Galloways?

[BIZIN]

Right now I'm running horned hereford cows, and breeding them Welsh black. Also building up some speckle parks and either breeding them british white or speckle park again. I'm wanting to eventually get a 4 way cross. 1/4 Welsh Black, 1/4 Horned Hereford, 1/4 British White or Speckle Park, and the other quarter i am trying to figure out. Does anyone know how Galloway cattle are? My dad used to have a few on test for just one year at the bull test station he managed and he didnt like them, but a family friend has about 50-100 of them and likes how they cross but says their temperment leaves alot to be desired. The ranch in which we buy our welsh black bulls from has Galloways also and they look like good cows and raise good calves. I'm trying to find a breed that is known for its grass fattening ability. Something that the calves will gain on grass before they are weined, also has alot of hair, and the cows have longevity and dont get too big. I have found that in the herefords, welsh black and british whites, but need something else. Dont want to put any exotic into the cows, cause they are to hard doing for how we run our cows. So any opinions on the Galloways?

 

[Australian Cattleman]

I have only ever heard positive comments about Galloway cattle. I'd have some if I had the room. I even have seen them crossed with Brahman successfully. Never heard a bad thing about their temperament. They calve easily,they are good hardy doers in cold country and do well off grass. maybe some people don't like their shaggy coats and the fact that they are a little small compared to some of the other mainstream breeds.
I would quite happily join them to any of my breeds (Brahman,South Devon,South Brahvon,Hereford,Black Baldy etc)
Colin

 

[docgraybull]

I have two Galloway bulls and have just started calving out the third crop of calves this Spring. The bulls are very docile and extremely easy keepers in the Winter. I'm in NE Oklahoma and it was quite hot and dry this past Summer and they did not do as well then, but we've had some hard freezes and ice storms and they are fat and happy now, on fair to poor hay and minimal protein supplement. They are smaller framed, but have good bone structure. They're aggressive breeders. The calves are born small to moderate (no big ones yet, and no assisted deliveries yet) and have been easy keepers. They're cute little hairballs too. Weaning weights were slightly lower than my Angus sired calves though (Spring calves sold in the Fall. The Fall calves seem to be even or a little ahead currently-will see after weaning this Spring). I did not notice any dock due to the hair. Have not tasted one yet, but will keep a steer this Spring from the Fall crop and plan to butcher him early next Winter.

 

[elwapo]

Bizin.
Did you get some Speckled Park cows bought?

 

[BIZIN]

do you notice a difference in the thickeness of the calves at weining? like i said i am trying to find a breed where the calves put on some grass fat weight before they are taken off the cow.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Right now I'm running horned hereford cows, and breeding them Welsh black. Also building up some speckle parks and either breeding them british white or speckle park again. I'm wanting to eventually get a 4 way cross. 1/4 Welsh Black, 1/4 Horned Hereford, 1/4 British White or Speckle Park, and the other quarter i am trying to figure out. Does anyone know how Galloway cattle are? My dad used to have a few on test for just one year at the bull test station he managed and he didnt like them, but a family friend has about 50-100 of them and likes how they cross but says their temperment leaves alot to be desired. The ranch in which we buy our welsh black bulls from has Galloways also and they look like good cows and raise good calves. I'm trying to find a breed that is known for its grass fattening ability. Something that the calves will gain on grass before they are weined, also has alot of hair, and the cows have longevity and dont get too big. I have found that in the herefords, welsh black and british whites, but need something else. Dont want to put any exotic into the cows, cause they are to hard doing for how we run our cows. So any opinions on the Galloways?

I think it depends where you get your seedstock. I had a few. The black ones were okay but the whites I had lots of trouble with. I crossbred them back to a low birthweight Simm-Angus bull and ended up pulling more than their fair share of calves. But, my brother has them, including probably one of the nicest bulls I've ever seen and he thinks that they're the best thing since sliced bread. So, I guess its a matter of getting the right bloodlines.

 

[Aero]

is there a reason you want so many breeds?

might as well put some yak and bison in there too.

 

[BIZIN]

not so many breeds. its proven that the most efficient producing cows are 3 way and 4 way crosses. F2 and F3's i believe. I want a small to medium framed cow that can drop a 75 - 80lb calf in may or june, and come weining time in november i want that calf to weigh 550-600 lbs with no creep feed or implants. i have almost reached that goal now. not only that but we finish our own cattle and i want a calf that can finish out real well. we are almost there as well. yesterday we got our results back from the liner load we sent to lexington, NE, and 10 on the load went prime yield grade 1, which they told us is almost unheard of and we are doing something right.

also i want to get away from the mainstream. the mainstream breeds are getting too big, too tall, and too overly fed. its time cattle went back to their roots. around are ranch its all about efficiency. if a cow costs more then $350 CAD to run for a whole year, then she isnt worth keeping. I want to get that number down to $250 CAD, and still keep that cow in good shape and producing good calves. just trying to find a breed that will work.

 

[Aero]

sounds like you have a much better plan than i had given you credit for. good job on your success.

what age are most of the steers at slaughter and what breed do you credit for moderating backfat and getting enough muscle in there for YG1?

 

[goddy]

My dad ran galloways in New Zealand years ago and they were hardy, easy keeping, productive cattle.

Did great job on grass - mostly cleaning up pastures to make better feed for sheep.

The old girls got pretty protective at calving time but you cant fault them for that.

Like the sound of your plan and your operation - good luck.

Goddy

 

[BAGTIC]

I have a few Belted Galloways and my tenant has angus. One night I went out about 3 AM to see why one of the cows was raising such a fuss. I found her and all the other Angus bedded down on the backside of the pond dam (about 30 feet high) in a grove of trees out of the cold wind. It was about 5F degrees and about 15 mph. Not cold by northern standards. What surprised me was all of my Belties, including calves, were up on the ridge in the moonlight contentedly grazing away without a single complaint.

Some people have said their Galloways head to the ponds in hot weather but not mine. It is usually full on angus before the Belties get there so they lie in the shade somewhere. Perhaps people should go out at night and check. It may be that Galloways avoid some of the daytime heat stress by working the graveyard shift.

I know this winter was a little colder than last year and grass very sparse aafter a summer drought. While the angus were barely holding their own the Belties were actually gaining weight. If there is anything there to eat they will find it.

 

[BIZIN]

i cant really credit any of the breeds we use. the cattle we sent to slaughter last week were 1/4 horned hereford, 1/4 black angus, and half black simmental, or half black gelbvieh. we tried to get the plant to give us carcass data on each animal by their eartag number so we could see which breed and even which bulls were doing the great job, but we didnt know you had to ask ahead for them to do that, so next year we will know which breeds are giving us those YG1. and with the computer program we started using we should be able to weed out the bulls that are giving us garbage calves and which are doin good jobs, as well as the mothers who consistently raise a terrible calf.

 

[BIZIN]

oh i forgot, the cattle we sent were born in may and june of 2005 so around 20 months or so of age, and fattened on a 86% barley ration, 4% supplement, and 10% greenfeed or oat straw, depending what there was out there to buy. we dont grow sileage because we have found that for the amount of money it costs and the land you need to put it up, it just isnt worth the cost, so our backgrounded calves are on an alfalfa, barley, and cull potato ration and are slowly increased to 86% percent then switched to the greenfeed or straw. we have found that even on straw or greenfeed that fats gain just as well, and you dont have the expensive cost of putting up sileage.