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Jersey Canada is an agricultural association in Canada for owners and breeders of Jersey cattle. The association is responsible for the management of the Jersey herdbook, and its role is to develop the Jersey breed in Canada. The herdbook is a register where an animals permanent identification (i.e. tag numbers, tattoo), its ancestry, date-of-birth, ownership, and many other facts are officially recorded and it is governed by the Animal Pedigree Act - which supports breed improvement and protects individuals that raise and purchase animals.

Jersey animals that exhibit true characteristics of the breed provide breeders with a foundation to work toward purebred status. The herdbook's rules of eligibility ensure compliance with breed standards, and it can also recognize foreign registries.

In addition to managing the absolute integrity of the herdbook, Jersey Canada administers and protects the animals registered name and the breeders prefix. Breeding and progency records are linked, genetic markers are listed, and production data is imported from Canadian milk recording services for registered cows. Classification results are also merged into this database, which is an excellent resource for herd development and is used to promote the value of top performing animals.

Jersey Canada facilitates the transfer of ownership, posts winnings from select dairy shows, and lists production and performance awards. All of these services are important to supporting your profit model, managing the value of your herd, and assist greatly when buying and selling cattle.

The herdbook (which is also referred to as the 'pedigree database') is conveniently available on-line. That means that all of the information mentioned above can be accessed from your fingertips. If you do not have an Internet connection or prefer 'paper' for your files, this is not a problem. Official Certificates of Registration and/or Recordation for each animal are always sent to the owners in the mail. Summaries of top producers, Star Broods, and cows scored 'Excellent' are printed in the Canadian Jersey Breeder publication. And award certificates (Production and Star Brood) are all available upon request.

WHAT ELSE DOES JERSEY CANADA DO?

  • Educates new and potential Jersey owners;
  • Visits farms and communicates with dairy farmers;
  • Facilitates genetic testing and promotes genetic improvement;
  • Provides extended pedigrees of registered Canadian Jerseys;
  • Researches and verifies if bulls from another country are considered purebred in Canada;
  • Answers questions about key indicators of breed profitability;
  • Represents the breed by attending sales and shows;
  • Supports clients with animal registrations, recordation, transfers and technical issues;
  • Coordinates farm tours;
  • Distributes Jersey information kits;
  • Hosts youth programs;
  • Offers awards and scholarships;
  • Recognizes top performing cows and successful breeding programs;
  • Manages the All Canadian and Cow of the Year competition;
  • Offers marketing options that profile and highlight results;
  • Promotes the breed with various marketing collateral;
  • Acknowledges astute dairy management practices;
  • Produces the Canadian Jersey Breeder publication globally (free to members in print and on-line);
  • Distributes eNews and interacts on social media platforms;
  • Maintains an up-to-date website and provides an on-line directory for members;
  • Partners with experts and leaders within the agricultural sector;
  • Collaborates with regional Jersey associations;
  • Serves internationally through the World Jersey Cattle Bureau;
  • Brings the Jersey community together to learn, share, and network with ‘like-minded’ individuals.

As gatekeepers of Jersey data and providers of multiple tools and programs, Jersey Canada helps breeders make good decisions to be able to assess the breeding value of their animals, improve their stock, build on their investment, and develop the breed as a whole.

Canadian Jersey genetics are sought out by countless buyers around the globe, including a strong domestic market right here at home. Even if you don’t plan on selling your Jerseys as breeding stock, registering your animals will build your herd’s net worth. The strong market demand for Canadian Jersey genetics increases the replacement value of your herd – but only if your animals are officially recognized as registered Canadian Jerseys.

Governance of the association is entrusted to a board of nine members representing Jersey owners in regions across the country.

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