DOC HARRIS":2o2lr3mh said:
Galloway2
Could you tell us HIS frame score, and what is the general average frame score of Galloway cattle? How do they perform in a feedlot environment? In attempting to "upgrade" their phenotype and genotype traits, what characteristics do you stress overall? In what geographic areas of the United States do they excell, and can they generally be profitable in the South?
Thanks.
DOC HARRIS
Doc- This bull is a frame score 6. He weighed 2,566 at the NWSS in Jan. He was plenty fat, not showbull fat, but fleshier than I like to have breeding bulls. Most Galloways will average a frame 4 or 5. Galloways do very well in feedlot enviroments. They finish faster, and will grade choice on lesser quality feedstuffs. The biggest mistake feedlots used to make was feeding them too long. Galloways marble with less than 1/4 inch of backfat. Too many people fed them an extra 30-45 days, because they don't "look" finished. With ultrasound being used as a tool to sort pens, that can be avoided. Galloways have always been raised as a maternal, no nonsense breed. They have been bred to not only survive, but thrive on limited feed, calve unassisted and take care of it. We have not tried to change the Galloway too much. A little more frame size in the '80s and '90s, faster growth coming with that. Our goal is to produce very efficient, functional females, that can be used in just about any type of program, purebred or commercial. Our cows fend for themselves, foraging through 2-3 ft of snow to find grazing in -20 degree weather. They calve on their own, my wife and I both work off the farm, so they are on their own. Obviously the originated in a colder harsher climate, so do very well in northern climates. They do adapt, and the ahircoat insultas them from direct sunlight, and helps wick away persperation to cool them. The haircoat keeps biting insects from really bothering them at all. The feet and legs are the only area biting flies annoy them. They cannot dig through both haircoats to get to the hide. There have been Galloways in parts of the south, and my recommendations are for people to buy cattle that originate as close to them as possible. When we have or 90+ degree days, with high humidity, our Galloways handle it better than the Angus. The Galloways aren't trying to fend off insects, and deal with the heat. I would not expect one of my cows to go to south Florida, and visa versa. Heck even cattle raised in North Dakota, a few miles down the road, don't survive under the same conditions our herd does.
Thanks for the questions. Sorry for the long post.
Harley
