The Belted Galloway Cattle Society has been responsible for registering White Galloways for some time, although the procedure differs from that for the Belted Galloway. The “registered” status allows some coloured Galloway blood to be used to give genetic diversity but this means the White Galloway can never have true pedigree status.
Note: The Society will enter into the breeding book, animals of the same breed, line or cross that are eligible for entry under the Society’s breed criteria, without discrimination on account of their country of origin.
Breed Standards
1) White Galloways should be of good Galloway type, not too small in stature and well-fleshed.
2) Locomotion should be correct, with clean legs and hocks and a level back.
3) The forehead should be wide, but not too long from eye to muzzle. Nostrils should be wide and ears forward-pointing.
4) The mouth should be wide and not undershot.
5) Ideally, there should be a good covering of thick, white hair all over the body, although coloured flecking is acceptable.
6) Where the ears, muzzle and feet are a good deep shade of black, red or dun those animals will be recorded as WM (well marked). White or light points are acceptable and should be recorded as LM (lightly marked). Animals that are strongly marked i.e heavily flecked and have a grey/blueish tinge to their coat will be recorded as SM (strongly marked). Black/red/dun females from White Galloway parents can be registered within an appendix and the female progeny of these animals can be registered if well marked, strongly marked or lightly marked when mated with a registered White Galloway bull. These will be recorded as black, red or dun.
Registration procedures
General:-
Like the Belted Galloway there are two stages to registering White Galloways:-
1) Birth notification.
This is a means of building up a picture of numbers being born to the national herd, and has essential benefits to breeders in certain circumstances. The birth certificate allows breeders to prove that the calf, although it has not been fully registered, has been born to registered parents. This can be useful in situations where environmental stewardship payments require proof of breeding; where a disease breakdown requires the slaughter of stock which has yet to be registered; and where farmers market their own beef and need proof of its provenance for labelling purposes.
The birth of all calves to registered mothers should be notified to the Society within two months of being born, irrespective of sex, whether they are castrated or are not intended to be fully registered later. Still births and post-natal deaths should be notified, and these do not attract a fee. Calves which go on to be fully registered will have the notification fee deducted from the registration fee. Notification forms are available from the secretary or can be downloaded from the Society’s website. Births can also be notified online, and where this is done the notification fee is waived if the breeder does not require a birth certificate to be produced.
2) Registration
1) White Galloways may only be bred from registered White Galloways or pedigree Black, Red or Dun Galloways which have been registered by the Galloway Cattle Society. Belted Galloways, Riggit Galloways are not allowed in the breeding of White Galloways. If registering animals bred using a pedigree Black, Red or Dun Galloway parent evidence of its registration with the Galloway Cattle Society must be produced.
2) Solid black, red or dun females born to registered white parents or one registered white parent and a pedigree black, red or dun Galloway parent will be entered into the Appendix and their eligible white daughters can be fully registered. If an appendix solid black, red or dun animal produces a solid coloured (black, red or dun) heifer then this heifer cannot be registered.
3) Calves must be registered by the breeder on whose farm they were born and will bear the herd prefix of that farm.
4) If a calf is sold at foot it is the responsibility of the breeder to register the calf before it is sold.
5) All registrations must include the name of the animal; its official ear tag number; date of birth; names of the sire and dam, together with their herd book numbers; the colour of the points; the name and address of the breeder; a likeness of the animal which shows the points. This can be either a sketch or, in the case of online registrations, a digital photo of both sides of the animal will be accepted (see online registrations). Forms are available from the Secretary or may be downloaded from the Society’s website.
6) Heifer calves should be registered before 12 months of age. Registrations after that age will be charged at double rate.
Registering females:-
Appendix
Solid black, red or dun animals can be entered into the Appendix if they are from two white registered Galloway parents or from one registered white parent and a pedigree black, red or dun Galloway parent. The females must be of Galloway type. If mated to a registered White Galloway bull resulting female calves, provided they are of White Galloway type will be eligible for full registration.
Fully registered
To be fully registered a female must be bred from registered White Galloways or pedigree Black, Red or Dun Galloways which have been registered by the Galloway Cattle Society. Female progeny from an Appendix dam can be registered as long as it is of White Galloway type (white well marked, strongly marked or lightly marked and it is sired by a fully registered White Galloway sire.
Registering bulls:-
The procedure for registering bulls is more stringent due to the greater influence a bull may exercise over the breed compared to a female.
a) Bulls should ideally be registered between 12 and 24 months of age. Registrations before that age may be carried out at the discretion of the Society, and registrations after 24 months old will attract double fees.
b) Bulls may be registered from fully registered White Galloway females mated with a registered White Galloway bull or a pedigree Black or Red Galloway bull. They may also be registered from pedigree Black or Red Galloway females mated with a registered White Galloway bull.
c) All bulls must be inspected by a member of the Society’s panel before they can be registered. Breeders should apply to the Secretary for an inspection, and the inspector will contact the breeder to make an appointment.
d) At the inspection a sample of hair will be taken from the bull’s tail which will be sent off for D.N.A. analysis. The results of the sample are kept on file in case of future queries over parentage.
e) Bull inspectors should have sight of registration records if sired by a White Galloway bull and pedigree certificates if sired by a Black or Red Galloway bull.
f) If the inspection is successful the inspection form, the registration form and the D.N.A. sample are returned to the Secretary for processing.
g) In the event of a bull failing its inspection an appeal procedure may be used. This involves two other members of the Society’s panel inspecting the bull, thereby ensuring a majority decision. The result of the appeal will be final. If the original decision is upheld the breeder must also pay the cost of the appeal inspection, however if the original decision is overturned the second inspection fee will be waived.
Last Updated: July 2019
Download White Galloway Registration Form