Wasn't looking to be into any heritage breed of cattle...my wife and I were riding the Harley one day and saw a pasture full of these cattle...being the "critter" lover that she is...I knew I was in trouble when we came around the corner and saw them!!!!
We found the breed (Belted Galloway) on the web a few weeks later and started reading up on them...smaller cattle, only stand about 36-38 inches high when grown..bulls weigh about 1400 Lbs. and the cows around 900-1000...one of the oldest breeds known, easy kept, great mothers and one of the leanest meat breeds...they don't put on back fat to keep warm in cold weather...they just grow longer hair...
To show you how excited we became...we found and bought a young bull, half grown heifer, and a bred cow...before I even had the fence up on the place...but after seeing this baby....I don't regret the work that the fence took nearly so bad now [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
The attached picture shows how good a parent they are...this is the young "rowdy" bull looking after the baby...he hasn't gotten more than 50 feet away since it was born!!!!!
Very interesting. We've been looking at the Dexters, but don't know the market for them, or how they'd fare in the hot Texas summer. The Galloways seem to be another breed to read about for consideration.
We've had cattle in the family for years....from what I've experienced with these galloways in the last 6 months, everything else we've ever had were "wild" cattle..can't believe how easy they are to keep and what caring parents they make....
The man we bought ours from divided his pasture with orange construction twine...said they never tried to cross it [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
There are several breeders of both Red/white and black/white galloways in Texas, so I'd think the climate shouldn't be a problem for you [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]
GareyD, Great looking baby! I am in central Texas and want to start raising "MINI MOOS" in about two years, when I can be at the farm full time. Do you think you will have a starter heard to sell by then?
TxDon, since I'm only running 1 cow and now 2 young heifers...not real sure I could come up with a "herd" for you or not [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] but I'd be willing to try to help you anyway I could...
Seriously, one of the things to start thinking about with these smaller heritage/mini breeds is marketing...you need to sell them to friends, family and neighbors as "quality" lean beef, because that is exactly what they are...they remind me of the angus cattle of 20 years ago...big barrel body and short thick legs...not the bred up size of today's cattle.
Because of their "cute" appearance and smaller frame size, they don't do well at the local livestock sale barns...they don't make today's buyers "Grade".... the county agent told me when I was looking to get started, that if I took one to the sale barn, I would probably have to leave a check with it to get it to sell [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
But I can honestly say after having these belted galloways around for awhile, that I can't think of any other breed I would trade them for [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]
Marketability would be our concern, also. If the county tax assessor tells me I need 1 head for every 3 acres (for my ag exemption), I'd prefer to get a smaller animal so I won't over graze.
Maybe it would be like the Emu fad, or Alpacas. It seems these folks mostly sell to each other, as there is only a small niche demand.
But these little guys sure are "cute", as JazzMom says.
JazzDad...don't know if ya ever raised a steer for slaughter or not.
I personally have never taken a steer to market, I have always grown for myself/family or friends and neighbors...I always have a waiting list for "Home Grown" prime beef, in fact the list is 8 head now...not including one for myself...and I don't have the first steer on the pasture [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
These little guys are supposed to dress out at about 62% according to everything that I have been able to read....so...a steer at 700 lbs. (13-15 months) would dress out at about 440 lb....that would only be 220 lbs. to the side, which is mostly what you would sell...and that 220 lbs. is better IMHO for today's smaller families and lifestyles....Just being my wife and I at home now, we would have a hard time using a 350-450 lbs. side before it got old and freezer burned [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
I don't think that these will be a fad, the first galloways were imported in the early 1900's if memory serves me correctly...they were just sort of confined to New England until recently because of the longer hair...people were leary of moving them to the warmer climates...
I have read where several 4-5 star restaurants in England and New York Cty have gone to galloway beef with excellent results...bodes well for the future of the breed [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
And yes...they are CUTE...maybe that is why I get so long winded in discussion about them [img]/forums/images/icons/ooo.gif[/img]
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