Registration Guidelines » Registration Standarization

We feel that its time to share with you our Standardization Registrations policy

The need for standardization and explanation

Sometimes there is confusion. As with any registry, registration policies change and evolve over time,as need arises.  Ours are no different.  With us, the original registry was IDGR and there were very strict policies for the breeds. We  have always been very professional and strive for accuracy in our registrations. There have been some things that have changed, over the years or rather been added.  So we just want to clarify this, how our registrations are done.

Take with the Nigerian Dwarf breed, for instance. International Dairy Goat Registry was the original United States registry for the Nigerian Dwarf.  We have registrations of West African Dwarf (WAD) and descendants dating back to 1980 and 1981.  We did not actually create the Breed Standards for roughly 4 1/2 years of research, because we were doing hard core research into the breed from West African information, original US breeders, watching how the Nigerian Dwarf reacted to the better feeds in the United States, etc. After this time frame, the Nigerian Dwarf breed standard was born to what we have today.  Our height allowances and colorings and conformation is different than those of most of the other registries. Why, because ours are based upon what the actual Nigerian Dwarf really is.  We do allow taller ones accepted into our herd books, but we put an H. The only reason we allow it is because we feel that we have no choice.  

So there is a definite need for creating a 2nd Nigerian Dwarf Herd book. That new herdbook will be created by IGSCR in 2020, to recognize Nigerian Dwarf whom we are quite sure trace back to direct imports.  They are disctinctly different many of the ‘purebred Nigerian Dwarf’ that we know today. We will discuss this later in this article.  So this is just one of the changes/additions that we will be making.

How are registrations done

• Member submits an Application for Registration

• In past with IDGR, they only required photos of Miniatures. With us at IGSCR, we require photos of all animals, because there is so much left to chance and much room for a goat NOT being what is assumed it is. So we require a clear side photo on all registrations (unless its a registration of an animal that is deceased or otherwise not able to be photographed).   
  

  

   

  Clear Side Photo

• Height at the withers for Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy and Miniature breeds, San Clemente Island (Description of proper height will be later) Height at Withers     

• If you acquired your goat (purchase, give, cash payment, trade), it all requires a Bill of Sale.  Bills of Sales/transfer are the proof that the former owner/breeder is giving you ownership of the goat.  

So make sure to obtain Bills of Sales.  If you don’t have one, try to obtain one

• Name and registration number of dam and sire, if you know it.  If your goat is of unknown parentage, then we will take whatever you know and the goat will be placed in the appropriate herd book. DNA Breed Analysis may be conducted or our Accelerated herd book program if desired.
• If your goat/sheep is registered with another registry, we require an untampered with copy of the registration certificate of the animal being registered, as well as if possible as many generations as possible
• If registered also registered with Miniature Dairy Goat Registry or TMGR, 6 generation pedigree may apply
• Dual (aka Re-Registration Policy) to follow later
• Fill out the application form for registration.  No registrations will be done without proper Registration application form completed and sent to office, as it is way to confusing to just send a bunch of emails.  
  

  Thanks for Filling out the Application Form

• Submit the application and pay online       or  Check/money order/cashier’s check to: IGSCR  PO Box 462, Goshen, UT 84633
• Orders processed in order completed

Dual or Re-Registration Policies

From Miniature Registries

We welcome all dual registrations from the other registries. The goats may not be placed in the same herd book as it is in the registry. All registries have differences.  If goat does not meet our breed standards, then we will put an H after the registration number, meaning it does not conform to breed standards.  MDGA does a similar thing, only they place an asterisk * after the registration number.

MDGA: 

We have always had a similar herd book policy as with MDGA, with a few changes made in Jan 2020 by IGSCR.  This makes dual registration between both registries very easy

May require 6 generation of pedigree from MDGA, if we don’t already have the records and visa versa

Require: copy of MDGA registration Certificate

TMGR

• 6 generation pedigree from TMGR
• Goat may not be placed in same herdbook as with TMGR’s herdbook
• Percentages of standard goat to Nigerian Dwarf may be different
• Copy of TMGR registration Certificate

Standard Breed, Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf Registries

• We require a copy of the registration certificate for the goat being registered, as well as, IF POSSIBLE, of the parents.  With AGS or NDGA may require 4-6 generation pedigree, if we do not have the information
• Heights at withers for Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy and Miniature breeds (aka Miniature Nubian etc) age 6 months or before age 4,just as indication of the height range.. If goat is getting close to overheight be that time, then re-measure required at age 4 and re-registration certificate.  All adults at age 4 should have their height submitted to IGSCR office. Adjustments to registration certificates may be done, if necessary
• Height standard for American Goat Society and American Dairy Goat Society are higher for Nigerian Dwarf, because our IGSCR-IDGR heights are based upon 4 1/2 years of research into the original West African Dwarf imports and  how the goats reacted to better American feeds. Thus,  ours are what the breed actually is.  Many Nigerian Dwarf of today may may not fully be descendants of the West African Dwarf. This may be why so many are going overheight. Who knows for sure.  At any rate they have been registered for generations in their current status.  Our breed standards remain that of the ACTUAL Descendants of the Nigerian Dwarfm, as does NDGA.

How we handle over height Nigerian Dwarf from AGS, ADGA and Canadian Goat Society

We feel that with years of breeding the Nigerian Dwarf in these registries with the higher height limits and even many are going over height for their registries, this is a hard issue to handle correctly. We have put much thought into it and come to this conclusion.  

• IDGR allowed the overheight goats, but put an H behind the registration number. The goat was still called a Purebred. IDGR didn’t feel it had any choice. We at IGSCR feel we have no choice either
• IGSCR  has decided to open another herdbook … soon … for Direct Imports and Descendants of Direct Imports.  We soon will be identifying those goats by herdbook name  

Nigerian Dwarf (Imports & Descendants)  … and at the end of the registration number it will say DI (meaning Direct Import) or DID (meaning Descendant of Direct Import

Standard Breeds 

At IGSR – IDGR we have always had Open Herd Books.

Meaning: Goats can be graded up from Grade, American and Experimental herd books to Purebred. However, if a goat is graded up, it will NOT have an RGA (Recorded Goat Ancestry) of 100%.  A graded up goat can never achieve more than RGA: 99.99%. Thus, its easy to tell if the goat is graded up

Special Note about grading up Experimental aka crossbred goats

• Nigerian Dwarf or Pygmy or non-standard dairy breed crosses can NEVER be graded up to a standard breed.  They will either remain an Experimental aka crossbred,or can have a New Breed Created for them
• The only standard breed that can be graded up to purebred or American is crosses between standard dairy breeds within that cross.

With AGS, they only register purebred breeds, so its easy to re-register

With ADGA, they do have Experimentals, Grades, Americans.  Only a few breeds of ADGA are allowed to progress from American to Purebred. Most ADGA standard breeds cannot progress past American herd book, even if they are in fact actually a purebred. That is because most ADGA breeds have Closed herdbooks. We at IGSCR do have an Open herdbook  policy. That means an American can progress to a Purebred. So if a re-registered ADGA American standard breed is registered with IGSCR, RGA will say: RGA: percent (IGSCR) American (ADGA) or some such This way you know what it is in IGSR and also in ADGA

Registries we accept for Double Registering

ADGA, AGS, NDGA, Canadian Goat Society

Recorded Goat Ancestry vs Purity

Recorded Goat Ancestry aka RGA: reflects generations that we have the goat registered. It DOES NOT reflect purity, necessarily. It is an indication, but not purity

Purity: This can be a breed analysis score or it can actually reflect the purity score

Obtaining Heights

• As mentioned above, we do require heights at the withers for Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy and Miniature breeds (those crossed with a Nigerian Dwarf and a larger breed). Heights obtained at 6 months of age and remeasured at 4 years old. 
• If at under 4 years of age goat is almost or overheight already then it will have an H behind its registration number. 
• In order to have the H removed, the goat needs at least two generations of breeding and checking heights to remove the H after the registration number

We will soon be providing a video on correct measuring standards and we would like to put in a policy whereby 3 measurements by different people is required if the goat is close to the height maximum