THE FUTURE IS TRADITIONAL
The Galloway Cattle Society believe the future of beef production in the United Kingdom lies in the long established, yet lately forgotten worth of a delicious piece of meat.
With the price of beef soaring, consumers are looking for something extra special to justify their additional spend. They expect to purchase something more superior than the “average”. The recent ‘horse-gate’ scandal has emphasised the necessity to source locally. The Galloway Society is certain that along with a return to old style values when shopping for meat, there will emerge a movement of consumers who demand delicious flavour and eating quality. In short - beef as it should be.
Galloway beef has a major role play in the revival of the Traditional reputation of meat. The Galloway has maintained the breed qualities and traits which ensure the end product has the distinctive, delicious flavour and excellent eating quality which guarantees a unique beef product. Its preeminence has gained the attention of some of the finest restaurants in Scotland – The Gleneagles Hotel - to name but a few.
“Well handled Galloway beef is like a really good premium malt whisky, it’s got depth and texture and is distinctive. Our whisky is revered around the world, this quality of beef should be exactly the same”says Jim Fairley, six year breeder of Galloways at Logiealmond and a dedicated convert to and advocate of the rewards of this breed.
So much for the desirability of this unique breed for the consumer ….what are the benefits for its producers?
The Galloway differentiates itself from its rivals on a wide range of levels and those unfamiliar with them will find it has evolved to meet the requirements of new markets.
Jim Fairley commented, “I wanted a cow that was good natured, would graze the extensive rough ground, was minimum labour and cost, but at the same time could produce a product that our customers would come back for. The Galloway cow does all these things, I wouldn’t be without them”.
The inference to traditional in the Galloway Society’s new strap line isn’t just about the end product.
From the perspective of the producer the key lies with the suckler cow and this is where the breed really excels. The Galloway is the perfect breeding cow; renowned for easy calving. An excellent mother with an abundance of milk, she will often rear calves well into her teens.
For proponents of The Galloway, the ‘icing on the cake’ is its measurably lower input costs. Comparisons have shown a Galloway cow’s nutritional requirements are significantly below those of a continental breed and they are easily wintered outdoors. And, once perceived as small breed, the Galloway has developed a larger framed carcass with bullocks between 23 – 30 months achieving R4L and R4H carcasses.
Victoria Hogg from the Beanley Galloway Herd, Alwnick believes in the importance of benchmarking to accurately assess the success and viability of the herd.
Victoria says “Costing and benchmarking our herd has confirmed to us, that the Galloway as a suckler herd is a profitable option”
This may be difficult to comprehend for the commercial continental breeder – and switching to any native breed means embracing a complete change in mindset. The current challenges facing livestock farmers in the UK including extreme weather conditions and continually raising prices may encourage even the most steadfast of farmers to consider alternatives.
The new branding reflects the desire of the Galloway Society to maintain the traditional integrity of the Galloway breed, whilst ensuring it becomes a market leader in the future of locally sourced beef.
Chairman of the Society, Andrew Waugh said “ We already have an amazing brand which originates from the provenance of this proud native breed, now we need to harness it and let people know just how good this breed really is.”
Ultimately it is the consumer who leads market demand and the Galloway Society believe that the strong brand, which already differentiates the Galloway, offers exceptional traditional eating quality, provenance and local traceability – which is exactly what future consumers will be looking for.
The Galloway Society is encouraging producers who are looking to explore new options in beef production to switch to Galloway - a provider of increased profit, reduced costs (without cutting corners) - the ability to increase sale value and stretch margins
Those who are open to new and gainful opportunities in the beef sector will find a bright future in the Galloway breed.