By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

LAGRANGE, Ky. — Want to become a greener, more efficient farmer? Perhaps you should consider incorporating the Belted Galloway cattle breed into your résumé.

If that sounds like a bit of a stretch, the Belted Galloway Society has news to support that claim. Belties as they are known, are those unique-looking cows with the white “belt” around their middle and they are beginning to pop up in more and more places, especially those areas not normally conducive to cattle production.
The breed, known to be smaller than their commercial cousins, are considered to be gentle and more efficient grazers that can be brought to maturity on rough pastureland, according to the Society. That’s a plus to any cattle producer who has endured a couple of years of drought and short hay supplies.

The Society, based in Bendersville, Pa., notes that, “The cost of energy – which translates into unpredictable feed costs – is fueling their popularity among small and hobby farmers who want to produce and market a premium, high-value product.”

Jon Bednarski of Sherwood Acres Beef in Oldham County, Ky., is a typical producer, having started slowly and gradually worked his way into a lucrative niche market. With a limited agricultural background, Bednarski began his farming career with a couple of horses for his daughter and then got into the cattle business with encouragement from his wife.

“We ended up buying three registered Belted Galloways about six years ago to start the herd,” he said.

Bednarski was somewhat familiar with the breed, having come from the Northeast where Belties are more prevalent. The breed actually is thought to have originated in Galloway, Scotland, during the 16th century, according to the Society’s website. It was and is, by nature, a hardy breed with thick coats, suited well for long winters and hilly terrain.

“My original focus was to start a cow-calf operation but with a background in marketing and sales, and having an interest in the breed, we decided to get into the beef business. There was really nobody doing a lot of direct selling of Belted Galloway beef,” said Bednarski.

“What really pushed us forward were marketing funds made available from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Beef Council. It was a program where they would spend up to $5,000 if you spent $5,000.”

From that grant, Bednarski created a website and built several farmers’ market displays. They also found a USDA processor in Bardstown and began selling first at just the local market, then moved on to two other markets in the Louisville area.
Now, he is also selling meat to area grocer-type upscale markets and restaurants. In fact, the demand has been greater than what his farm can produce prompting Bednarski to buy from a similar type of a farm in South Carolina. He has about 40 head on his farm.

Belties are naturally low in fat due to being mainly grass fed, creating a distinctive flavor in the beef. According to information from the Society, the USDA evaluations at the Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) showed that the breed placed at the top of the chart for flavor, juiciness and tenderness when compared to 11 other breeds.

Because the meat is leaner than most store-bought beef, Bednarski provides a little education to his customers on proper preparation methods. He explains that because the beef has less fat in it, it will cook faster and he wants his customers to get the best.

Bednarski has used the tools available to him by state agencies including the Kentucky Proud Program and the University of Kentucky extension’s Master Cattleman’s Program.

“I could have never done any of this had it not been for the Master Cattleman’s Program,” he said. “It was huge for me and taught me a lot of the things I needed to know. It’s been a good learning experience.”

Bednarski also credit’s the Belted Galloway Society for much of his success. “That group is great in terms of being able to assist and help.”

He added that the Society has about 1,000 members, 25 of which are in Kentucky. Most members are small producers or hobby farmers who like the attributes of the breed.

For more information about the Belted Galloway Society, visit their website at www.beltie.org and for more information about Sherwood Acres Beef, visit its website at www.sherwoodacresbeef.com