 Bull close toBishopstone, nearSalisbury | |
| Conservation status | |
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| Other names |
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| Country of origin | United Kingdom (Scotland) |
| Distribution | world-wide |
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| Coat | black with broad white stripe around middle |
| Horn status | polled |
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TheBelted Galloway is a traditional Scottish breed ofbeef cattle. It derives from theGalloway stock of theGalloway region of south-westernScotland, and was established as a separate breed in 1921. It is adapted to living on the poorupland pastures and windsweptmoorlands of the region. The exact origin of the breed is unclear, although the white belt for which they are named, and which distinguishes the breed from black Galloway cattle, is often surmised to be the result ofcross-breeding with the similarly coloured DutchLakenvelder.
The cattle are reared principally forbeef; they may also be kept forornament or forconservation grazing (vegetation management).
The Belted Galloway derives from the traditionalGalloway stock of theGalloway region of south-westernScotland, which in turn form part of a broader group of traditional Scottish cattle including theAberdeen Angus andHighland breeds.[4]: 129 The Galloway is most often black, but other colours occur; the white-belted or white-middled Galloway was one of them. The origin of the white belt is unknown; it is thought to have resulted from somecross-breeding with the DutchLakenvelder in the seventeenth century.[4]: 129
From 1852, both Aberdeen Angus and Galloways could be registered in aherd-book forpolled cattle. A separate Galloway herd-book was established in 1878. In 1921 a group of breeders set up the Dun and Belted Galloway Association, which – as the name suggests – registered both belted anddun-coloured animals; its first herd-book was published in 1922. In 1951 registration of non-belted dun cattle was discontinued, and the society changed its name to the Belted Galloway Society.[4]: 129 It also maintains herd-books for the Red Galloway and the White Galloway.[4]: 129
In the twentieth century the Belted Galloway was exported to many countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States.Breed societies were started in New Zealand in 1948, in the United States in 1951, and in Australia in 1975.[4]: 129
Like other breeds, the Belted Galloway suffered heavily during the epidemic offoot-and-mouth disease in the British Isles in 2001, and a substantial part of the total population was lost. By 2007, numbers had recovered to the point where it could be removed from the endangered native breed watchlist of theRare Breeds Survival Trust;[4]: 129 in the same year the global breed population was listed by theFAO as "not at risk".[1]: 143 In 2012, there were approximately3500 registered breeding cows in the United Kingdom.[4]: 129
In 2022 it was listed by the AmericanLivestock Conservancy as "watch";[3] in 2015 the total number in the United States was reported to be1468.[5]
The cattle are always belted, with a broad white belt completely encircling the body between the shoulder and the hind legs. For bulls, no white is permitted anywhere else on the animal; cows with some limited white markings on the lower legs can be registered in an appendix of the herd-book. The rest of the coat is normally black, but can also bedun or – more rarely – red.[4]: 129 The dun colour is caused by a mutation in thePMEL gene, the same mutation that causes dun and silver dun inHighland cattle.[6]: 9 The coat is double: a long coarse outer coat gives protection from rain, and a fine soft undercoat keeps the animal warm; the cattle do not need to develop thick subcutaneous fat for warmth in winter, and the meat tends to leanness as a result.[7]
Body weights may depend both on climatic conditions and on the type of forage available. They are usually in the range450–600 kg for cows, and750–1000 kg for bulls.[4]: 129 Belted Galloways are generally of a quiet temperament, but cows have a strong maternal instinct and protect calves against perceived threats.[7] At least one person has been trampled by a herd of these cattle.[8]
The Belted Galloway is well adapted to harsh climatic conditions, hill terrain and rough grazing on coarse grasses;[4]: 129 it is normal for the cattle to be kept out throughout the winter, regardless of the weather.[7]
The Belted Galloway is reared mainly for beef; it may also be used forvegetation management, otherwise known as conservation grazing.[9]: 35 Cattle reared on forage alone may take up to four years to be ready for slaughter; beef from such cattle may have higher-than-usual levels ofomega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.[4]: 129
An old strain is listed as the "Original Belted Galloway Cattle" in theArk of Taste of theSlow Food Foundation for Biodiversity.[10]
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