Alford Family Farm
Our Cows and Pigs
BELTED GALLOWAY (the Oreo cookie cows!)
We raise Belted Galloway Cows. Not only are they enjoyable to see in the pastures, but they are a very hardy breed that is resistant to the typical diseases confronting cattle these days. They have longer, thicker hair, a trait of cows originating from Scotland. That's why it wasn't until the 1940's that they were brought to Texas. They have acclimated to our hotter climate, but will spend hours in the farm ponds to keep cool. After several years of evaluating their beef we have decided they are better yard art than a source of protein for sale from the farm, That's not to say their beef is inedible, just not from our farm with our type of grass and the fact we do not supplement them with cubes, sweet feed, etc.
RED WATTLE PIGS
Upon researching different pig varieties grown in our area, we decided to raise a heritage breed pig that was once almost “extinct” from farms until their resurgence in the 1960’s. At that time, groups of Red Wattle pigs were discovered in the wild and re-domesticated back into farm life; they are the only Texas heritage breed pig to date. We purchased our first group of “fixed” male pigs, called barrows. Because of their hearty squeals, large floppy ears, and comical pig-like personalities, they quickly became a favorite not just for us, but for the kids that visit as well. Just like the Belted Galloway breed, Red Wattles are very hardy and do not require any vaccinations OR worming treatments. While they are grazers, we do feed them commercial swine feed when they don't have the bounty of leftover produce from our gardens. As they grow bigger you can see them laying in the middle of their food and eating...just like a PIG! They produce an extremely tasty, and very well marbled, product. Our current herd is a cross between Red Wattle and Hampshire? I believe. If you are interested in learning more about our pigs, send us an email and we will forward you the information on how you can own a part of or a whole pig for your family!
