Most people who want full blood Galloway Cattle want them for showing and or breeding purposes. If you want small Galloway cattle to enter the show ring with, then you need full blood Galloway or purebred Galloway cattle. Both full blood and purebred Galloway cattle can compete in the show ring equally.
A full blood Galloway is a male or female with only full blood Galloway sires and dams in their breeding history. There can be no purebred Galloway or graded Galloway in the breeding history of a full blood whatsoever.
Full blood miniature Galloway cows are highly sought after. Full blood Galloway bulls are also highly sought after, but unrelated bulls are becoming difficult to find. The gene pool for White Galloways, in particular, is relatively small. New bloodlines are currently being introduced to Australia by some of the more established breeders.
There are a number of good Galloway breeders in Australia with magnificent full blood, Galloway cattle. After many years of building up herds, there are now some breeders that well-positioned to sell full blood miniature Galloway cattle. Check out the breeders on this website and see if there is one near you.
ORIGIN & HISTORY
The Galloway is a very old Scottish breed. It is the oldest known British breed on record, and the oldest known polled beef breed in the world. The numbers of Miniature White Galloway were so low that they were listed as a rare breed.
BREED CHARACTERISTICS
The smaller traditional Galloways have the same great breed characteristics as standard Galloways but must comply with strict height requirements.
Galloways are naturally polled. They are long-living, very resistant to disease, and easy to manage. They create strong hybrid vigour due to the purity of the breed.
The unique double coat of hair makes the Galloway an extremely versatile breed, able to withstand extremes of temperature and climate. Galloways, because of their extra hair, can actually gain weight when on the same ration as other cattle which are losing weight.
Galloways have an amazing ability to forage on sparse hill conditions, yet also perform outstandingly on high-grade pasture. Galloways are being sought after to improve marginal lands, as they graze non-selectively. Non-selective grazing encourages the better quality grasses while at the same time does not allow the poorer quality species to take over.
One of the most notable characteristics of the Galloway females is her ability to rear calves naturally under all conditions. In Australia, the Galloway has proven itself not only in cold climates but also in the hot inland, where Galloway cross cows have survived severe droughts while rearing a healthy calf.
Galloways are an extremely fertile breed, regularly producing vigorous live calves. The cow is noted for ease of calving, being a protective mother and having an abundant supply of milk. A sustained lactation period ensures a strong, well-nourished calf at weaning. The maternal attributes of the Galloway cow came out tops in a study at the famous Clay Animal Research Center, Nebraska, USA. Eleven breed groups were tested for their ability to give birth and rear their calves. Of the 11 breed groups included in the study, the Galloways recorded the highest weaning percentage (95.5%), the highest calf survival percentage (95.2%), and an outstandingly low incidence of calving difficulty (0.8%).
With the Galloway's non-selective grazing habits, Galloway beef can be raised under extensive conditions. Research carried out shows that beef which is extensively produced can be of great benefit in a healthy diet. Galloway beef is rich in linoleic acid, which reduces the dangerous type of cholesterol (LDL), prevents thrombosis and, therefore, protects coronary vessels.
The carcass of the Galloway is of excellent quality, with high yields. By using Galloways and their crosses it is easy to obtain fat cover and heavy muscling to suit most trade requirements and new marketing techniques. Galloway steers have gained much success in both carcase competitions and grazing trials. The high yield of Galloway and Galloway cross steers makes them a very attractive item for the feedlots, as the higher the yield, the higher the profit per animal.
NB: This information is based on NSW Dept of Primary Industries: Agriculture Agfact A2.3.36
