The University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) first became associated with the Belted Galloway Society in the Spring of 2001 after receiving a gift -- a herd of Belted Galloway cattle. After receiving the herd there was a great interest from the Society’s membership in the University and what could be offered to the people of the Society and to the breed. After sorting through hundreds of ideas and listening to all the excited people, the University personnel decided to play the same role with this breed as it does with its students and that is: educating. 
 
In the summer of 2002, the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Teaching Farm offered the very first Beltie 101 Beef Camp. This was a week-long camp for anyone interested in beef, especially for Belted Galloway cattle enthusiasts and breeders. 

The camp was designed with youth in mind, but when all the entries came in, we had a camp registration that was half youth and half adults with an age range from 7 to 79. As the week of Beltie Camp drew nearer the weather got hotter. I worried about how to handle such a wide age spread and keep everyone interested. However, the week went just as planned, we all had a great time, and now the University is known for Beltie Camp. 

We completed the second Beltie Camp in 2003 and the University’s role is coming together. We are getting more of a schedule of when events are taking place and what the plan of action should be. After hosting two camps, we have decided that Beltie Camp will take place every year -- the last full week of June, and registration will be in the month of April. We feel after hosting two camps that this is a great way to educate the people who are interested in this breed of cattle. We try to have camp focused on what we hear the people want to learn about and ideas that are important to the breed. At Beltie Camp the University’s herd is incorporated into the camp for handling and showing instruction as well as the outside knowledge and comparisons that are brought to the campers. Beltie Camp is a program that UTM is proud to host and plans to continue promoting. 

The University of Tennessee at Martin is not just about beef camp -- we also have other projects with the cattle. Here at the University we run a herd of cattle, keeping figures and data on cows and calves to see if there are any common trends or comparisons that can be made through weights and measurements. Our farm also hosts a bull test each year to measure growth traits of bulls from different farms with different genetic make-ups. The bull test offers the breed a way to compare many different genetic combinations and growth traits in a fixed environment. This allows breeders to bring bulls together from all points of the country to a standardized environment to compare growth characteristics. We feel that the bull test is a great source of information for the breed and the quickest way to produce good sound information that breeders can use to change the outcome of the breed. A breeder should be able to take the bull test results and compare bulls of similar genetic make-up each year and then make breeding selection decisions appropriate to achieve his desired herd. 

As you travel around to some of the shows and sales you will also see the UTM farm sign. The farm takes cattle to shows and sales and with the use of the students at the University the cattle are prepared for the show. Also you will see the University staff at events taking weights and measurements of cattle for the Society. These measurements are taken for the use of the Society and its membership to compare growth traits and change in the breed. 

This is a brief outline of how the University of Tennessee at Martin has become active with the Belted Galloway Society. As time passes, the UTM staff hopes to continue working with this breed and also plans to generate some comparisons that can be useful in selection of future breeding stock. If the staff at the University can assist with your projects feel free to call on us.