REGISTRATION FAQ

1. Send in hair samples to the office when registering bulls. This is required for the registration to be completed.
2. When registering ET progeny, ensure that a flush report on the donor dam is sent to the Jersey Canada office.
3. All flush dams must be DNA tested. Animals from the flush cannot be registered until testing is complete.
4. If you have received a registration paper that has an error, please forward the incorrect paper back to the Jersey Canada office with notation on what the error is. It will be corrected and re-issued to immediately
5. Have you tried our on-line registration? Contact us for your password and instructions.
6. All dairy producers in Canada are able to register through their Dairy Herd Improvement program using the ERA program. Lactanet is set up to help you keep your registrations up to date, and reduce your paperwork.
7. If a calf has been born with an abnormality, please complete the Calf Abnormality Report and send it to us for recordation.

According to the Animal Pedigree Act, a breed association sets out their own definition of "Purebred" animals in its bylaws, so long as an established minimum purity level is used.  Jersey Canada recognizes a purebred Jersey as any animal, which is at least 31/32 (96.87%) registered Jersey. This means that a minimum of 96.87% of an animal's pedigree traces back to the foundation stock originating on Jersey Island.

The percentage make-up of an animal is calculated as the mathematical average of the two parents. Therefore, the Act permits an animal, which is less than 100% to qualify as purebred, but the actual percentage makeup remains the average of the parents and should not be recalculated.

When importing Jerseys into Canada, it is worthwhile to add one additional phone call to your pre-purchase research. National breed associations in different countries have unique rules for registering animals.  Animals may be recorded differently from one country to the next based on their officially recognized level of purity. And the definition of the word “purebred” is likely to vary between countries as well.

When an animal is imported into the Jersey Canada herdbook, she is subject to Jersey Canada’s rules for registration and recordation. It is possible that a purebred Jersey in another country would be an 87.5% Jersey in Canada.

Before closing the deal on a Jersey in another country, make that one additional phone call to the Jersey Canada office. Our office team will be happy to research pedigrees and confirm at what percentage the animal will be recognized in the Jersey Canada herdbook. We’re here to help, and just a phone call away.

Maintaining the integrity of the herdbook is the most important part of the Registrar’s job at Jersey Canada.  This means ensuring that calves are registered with the correct dam and sire. We have several policies in place which help to monitor this-including random spot checks and parentage verification for bull registrations, overage females and whenever the sire is in question.

One of the biggest obstacles we’ve had recently is identifying calves that come from pooled semen, reproduction mixes or “Repro-Mixes”. A reproduction mix generally includes the semen of three highly fertile bulls. Sometimes a mixture of beef, Holstein and Jersey bulls is used so that breeders are able to pinpoint the sire by appearance. The reproduction mixes which include three Jersey sires are more popular since they guarantee purebred calves. Calves from these mixes are more difficult and costly to register since the sire must be identified through a microsatellite or SNP genomic test.

Sometimes these calves are registered incorrectly at the time of registration, because only one of the three bulls registration numbers is entered. It is imperative that a calf is identified as having several potential sires when it is being registered. This alerts us to the fact that we should request parentage verification and send out a kit for microsatellite DNA testing or register the calf with an unknown sire so that SNP testing can occur through Holstein Canada.  When registering a calf from a "Reproduction Mix", please enter a “dummy” registration number for the sire, such as JECANM99999999, rather than one of the 3 potential sire’s registration numbers. Our computer system will flag the nonsense number as an error and alert me that something irregular is happening. It is also a great idea to name the calf with the 'Reproduction Mix' rather than a bull’s name, so I know which sires are possible. For example, a calf could be named YOURPREFIX REPRO 13 CICILIA to indicate that "Reproduction Mix 13" was used.

Proper identification is the backbone of having registered cows. Without it, the background of an animal is unknown and therefore the ability to predict that animal's genetic performance accurately is impossible.

Prior to registration and before reaching the age of six (6) months, each animal must be completely and permanently identified by tattoo markings. Alternatively, identification can be done by means of electronic identification devices (RFID) or NLID tags in both ears of the animal, whose use has been approved by the Board of Directors.

National Identification Dairy (NLID) or Agri-Traçabilité Québec (ATQ) tags should be used as the primary identification for registration purposes. Animals registered in this way must have one tag in each ear with the same number on them. The number inscribed on the tag will be that animal's registration number. It is not mandatory to tattoo when using NLID or ATQ tags as the primary identification method, in accordance with the by-laws of the Association. These tags are the same for all dairy breeds. Hence mixed herds do not require 2 or 3 different types of tags for each dairy breed.

To order NLID tags:
1-877-771-6543
Website
NLID, P.O. Box 2065, Brantford, ON, N3T 5W5

To order ATQ tags:
1-866-270-4319
www.agri-tracabilite.qc.ca

If an animal loses a tag, please contact NLID or ATQ to order a replacement. A replacement tag will be printed free of charge and sent to you. Replacement tags have the same number as the former (lost) tag.

To ensure the best retention of NLID tags:
1. Place panel or button tag in the centre of the ear, between the two ribs.
2. Place the metal tag on the upper flap of the ear, a short distance from the head, 90 degrees from the edge of the ear, with enough space left for the calf's ear to grow into it.

If tattoo markings are also the identification tool used, the association will allot a set of identification letters and/or numbers for his exclusive use at the prescribed fee. Only one such set may be issued to any one owner.

These identification letters are to be tattooed in the right ear of each animal born his property. In addition, each animal is to be identified by a tattoo in its left ear, consisting of a consecutive number followed by the unique year letter. An allowance for all tattoo markings to be placed in one ear is made in the case where NLID tags are also used. Once an animal has been identified, the same identification may not be used for any other animal of the same breed.

The tattoo letter for 2022 is "K".

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