Manager for “Skibo Downs”, Steve Murray, for the first time last year joined his Santa Gertrudis/Angus heifers to Belted Galloway bulls – and so far it has worked a treat.

He said he came across the breed when he met Belted Galloway breeder, Terry Pierce, Peppercorn Belted Galloway stud, Barrington, at a social event and Mr Pierce was willing to lease him some bulls to trial.

“I knew nothing of Terry Pierce before that event, but it went from there,” Mr Murray said.

The long-term aim of the cross has been to, over a couple of years, safely bring calving in the heifers back to two years of age, with this year’s calving heifers at 2 1/2 years old.

“Skibo Downs” takes in 2000 hectares and is an all-cattle operation, with half the pastures impr-oved and the remainder natural.

Its herd includes 710 cows, plus the 161 heifers calving to Belted Galloway bulls, as well as followers, to total 1700 head.

Until four years ago, the herd was Kilburnie-blood Angus, breeding steers for the former Australian Meat Holdings (now JBS Swift Australia).

However, Mr Murray introduced Santa Gertrudis bulls to breed cattle for Cargill Beef Australia as a preferred Elders client and for larger females which could easily handle European breed bulls to take advantage of the European Union market, he said.

They were also having their cattle custom fed at “Pine Grove”, Cecil Plains, Queensland, and “Rodgers Creek”, Warwick, Qld.

It was purely by chance that he came across the Belted Galloways, but if they find a good market, continue to be easy care, and are profitable, he said the EU market plan might be put on hold.

Mr Murray said he had been on the lookout for a low birthweight breed with genetic purity, which would provide consistency and predictability in its offspring.

The Belted Galloway bulls went in with the heifers in April 2009 and the heifers are presently well into calving.