Gold Creek Galloways are seriously quiet cattle - our whole herd is quiet. When we say quiet, we mean they are happy to be handled by people  and will calmly stand in the paddock while you brush, apply pour-on drench or run your hands all over them. We do not keep or breed with cattle that are not quiet. People choose small, traditional Galloway cattle purely because they are docile. Galloway cattle are renown for being docile. However, even with docile Galloway cattle, you can get quiet cattle and extra quiet cattle. Extra quiet cattle are invaluable. On the bottom of this page, we will explain how to tell the difference when you go to buy Miniature Galloway cattle.

The Benefits of Extra Quiet Cattle

As Galloway breeders, we spend a lot of time and energy ensuring that our cattle are not just docile but extra quiet. Not just the show cattle, the special cattle that are halter trained and prepared to lead in the show ring, but every member of their herd. So it begs the question, "Why do we bother?"

The short answer is... "Quiet cattle are easier to manage." Extra quiet cattle are easier to manage and more enjoyable to own. The quieter they are, the easier and more enjoyable it is to work with them and to own them, full stop.

Every task involved in the maintenance and movement of the cattle is so much easier if the cattle are quiet. Not needing to muster the whole herd for every routine task is a good thing. If you don't have to take the herd or the individual cattle into a different paddock to carry out every task, you save time and energy. There are routine tasks and one-off tasks. If these jobs are easier, life is easier for you as a miniature cattle owner.  

It is so much easier to lead your cattle from the front then it is to herd them from behind. Calling your cattle and having them all follow you into the next paddock is 'a walk in the park'. So much easier, especially when compared to trying to herd them from behind. 

If you can walk up to the cow in the paddock, halter her and do what you need to do for her right there in the paddock, that takes a little less time and is just that little bit easier. 

All cattle are the product of how they have been treated and the amount of time you spend training them. If cattle are not handled regularly or have been treated badly, then their docile nature will find it difficult to shine through.

A first time visitor brushing one of our stud bulls GOLD CREEK Storm Chaser.

How Quiet Are They? - What to Look For 

Galloway cattle are all docile, so most breeders can tell you their cattle are quiet. But there is quiet and there is really quiet. If you are talking to a breeder about particular cattle and you want to know exactly how quiet they are, you need to ask more than one question.

If you want to know if particular Galloway cattle are already family pets or just wary little grass eaters, then you need to ask specific questions.

Questions you may want to ask include:

If they come up to the fence for hay, will they move away if you come to the fence?

Can you walk up to them in the paddock?

Can you walk up to them in the paddock and stroke them?

If you go into the paddock and walk towards the cattle will they:

Walk away from you?

Run away from you?

Stay where they are?

Walk towards you?

Come right up to you?

Where do you need to put the cattle to handle them:

In the crush and only in the crush? (A crush is an expensive piece of cattle equipment for two pets.)

In a small yard or confined space?

Haltered and tied up to something?

Stand in the paddock and let you handle them?

When you are handling the cattle will they:

Let you run your hands all over them? (only in the crush, yard or paddock?)

Let you apply pour-on products? (only in the crush, yard or paddock?)

Let you lift their legs and look at their hooves? (only in the crush, yard or paddock?)

Let you handle their udder or testicles? (only in the crush, yard or paddock?)

If the cattle are halter trained how do you put the halter on:

Do you need to put them in a crush first?

Do you need to put them in a small yard first?

Do you need to put a rope around their neck and then halter them?

Do you need to give them hay and put the halter on when they are eating?

Can you walk up to them in the paddock and just put the halter on?

Can a visitor sit down beside them and kiss them on the nose?

Buying Quiet Cattle

If you can find a breeder with quiet, easy to manage cattle, be prepared to pay a little extra. When you consider the time and energy you will save on every routine task, the benefits will outweigh the initial cost. That little bit extra is worth every dollar. You will reap the rewards of quiet cattle from day one and for years to come.

If you start your herd with quiet cattle, it will set the tone of your herd for the future. If you introduce a couple of quiet cattle to your herd, these cattle can help you quieten the others.

Training the calves yourself can be a very rewarding past time. If you would rather pay less and you feel confident to quieten and train the cattle yourself, that is also a viable option. Working through this process with your miniature Galloway cattle can be a very rewarding experience. It takes time and patience - make sure you have both. If you lose your patience, it is going to take a lot more time.

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