About Galloway Cattle

GALLOWAY, which has given its name to a valuable breed of black or dun polled cattle, was an ancient regality or lordship lying in the south-west of Scotland. The word is derived from Gallovid, which in old Scots signifies "a Gaul". The Gauls are said to have been the first inhabitants of this part of Scotland. The last of the old line of rulers was Alan, Lord of Galloway, who was buried in Dundrennan Abbey in 1233. The title passed into the house of Douglas of Thrieve, and the whole district was finally annexed to the Crown of Scotland in 1455.

Originally the whole of this land was covered with dense forests, principally oak. It was all thickly wooded in the days of the Romans when they marched through it, made their roads, raised their forts, and feasted on good Galloway beef. Through these forests roamed many wild cattle generally supposed to be the progenitors of the modern breed of Galloways.

Galloways are all hornless or polled. Some writers say that formerly they were mixed, some being horned and others polled.

The universal testimony amongst breeders of Galloways is that a pure-bred Galloway never had any trace of horns or even scurs.

Such old breeders as James Grierson, of Caigton; Thos Biggar, of Chapelton; John Cunningham, of Whitecairn; the late Peter Kerr, senior, of Bellymack, and Alexander Halliday, of Culcagrie, gave their testimony very strongly on this point. They all say that no pure Galloway ever had horns. Oral testimony handed down to these men from the Galloway breeders of the last century is valuable and reliable. We therefore conclude that while there were horned cattle in Galloway, yet there were none of the native breed, the pure Galloway, with horns. Professor Low, of Edinburgh, author of a valuable work on the domestic animals of Great Britain, and who very carefully investigated this matter, says:
"Some earlier notices rather conduct us to the conclusion that the absence of horns has been for a long period a distinctive characteristic of the race".
So marked is this polled character, that the produce of a pure-bred Galloway bull with any breed of horned cows should give polled calves. No other breed of polled cattle will equal the Galloway in this respect.

The breeding of cattle has been from time immemorial a principal object of the Galloway farmers.

A compiled history of Scotland alluding to the time prior to and including the reign of Alexander Ill (1249), says:
"Black cattle were also reared in great numbers during the Scoto-Saxon period. George Buchanan, tutor to James 1 of England, writing about 1566, says of Galloway: "It is more fruitful in cattle than in corn."

Hector Boece (1570), writing of Galloway, says:
"In this region ar mony fair ky and oxin of quhilk the flesh is right delicius and tender."

Ortellius, the historian, writing in 1573, says:
"In Carrick (then part of Galloway are oxen of large size, whose flesh is tender, sweet and juicy."

This brings us to consider the excellence of the Galloway beef, which we see was acknowledged and recorded many hundred years ago. Galloways are preeminently a beef-producing breed. Their flesh is mottled or marbled fat and lean intermixed, and it was this quality which gave them their ancient fame, and which led to their being bred specially to supply the markets of England with beef of extra quality.

There is no other breed of cattle which can lay such claims to the title "purebred" as the Galloways. It has never been said in any well- informed quarter that the Galloway is not an original and distinct breed of cattle. It had no mixture with other breeds. All the improvements in the breed have come from within by careful selection. There is no breed of cattle which can more truly be said to be indigenous to the country and incapable of improvement by any foreign cross. Youatt says:
"The intelligent Galloway breeder is now perfectly satisfied that his stock can only be improved by adherence to the pure breed. And this experience has been arrived at by long and careful experiments."

Galloway breeders throughout the world consider the most desirable Galloway to be one of medium size; in contrast to some of the larger long legged breeds of cattle.

In confirmation the Galloway will be found to carry its meat from behind the shoulder along the back to the tail, through the buttock and deep into the hock; for this reason Galloway breeders, for centuries, have concentrated on this type of confirmation in their cattle and butchers have found that Galloways, in regard to their curability, marbling and colour of meat mature earlier than most other breeds of cattle.

The important constituent of good meat is its fat percentage. The Galloway will produce a quality carcase with the correct meat to fat ratio laying down the required fat cover over a large well marbled rib eye. This quality which gave them their ancient fame has been maintained by strict adherence within the breed.

COLOUR
The dominant colours are black, with a brownish tinge, dun, and black and dun belted. There are recessive gene strains of red and white.

HEAD
Short and wide, with broad forehead and wide nostrils; without the slightest suggestions of horns or scurs.
Eye - Large and prominent.
Ear - moderate in length and broad, pointing forwards and upwards with fringe of long hairs.

NECK
Moderate in length, clean, and filling well into the shoulders; the top in a line with the back in a female, and in a male naturally rising with age.

BODY
Deep rounded, and symmetrical.
Shoulders - Fine and straight, moderately wide above; coarse shoulder points and sharp or high shoulders are objectionable.
Breast - Full and deep.
Back and Rump - Straight.
Ribs - Deep and well sprung.
Loin and Sirloin - Well filled.
Hook Bones - Not prominent
Hind Quarters - Long, moderately wide, and well filled.
Flank - Deep and full.

THIGHS
Broad, straight, and well let down to hock; rounded buttocks are very objectionable.
Legs - Well boned.
Tail - Well set on, and moderately thick.

SKIN
Mellow, and moderately thick.
Hair - Soft and wavy, with mossy undercoat; wiry or curly hair is very objectionable.


More information on the history of Galloways can by found at http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/BREEDS/cattle/gallow/

The History of Galloways in Australia

Galloway Cattle imports were first recorded in Australia in 1951, however there is evidence to suggest that the breed existed within our shores long before this.

The Late Mr H E Kater of "Swatchfield" Oberon, NSW landed 12 heifers and a bull and "Wirrialpa" Pastoral Co of Hernani, NSW, imported six heifers and two bulls during the early 1950's.

In March 1951, the Galloway Cattle Society of Australia was inaugurated with Mr H A Kater as President.

The Garnock family from "Bukalong" Bombala, NSW imported a Galloway herd consisting of five heifers and a bull in 1955.

A small importation by, Mr C J Willis, "Starvation Nob" Lietinna, Tasmania followed some years later.

The first stud in Victoria was founded by the Late Hainsworth Cock, "Amberley Park", Lower Plenty using "Bukalong" and "Swatchfield" stock.
After 1969 Northern (New South Wales) and Southern (Victoria and Tasmania) Branches of the Galloway Cattle Society of Australia were formed.

Inl 1971the attributes of the Galloway carcase were brought to the attention of beef breeders throughout Australia by winning first prize on the hook in the 12-15 months Pure Bred Led Steer class. It was the first Galloway ever exhibited in the pure bred section of the Royal Melbourne Show. The Steer cut out 250kg from 395kg live weight. Then in 1972 three Galloways were entered in the pure bred fat cattle classes in a field of 88, one winning Champion steer under 12 months.

Galloway cattle breeders continue to use the hoof and hook competitions to demonstrate the benefits of the breed to the industry. The interest in the breed is growing due to the sucesses Galloways are having in the major shows - such as the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

BELTED GALLOWAYS

The breed started and was developed in the austere hill country in the Galloway area of south-west Scotland and is believed to have originated more than 300 years ago - the result of crossing Galloway cattle with Dutch Lakeryelder.

Belted Galloways were introduced into Australia in 1973 from New Zealand, with the registered belties being imported in 1973. 

Sir Reginald Reed of the "Mt Wayo" stud in NSW brought three bulls and six females from New Zealand. During the next eight years some fifty head of registered cattle were brought to Australia.

Belted Galloways were first allowed into the Australian herd books in 1976.

More information on the benefits of Belted Galloways can by found on this site.

WHITE GALLOWAYS

White Galloways have been registered in Australia since 1990.

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