Angus Cattle — Your New Registered Angus Herd

Thinking about starting a registered Angus herd?

If you are thinking of starting a registered Angus herd, consider the following:

• Understand the terms and conditions of sale thoroughly before you buy registered Angus cattle. Check out the suggested terms and conditions of sale, which are included in the Canadian Angus Association Handbook.
   

• Under what name will you register your animals? Instruct the seller or the sales manager how to transfer the registration papers to you. You will want them in the name you plan to use as a member of the Canadian Angus Association. For example, if you want your membership name to be "Crowning Glory Angus Farm", don't have the papers transferred to "Mr. John Smith".
  

• Check the ear tattoo of each animal you buy. The Canadian Angus Association by-laws state that the tattoo must be in the right ear. The top row of the tattoo will have the herd letters assigned to the breeder and the bottom row will contain 1, 2, 3 or 4 numerical digits followed by the year letter for the year that animal was born. The tattoo in the ear must match the tattoo on the registration certificate. Every registered animal must be tattooed. Tattoos permanently tie the animal to its registration certificate.
   

• If you purchase a bred cow, make sure that the breeding information has been recorded on the certificate of registration when you receive the transferred registration certificate. This will ensure that the breeding information has been recorded by the Registry Department at the time of processing.
   

• Contact the seller if you fail to receive the transferred certificate within 60 days after the purchase.
   

• Join the Canadian Angus Association. You must be a member of the Canadian Angus Association to register calves.
  
  Application forms for membership to the Canadian Angus Association are available by calling our toll-free number (1-888-571-3580) or you can download one here. When you apply for membership to the Canadian Angus Association you can also apply for your tattoo letters and herd name. Once your membership has been processed you will receive the Canadian Angus Association Handbook and an application form for registration of your calves. You will also receive Angus World magazine, the official publication of the Canadian Angus Association, with your membership.
   

• Start keeping accurate records from the start. Permanently record ear tag numbers, breeding dates, calving dates, tattoos and the parentage of all animals. A calving booklet is available from the Canadian Angus Association to assist you.
   

• Identify all calves at birth with an ear tag and/or tattoo. Calves must be tattooed before they are 8 months of age. Instructions for tattooing are in the Canadian Angus Association Handbook.
   

• Who is the sire? You may register calves that are produced by artificial insemination or by semen from a bull you do not own. For natural service, simply have the owner of the bull sign your application for registration form beside your name. For AI sires, all you will need to know is the registration number and tattoo. All bulls that will be used to register progeny must have a DNA type provided. Contact the Canadian Angus Association to check any bulls you’re not sure of or to request a DNA testing kit for your herd bull(s).
   

• Register your calves as soon after birth as you can to get the lowest price. The Canadian Angus Association fee schedule for registration of calves is based on the age of the calf when the application for registration is applied for. Applications for Registration are available from the Association. Once you are a member of the Association, we will send you a pre-printed female inventory that you can use to register your calves. These forms are produced each year in January.
   

• Making your first sale? When selling an animal and transferring the certificate to the buyer, the application on the back of the certificates must be completed and signed by the seller. If it is a bred female, the exposure details must be provided. Mail the application for transfer to the Canadian Angus Association, along with the required transfer fees, as soon as possible after the transaction is completed.

If you have problems or questions regarding registrations, transfer or memberships contact the Canadian Angus Association

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