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Belted Galloways as a breed are on the threshold of either becoming a major breed of cattle or falling back into obscurity. There are over five thousand breeding females currently active in the world. Most countries with registration societies are experiencing a geometric growth of their national herds. Though the number of herds with fifty or more animals is on the decline in all countries with the possible exception of the United States, the numbers of small to moderate sized herds have experienced an explosion similar to that experienced by the numbers of animals themselves. As many of the most important animals may no longer be bred in or part of the large frequently visited herds, an alternate method of communication could do much to assist all breeders in identifying appropriate animals to assist them in achieving their herd improvement goals, and consequently contribute to the improvement of the Belted Galloway breed as a whole. The method used by most major breeds of cattle is called Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs). These EPDs tend to be both general to cattle and specific to the individual identifying traits of the breed. Thus topics as diverse as growth rates, genetic abnormalities and hide coloration can all be recorded. Publication of this material can be used to improve breed performance, and adaptability to varying environmental conditions. Such a database has assisted the Angus breed to ride the crests of the American beef industry production waves for the last twenty years. Today, it is possible to use the Angus sire summary to find the genetics capable of producing almost any type of calf. If the same could be said about Belted Galloways, we would be the owners of truly useful decorative cattle. While the Belted Galloway breed is still of manageable size, we stand the chance of establishing a more comprehensive database on our cattle. Thus, a set of records can evolve that is of greater use to breeders, registered and commercial. Any time the risk of using an agricultural product can be reduced the value of the product increases for potential customers. Currently, EPDs on Angus bulls easily increase their sale prices 500 to 1000 U.S. dollars over their identical brothers lacking EPDs. The purpose of this meeting is to give significant breeders of Belted Galloways a forum to make known their thoughts, hopes and reservations about the future of the breed as we proceed into the next century, and to jumpstart the creation of a method for the quantification and qualification of the animals so that the international herd can expand as a vibrant and healthy breed of cattle. The meeting will be conducted via a telephone conference call on May 8th at 9:30 P.M. Greenwich Meridian Time. This will be early morning on May 9th in Australia and New Zealand. If anyone has problems determining the hour of the call in their area do not hesitate calling John or Lynn Jeffords for assistance. Everyone will be given up to five minutes of time to express their concerns about Belted Galloways and to present any topics they feel might be beneficial to breeders worldwide. The chair will then open discussion on topics as desired. Volunteers will be formed into committees to address the needs of developing EPDs, and any other topics determined to be important by the participants. The chair will request
a suitable date for a second meeting and a list of questions to be answered
either through the post or at the subsequent meeting.
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| John Jeffords | I think the biggest purpose of this exercise is to contact the different areas where people raise Belted Galloways so that there is a better means for all of us to improve the breed we love so much, we will try conference calls to see if they work. |
| ?? | You are fading away, John. |
| John Jeffords | Can you hear me now? I do not know how to get the operator so what I will do is I will send the tape copy to the transcriber in Denver and she will be able to take care of it from there I guess. Okay. The first thing is that Andy LeMaistre had a pattern for giving people a time to speak. I do not have his pattern I just have the pattern of everybody in the list as it goes down that I have here and he rearranged it for himself. We will go from the top of the list on the little brochure that we sent out to you. There are two people that I think we are all very happy to have with us. One is A.H. Chatfield Jr., who is, I guess, our senior Belted Galloway breeder in the world. He is our oldest member that I know of. Mr. Chatfield? |
| A.H. Chatfield | Yes? |
| John Jeffords | I would like to welcome you very much and I am sure most everybody else would like to welcome you as well. Do you want to say anything? We will allow you to have precedence over everybody else here. |
| A.H. Chatfield
(Founder of Belted Galloway Society) |
Thank you very much. Greetings from Aldermere Farm. We enjoy visits, whenever people are in a position to drop by. The progress made in our own herd is amply shown by our show and sale records. Since the start of the herd we have had very helpful, competent advice, from the State Department of Agriculture and the University of Maine Extension Beef Specialist. We have aimed to produce the best beef animal that is possible. We have been very enthusiastic about our Belties because we believe they represent the modern beef animal which is so much in demand today. I have been concerned, as I am sure many of you have, by the fact that despite many years of careful breeding we have been unable to eliminate white on legs or above or between the hoof, and in consequence ... |
| Operator | Excuse me. Mr. LeMaistre is on the call. |
| A.H. Chatfield | What? |
| Operator | Mr. LeMaistre is on the call. |
| A.H. Chatfield | Do you want me to continue or not? |
| Andy LeMaistre
(Chairman and Past President of the Belted Galloway Society) |
Yes. Mr. Chatfield? Thank you, would you please continue. I just wanted everyone to know that I apologize. I was unavoidably delayed and am pleased to be with you. Please continue. |
| A.H. Chatfield | Good. Well, to continue, this has to do with marking. The experienced breeders whom I have had the privilege of knowing on various visits to Scotland, and England, and I particularly refer to George Sproat's father, Faed Sproat, whom I saw on every occasion we were over there. George Malcolm and Jack Graham and others have impressed on me that these white markings are so ingrained in the breed that they cannot be eliminated. Last year we had a visit with a man in Vermont who has done a lot for the Dutch Belted Dairy Breed. As you all know, they look like a Belted Galloway and that they are black with a white belt, but they have horns and a short coat, and in response to my question about markings he said that they had given up trying to eliminate the white and have concentrated on the dairy qualities of the animal. Which I thought was an interesting observation and which I felt I should pass on to all of you. To me I think it is a most serious problem because many good bulls have had to be castrated because they had a little white on some part of a hoof, or even above it, and we should constantly bear in mind that the ultimate purpose is raising beef animals and that this has nothing to do with the quality of the meat. So I pass that on as a thought to be considered by you all. Thank you very much for your time. |
| Andy LeMaistre | John, it is Andy LeMaistre. Where are you in the meeting and how can I help? I apologize for being tardy. |
| John Jeffords | We just started and Mr. Chatfield was the first person to speak and after Mr. Chatfield spoke ... |
| Albert Tietig | Yeah, so who is next after Chatfield? |
| John Jeffords | After Chatfield will be Flora Stuart, because she is the President of The Belted Galloway Society of Great Britain. |
| Albert Tietig | I understand. |
| John Jeffords | We all, I guess are descendants and all of our herds are descended from in some form or another. And Flora? |
| Flora Stuart
(President of the Belted Galloway Cattle Society) |
Yes? |
| John Jeffords | Are you there? |
| Flora Stuart | Yes I am here, John. |
| John Jeffords | Do you want to say anything to the group of people joined here at the moment? |
| Flora Stuart | I am having a bit of trouble hearing you. |
| John Jeffords | Well you are free to address the assembled Belted Galloway Breeders, Flora. |
| Flora Stuart | I have got George Sproat here and he would like to have a word too. |
| John Jeffords | Very good. |
| Flora Stuart | Basil Wilson is here. |
| John Jeffords | Okay. |
| Flora Stuart | We think this is marvelous, it must be a bit of Belted Galloway history, having a conference like this. It is wonderful to hear so many people taking part. What are you wanting us to say? |
| Andy LeMaistre | Well, I think this is what we would like to do, this is Andy LeMaistre speaking, I will try to help out. I apologize again for being tardy. I have given some thought as to how the meeting should go and if each of the participants that would like to speak and if there were other officers that have signed on from various Belted Galloway Societies, I think it would be helpful if each of them made a statement. They do tend to represent the various breed societies in their country. So if you could make a short statement, or if you are prepared to, regarding where you think Belted Galloways should go and how an international organization could help promote the Belted Galloway then that would be most helpful to help stimulate us to move forward with other discussion. And John, just to back up, did we have a roll call, so that we know everyone that is on? |
| ?? | Yes. |
| John Jeffords | We have had roll call and if anyone has been added to the call since that time they have not been identified yet they should make themselves known I guess. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Okay. Well let me ask at this time, are there other people that had not had the opportunity when the original roll call was made that are now on line? If there are would anyone speak up at this time please? |
| John Jeffords | They are all on. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Okay. Well I think Flora, are you prepared to make a statement? Would you like to make a statement? |
| Flora Stuart | Well, yes. Is it to do with the paper that you sent 'round or just anything? |
| Andy LeMaistre | I think it could be anything, Flora. I think it should reflect what your ... This is my personal opinion, is that what we are trying to do is to see whether or not those breeders of significance around the world have strong feelings about how and what should be done to promote and preserve Belted Galloways. |
| Flora Stuart | Yes. |
| Andy LeMaistre | This is really the first opportunity that we have been able to assemble in some forum as an international assembly and so this is really an opportunity to speak out or if you would wish to defer to a later time that is fine as well. |
| Flora Stuart | I think the general feeling over here is that the cattle must be kept Galloway. We do not really want to bring in other breeds other than crossing with Galloways, because we feel that if you bring in anything else we are going to lose the Galloway characteristics. They must be hardy and able to live on rough ground and convert that sort of grazing to beef without too much extra feeding and without housing. I feel we still need to do a lot of improvement in the hindquarters of the cattle and I just wonder how EPDs are going to work for Belted Galloways and are there are enough animals to make it effective. Because if you are buying an Angus bull there are a lot of very good bulls to choose from. You want to have the best of the best, so going through EPDs you might find what you want, but. if you are looking for a Belted Galloway bull you are lucky just to find the best one that you can. You have not got that big of a choice. That is what I wonder about. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Well ... |
| Flora Stuart | There are not enough animals involved. What are everybody's views on that? |
| Andy LeMaistre | So a topic which you would like to see discussed is, would EPDs be of benefit to Belted Galloway cattle. I have developed a column of issues that I think need to be discussed. Whether or not we have time at this meeting or at a future meeting, but I think EPDs would certainly be one of the topics which should go into that column. As we go through and discuss each participant's comments from their own personal perspective that perhaps all of us should keep this issues column and then at the end of the meeting what we could do is go down through it quickly and see which items the majority of the group feel we should pursue. Well, Flora thank you very much for your statement. John, did you establish some other order for people to speak at this point. |
| John Jeffords | I was about to establish order but I think we should call your order. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Well, my thought was that in addition to Flora, who is president of the British Galloway Society, that we also have with us other society officials. Is Barry McAlley here with us? |
| John Jeffords | Nope. Barry is unavailable. |
| Andy LeMaistre | He is unavailable. Okay. I wondered whether or not we had someone from the Australian Society who was on this conference, that we could call upon to speak. Is Peter McKeon? |
| Peter McKeon
(Galloway Cattle Society of Australia) |
Yes, I am on the line. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Very good. Peter, the reason I would like to get a statement from some of the officers of societies is that I think you represent that group, you are in that official position for, I hope, some valid reason. Do you have a statement? Were you prepared to make a statement? |
| Peter McKeon | Yes, I would like to make a statement. Firstly, I would like to congratulate John and Lynn on the efforts that they are making on behalf of Belted Galloways. I think this is a fantastic achievement and I think it is something that is long overdue. I think that John's statement in his preamble that he sent out to everyone is very valid. That if we are going to make Belted Galloways an international breed and a breed that can be recognized by beef breeders everywhere, that all Belted Galloway breeders internationally and all of the countries are going to have to get together to do something to make it work and I don't think that we can make it work just in Australia or the U.K. or in Canada or in the States. I think possibly that there are a couple of things that we should consider and John sort of raised these. I think that an international register of cattle possibly could do something. Flora is right on the matter of EPDs, I do agree with Flora in a way that there might not be enough animals but there are other performance characteristics which we could measure which could be eye muscle area or testicle size and we could set some basic standards, which might help in performance recording. The other matter which I think probably comes to attention from my discussion with breeders in different countries is that there are different standards for breeding up to Belted Galloways. We have our full bloods, which are no problems at all, but the grading up requirements in Australia are different from what they are in the U.K., probably different than what they could be in Canada or the States and I think we need to probably have an international agreement as to how we are going to grade up these cattle so that we can get more of them out and that we have a universal standard. I would think that an international register, some performance recording and this grading up requirement are probably the three most important factors that I can gather from my members here in Australia. |
| Albert Tietig
(Past President of The Belted Galloway Society) |
John? |
| Andy LeMaistre | Very good. Mr. Tietig? |
| Albert Tietig | Yes. |
| Andy LeMaistre | It is Andy LeMaistre. |
| Albert Tietig | Yeah, Andy. Dorothy and I, and I am sure Dr. Butson, can do it better than I can, but I think a man buys a Belted Galloway bull and he has got a whole bunch of Herefords or this or that and this constant cross breeding with various animals other than a regular black or dun Galloway isn't the thing to start with. I think Dorothy wrote a letter to council and a few members that with proper conformation a Beltie and ... wait a minute. An unknown Beltie might be considered if it has proper conformation and proper markings but this constant breeding to any breed that comes down the line is, in my opinion, the wrong way to go. |
| Andy LeMaistre | So as an issue, Mr. Tietig, you would say that the grading up or the initial cross should be controlled? |
| Albert Tietig | I think so. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Yes. Okay. |
| Albert Tietig | I am very much in favor of that and think Dr. Butson probably feels the same way. He is on the phone I believe. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Okay. Very good. |
| Albert Tietig | I would like to say something about it. Just for two seconds. I am sorry; we used to raise registered Angus we had quite a large herd and we kept three of the best show cows we had and when cross breeding was opened up, I am sorry we ever did it. I am all for sticking with the regular, if you are going to cross breed it has to be a Beltie with Galloway. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Can I ask a question, Albert? |
| Albert Tietig | Yeah. |
| Andy LeMaistre | What you are saying is that you retained three Angus from your herd which you then used in an upgrade program with a purebred Belted Galloway bull? |
| Albert Tietig | Oh yeah. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Yes. You were disappointed in the results of that? |
| Albert Tietig | Well, we were not particularly disappointed but we had to start at a half and it was a long way up and we had some mis-marks along the line and the bull calf we could not use because it would be cross-bred and the bull calves were steered. Well it just did not work as far as I am concerned. I would rather see somebody start out with purebred Belted Galloways from the very start. It might hurt our sales and purchases, but that is the way I feel about it. I wish Dr. Butson would make a statement. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Thank you very much Mr. Tietig. I appreciate your input. Mr. McKinnon, is it McKeon? |
| Peter McKeon | McKeon we pronounce it. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Thank you very much for your statement. Did you have anything else to add or was your statement finished? |
| Peter McKeon | I think that is my statement at the moment. There might be something else towards the end of the hook-up. |
| Arie Eyles | Excuse me. Arie Eyles speaking. Just wondering if Mr. Hume MacDonald, who is also president of another Galloway society in Australia would like to make a statement? Would that be in order that Mr. Hume MacDonald also made a statement also on behalf of Australia because there are two societies in Australia. |
| Andy LeMaistre | That would be excellent. Very good. Thank you, sir. Mr. MacDonald, are you there? |
| Hume MacDonald
(President of the Australian Belted Galloway Cattle Breeders Association) |
I am. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Very good. |
| Hume MacDonald | I would like to congratulate you on arranging this and I would support, basically, what Peter has had to say in most of those areas. I think probably my society would have a somewhat different view in relation, however, to the breeding up program. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Mr. MacDonald, just a minute please. I am not sure everyone can hear. Would you try again now? |
| Hume MacDonald | All right. I am not sure what was missed so I will start again. I would support what Peter has had to say in relation to potential benefits of international register and to some degree of performance recording data, however, in relation to a breeding up I believe that our society strongly supports the broadening of the genetic pool by the use of purebred Belted Galloway bulls over purebred Angus based breeding stock. Bull progeny cannot be utilized until they have five generations of breeding. With that exception I think I can support everything that Peter has had to say. I believe we have to go forward as a breed throughout the world and the thing that is obviously missing for most Belted Galloway breeders is the ability to obtain a completely fresh blood line and such a register and the ease of availability of semen around the world, if that can be arranged, would I think greatly assist such a program. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Very good. Thank you very much for your statement. We certainly appreciate that. Is there anyone represented from New Zealand that is on the line if Barry is not there? |
| ?? | I think it is Mr. MacPherson. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Mr. MacPherson? |
| Guy MacPherson | This be him. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Yes. For New Zealand would you be able to speak to us regarding the general feeling of the New Zealand breeders, sir? |
| Guy MacPherson | Well, I hope that I do not put my foot in the door together, but we have been very exact and very emphatic on what we think should be the concept of Belted Galloways and we do not go along with the idea of breeding up. We just do not, because, someone just said you put a Beltie bull. You cannot put a Beltie bull over anything and what do you finish up with? Anything with a belt, but not necessarily a Beltie. To, to me, and I think I can state this positively, but he can differ from, he will tell you if he does, is that the Beltie is an animal that has been bred for an environment, invariably a very tough environment and I personally run my cattle under commercial conditions so that they do not get any pampering whatsoever. I, unlike the guy who says that the Beltie has an inherent weakness in its markings, I do not go along with that. I believe that if it has a weakness you get rid of the weakness. You do not breed from that weakness because if you do you just extend the life of that breeding and the idea as far as I am concerned is to get rid of it. There is nothing worse than a Beltie that is not a Beltie. It is possible that in the background somewhere in the breeding of the Belties there were aspects that were brought that are there. Well the quickest way to get them out is to breed them out as far as I am concerned and I think the average New Zealand Beltie breeder will go along with that. If they do not they will feel free to let you know. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Very good. Thank you very much for that statement. |
| Guy MacPherson | You are welcome. |
| Andy LeMaistre | I think that is a good summary as it relates to breeding up. What other countries ...? We had Flora speak. I am wondering if we have any Canadian representatives on the line and I am sorry I do not know everyone that signed on from the roll call. Do we have some Canadians that would like to step forward? |
| Hannelore Mastall | This is Hannelore Mastall. |
| Andy LeMaistre | From Germany? |
| Hannelore Mastall | I am speaking for the German Galloway Society. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Very good. Please proceed. |
| Hannelore Mastall | We have been the first Belted breeders in Germany and I think now the country with the biggest Galloway cattle population in the world, but, not only Belties; blacks, duns and white, the Belted Galloway are the part of it. So in Germany it belongs to the rare breeds and we have a closed herd book for them. For us it is very important that they are nice looking, that they have good belts, and no white feet, so, I think the same like Mr. MacPherson, a nice hair coat and most of all that the Belted Galloway are bigger than the blacks or the duns and heavier. Our experience is, and we are doing it now for eight years, we have all the color and that they should be a little bit more quiet into the temperament compared to the other Galloways. But, what we found is that they have a very good order, a long body and that they are very easy to keep, easier than the other colors. So this is the main thing that I wanted to say for the statement. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Very good. Thank you very much. We appreciate that. Are you the only representative from Germany with us? |
| Hannelore Mastall | Yes, yes. |
| Andy LeMaistre | Good, I appreciate you making the statement for them. Do we have someone from Canada that would be available? |
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