Friday, May 21, 2010

Register your show cattle early

If you plan to show Angus cattle this summer, you can save yourself money and stress by getting them registered well in advance of the deadlines. Most shows, including Canadian Angus Association Gold Shows, require purebred cattle to be registered in order to participate. Last-minute requests cannot always be accommodated, especially if the animal is randomly selected for a parentage spot test or we are missing information. Registering early also means you won't have to pay rush fees.

The changes to the genetic defect policy that took effect in January may also have an impact on the calves you intend to register and show. As of January 1, 2010 calves that have known carriers of a genetic defect in the first two generations (parental and grandparental) of their pedigree, without an intervening free result, need to be tested free of the causative gene to be eligible for registration. It may take 3-4 weeks for test results to be returned before an animal can be registered. Planning ahead can help you avoid disappointment and ensure your cattle can compete this show season.

June 10 is the registration deadline for Showdown, and Gold Shows start in July. Click here for the full Gold Show schedule.

Remember: the younger the calves are when you register, the cheaper it is to register them.

Posted by Tina Zakowsky
Feedback: tina1@cdnangus.ca