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Many new producers or those looking for a change can be put off by not knowing what breed suits their property, pastures and needs.
Central Tablelands Local Land Services senior lands services officer - livestock, Brett Littler saw the need to help inform producers about the traits of a number of cattle breeds.
He held an information session at the Mudgee Small Farm Field days with breeders on hand to describe what works best for each particular animal.
One of the breeds best for those with smaller holdings was the Galloway.
Galloways come in three types - Galloway, Belted Galloway and White Galloway.
For more than 30 years, Greg Stuart has been involved with Galloways, usually running approximately 250 head on his combined holdings of more than 400 hectares at Mittagong.
Greg spoke to the assembled crowd about the benefits of running Galloways.
"The Galloway breed dates back thousands of years, beginning in the south-west region of Scotland," he said.
"It was a region with sparse grass, so over those years the Galloway has developed a metabolism which allows it to produce more muscle from less feed.
"They adapted to a diet with poor nutrition and still produce great meat.
"Their coat actually helps with the quality of their meat as well.
"Galloways have a long overcoat and a glossy undercoat which helps in the cold.
"Because they don't need body fat to stay warm, it goes into their meat and marbling it.
"It makes it really juicy and flavoursome.
"The healthiness of the meat is exceptional as it is high in Omega 3, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and unsaturated fat."
Greg said that this need for less nutrition, as well as their size and temperament makes the Galloway ideal for smaller holdings.
"They are a medium size animal with a docile temperament," he said.
"Galloways respond well to humans and we have trained ours to come when called.
"Because of the conditions in the environment they were developed in, here they raise more calves to weaning weight.
"Being a smaller breed, you do not need a lot of space for them which makes them great for smaller properties."
