herd," a bull must demonstrate his ability to mark his calves properly.
A CANADIAN BREEDER comments that the double coat of the Galloway has 4000 hairs to the square inch, which is why the coat is all but impervious to the severest cold. Meanwhile, the success of Galloway herds in the hot areas of East Africa and South America testifies to their adaptability to any climate.

GALLOWAYS HAVE a reputation for longevity and have had since their earliest days. It is said that at one time the Duke of Norfolk's Arundel Cattle Herd in Sussex, England had 23 cows ranging from 17 to 20 years still in production. When two of them were entered in a show and won prizes, they were described as being "gay as heifers."
 
AS LATE AS 1926, Montgomery Ward catalogs featured Galloway coats. The copy read in part: "Whether you're 20 and want to be correct in style, or 40 and want complete warmth from head to foot, you'll like the quality and workmanship of this natural black Galloway fur coat."
FINALLY, one more Beltie advantage more important than you might think. The distinctive white belt makes the animal highly visible, and is a great help in locating new calves or strays. Perhaps no other breed looks as attractive against a field of green as the Belted Galloway.