“The Beltie as a beef animal produces exceptionally lean and flavorful meat.”

One of the purposes of raising cattle is production of meat for human consumption. Today’s health conscious society wants a product low in fat yet tender, juicy and flavorful. These needs are being met in Belted Galloway beef, as you can see in the chart below.

Statistics sourced from beltie.org.

The Beltie as a beef animal produces exceptionally lean and flavorful meat, with dressed weights well in excess of 60 percent of live weight. Winter warmth is provided by the double coat of hair, rather than the layer of backfat most breeds require. The Belted Galloways’ heritage has conditioned them to survive in very harsh climates, and U.S. breeders have discovered that the thrifty, medium-sized animals more than earn their way in any beef herd.

Belted Galloways mature and grow at a much slower rate than traditional cattle breeds, such as Angus or Hereford. Typically, traditional breeds take 16-18 months to reach their harvest weight, while Belted take 21-24 months. Although it takes more time and more feed for Belties to reach their harvest weight, this time actually increases the marbling throughout the beef, making it more flavorful and tender. Belted Galloway beef is worth the wait!