[Prairie_Beef] Bear Creek Farm - more on Belted Galloways

[Kevin Carpenter]

All -

I just posted a review of our trip on my blog (http://blog.seaplace.org-
click on Kevin's Stuff).  I've cut and pasted it below to save you the
hop.

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Yesterday, January 31st, 2009, we had the pleasure of visiting with Mary &
Les Sapp.  They run Bear Creek Farm and raise Belted Galloways for sale. 
They have a small herd of about 18 animals which they raise on their 37
acres, along with some land they rent.  VERY nice people!

Mary provided us with literature on Belted Galloways, and Belted Galloway
Society information.  (Membership is $50 the first year, $40 thereafter,
with a binder full of information on Belties provided to new members - our
applciation will go out on Monday).

Mary and Les have been raising Belties for about 20 years now.  Although
they started their business raising Herefords, they shifted over to
Belties long ago and have been very pleased with them since.  Currently,
they start breeding their heifers at 18 months.  Thats older than current
common practice, but since starting this, they have not had to assist in a
birth in over 10 years!  Mary and Les target fall births - it fits their
business cycle better than the traditional spring season.

Bear Creek Farms business model is to raise the cattle for direct sale to
other cattlemen - not for beef.  Each of their cows, heifers, and bulls
are named.  The steers feed their large family...  Mary is quite proud
that Belties now live in all 50 states - quite the change from when they
started the business and had the honor of being the western most breeder!

Although we didn't talk price, the market for this breed is quite strong,
with live cattle selling for substantially more than beef prices (2X or
more?).  Mary thought that this would hold for many more years, and was a
better business model for small farmers than raising the breed for beef. 
I did a quick Google search and found 6-year old unregistered Belted cows
for $500 each - about the same as any other breed.  Of course, one never
knows exactly what they are getting when buying such animals.  I suspect
registered animals go for quite a bit more, with show quality animals
fetching the premium prices - but requiring the effort and expense of
showing in order to win the coveted awards.

Les commented that the animals are very containable using electric fences
for interior seggregation, but he wasn't entirely comfortable with the
concept of using electric fences for exterier fencing.  They also raise
horses, and alternate fields between their belties and their horses, so
need stouter fencing.

Conclusion:  I still remain of the opinion that this breed is desirable
and very compatible with our prairie efforts.  The concept of raising them
for sale to other cattlemen is interesting, but I'm not convinced its
practical for us - at least not until we live full-time on the farm.

Kevin

More on Belties from Wikipedia (and consistant with information Mary
provided us):

The origin of the white belt is unknown, but generally presumed to come
from cross breeding with Dutch Belted cattle.[1] A Polled Herd Book was
started in 1852 which registered both Aberdeen-Angus and Galloways.
Galloway breeders acquired their own herd book in 1878. The Dun and Belted
Galloway Association was formed in Scotland in 1921, and in 1951 the name
of the organization was changed to the Belted Galloway Society and dun
cattle were no longer registered. It also keeps and records pedigrees for
Belted Galloways and oversees the registration of White and Red Galloways.
Currently in the UK there is a thriving breeding programme overseen and
guided by the Belted Galloway Cattle Society. Belted Galloways were first
imported to the United States by Harry A. Prock of Whitemarsh,
Pennsylvania in the late 1940s. A Belted Galloway Society was formed in
the United States in the early 1950s.

Belted Galloways, also known as Belties, are currently listed with the
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy as a "watched" breed, which means
there are fewer than 2,500 annual registrations in the United States and a
global population of less than 10,000. In 2007 they were formally removed
from the UK Rare Breeds Survival Trust's watch list, having recovered
sufficiently from the devastation of the foot and mouth crisis of the
early 2000's, to have reached in excess of 1500 registered breeding
females.

Galloway cattle are naturally polled. The most visible characteristics of
the Belted Galloway are its long hair coat and the broad white belt that
completely encircles the body. Its coarse outer coat helps shed the rain,
and its soft undercoat provides insulation and waterproofing, enabling the
breed to happily overwinter outside. Black Belties are most prominent, but
Dun and Red Belties are also recognized by breed societies, the latter
being comparatively rare and sought after. A Belted Galloway cannot be
registered if it has white above the dew claw other than the belt.

Bulls weigh from 1,700 pounds (770kg) to 2,300 pounds (1045kg) with the
average being 1,800 pounds (820kg). Cows weigh from 1,000 pounds (454kg)
to 1,500 pounds (680kg) with the average being 1,250 pounds (568kg).
Calves generally weight from 65 pounds (30kg) to 75 pounds (34kg),
although 60 pounds (27kg) and 80+ pound (36kg) calves are not unheard of.
Belties are generally of a quiet temperament, but still maintain a strong
maternal instinct and will protect a calf against perceived threats.

Belties are well-suited for rough grazing land and will utilize coarse
grasses other breeds would shun. They are able to maintain good condition
on less than ideal pasture, and produce a high quality beef product on
grass alone. The USDA Cycle IV Germ Plasm Evaluation Program at the Meat
Animal Research Center (MARC) showed that Galloway crosses placed at the
top of the chart for flavor, juiciness and tenderness when compared to
eleven other breeds.