Sure does! Breeders have produced some perfectly beautiful belted animals using outcross dams.
 
Back in the 1960s and 1970s it was very difficult to find purebred females for sale, and they were extremely costly to import. To help the breed proliferate on this continent, an Appendix to the Society’s Herd Book was established which records the female progeny of purebred Belted Galloway bulls mated to base cows of other breeds in a progression of 1/2, 3/4 and 7/8. At 15/16 the properly marked female calf is permitted to enter the Herd Book. 
 
This is in keeping with the American Livestock Breeders Conservancy’s assessment that an animal containing 93.5% breed genetics may be considered “pure.” Crossbred males are not recorded, but are considered “meat.”
 
The Belted Galloway Society requires that the base cow used in an upbreeding program must be a polled, solid-colored or belted beef-type animal.
 
The most frequently asked question on crossbreeding is, Will the calves be belted? The answer is, At least 85% will carry the belt, a dominant trait. If it can be established that the bull used is homozygous for belting (rather than heterozygous), then 100% of his calves will be belted.
 
What is the value of an Appendix recorded heifer? Prices vary widely depending on conformation, condition, age and even region, but in general a crossbred heifer is valued at about 2/3 the price of a comparable purebred heifer.
 
People upbreeding to achieve Herd Book animals are required to have a little patience. It takes eleven years from base cow to Herd Book heifer, and then only if each heifer in the progression has a heifer calf on her first try.
 
For those who simply want to enjoy decorative cattle in their pastures, the Appendix animals can fill the bill nicely. It takes a good eye to determine whether or not an animal is purebred! In the photo above, the heifer is 3/4 Belted Galloway. Her dam to the immediate left is Belted Galloway x Angus cross, and carries a somewhat smoother hair coat.
 
Breeders with both purebred and upbred cattle in their fields usually note that hybrid vigor is likely to promote greater early growth in the cross calves, which often surpass the purebreds during the first year or two (though it’s also noted that the purebred catches up by about age three and may well mature larger than the crossbred). Early growth can be an advantage if we are producing animals for beef, and many breeding for the meat market prefer crosses.
 
Meat producers infuse Belted Galloway genetics to obtain a high-quality product, fine-grained and tender beef. But there is a downside -- feedlot buyers, having learned that Belties are slower to mature than their average penned steers, often dock prices on belted animals shipped to market. The upside is that breeders direct-marketing Beltie beef routinely obtain premium prices for their product. 
 
When purebred females were in short supply the Appendix Beltie heifers filled a need. But there are other reasons to consider crossbreeding. Ranchers and dairy farmers who appreciate our breed’s low birth weights often use Belted Galloway bulls on their commercial or dairy cows to insure easy birthing, particularly in first-calf heifers.