Animal Registration

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Registration fees are dependent on the herd classification of the first owner of record who will need to request registration: Standard or Verified. Those with a Standard Herd classification that are participating in the Complete Animal Reporting (CAR) total herd data collection program, the enrolled registered dams benefit from registration of a natural born calf born during the enrollment year at no additional cost or an ET calf born during the enrollment year if no natural born calf has been registered that was born during the enrollment year. Those with Verified Herd classifications will be invoiced the registration fees of the animal based on grade, and age of the animal at time the request was submitted. Please see the current fee schedule for current CAR enrollment and registration fees.

Animal Transfer Fees are the responsibility of the seller and the details need to be forwarded to the American Wagyu Association office within 60 days to avoid late fees.

Under the current American Wagyu Association Bylaws, DNA parentage testing is required for all Fullblood and Purebred registrations.

* The American Wagyu Association cannot guarantee the legitimacy of unregistered animals and therefore advise all buyers that before the acquisition of breeding stock, paperwork should accompany such animal(s) to support its eligibility for registration.

It is the policy of the American Wagyu Association that no work will be processed for non-members, non-active members, or members whose account is in arrears. All fees and rules are subject to change without notice. For further information, please contact the American Wagyu Association office. NOTE: Funds in US dollars (USD)

*Remember in order to request testing, register animals, and receive the benefits of the American Wagyu Association, you must keep your annual membership dues paid yearly.

Calf Tattooing, Tagging, and Calving Year Letter Designation Numbering

A registered breeder should plan his animal identification system carefully when beginning a Wagyu herd. A well planned system will simplify record keeping and individual animal identification.

Tagging Information

The tag number and tattoo on calves born in a particular year could be numbered in sequence and combined with that year of birth. For example, 801, 802, 803 or 781 782,783 could be the numbers assigned your first three (3) calves born in 2008. Any combination that will assist in you easily identifying your animals is acceptable so long as your method is consistent year on year.

Ear tags of various colors also can be used to designate calves by different sires. Therefore, by using a color ear tag plus the year and the cow number you have a complete age and parentage record on the ear tag of each calf. Sire and Dam ID and calf birth date are common supplemental information included on many calf ear tags.

You may also choose to tag all calves in the left ear for easy access when working cattle from the left side through cattle handling facilities or, choose the ear to tag based on the gender of the calf to allow easy calf gender identification at a distance. For instance, all bull calves could be tagged in the right ear, while all heifer calves could be tagged in the left ear.

Calving Year Letter Designation Numbering

The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) endorses International Year/Letter Designations for animal ID to denote the calving year with a letter as follows: G = 2019, H = 2020, J = 2021, K = 2022, L = 2023, etc (see table below) The letters I, O, Q, and V are never used.

Check out this helpful chart for Calving Year Designation Numbering

International letters are designated for each year of birth. This option is easy to use in conjunction with numbers. For example, 001E and 002E might be used to indicate the first and second calf born in the year 2017.

Tattooing Information

Tattooing is a form of permanent identification. The tattoo and the code on the ear tag can be identical and the tattoo can be used as part of the animal’s registered prefix and suffix (name). Each member is required to choose a herd prefix. This must be tattooed into a chosen ear (left or right). This requirement is in addition to the individual tattoo number of the animal.

Take care to place letters and numbers in the tattoo applicator/pliers in the proper order and orientation. If in doubt as to whether or not a specific tattoo applicator is properly prepared, depress the tattoo pliers on a sheet of paper or cardboard. When tattooing the ear, liberally smear the ink onto the inside upper lobe of the calf’s ear, insert the pliers and depress firmly. Take care not to tattoo through one of the cartilage ribs in the ear. Re-apply tattoo ink to ensure a legible tattoo. Remember tattoos with bars, diagonals, punctuation marks or other symbols, are not acceptable.

Should I use a Herd Management Software?

Producers today, because of multiple records to record that can span across multiple years it is beneficial and efficient to use herd management software designed to keep detailed records. To maintain the information it is best to use a standardized ID system that uses a consistent format which can make searching for individual animals a relatively straight forward, quick, and painless task.

DNA Testing

The American Wagyu Association offers a number of DNA tests for it members through a third party DNA laboratory. Neogen has a service agreement with the American Wagyu Association to offer a comprehensive and competitive priced variety of tests for the members to access. Click here for the complete fee schedule.

For information about the Igenity Tenderness Marker click here.

* As of April 1st, 2014 any genetic material from Non-US animals (more notably Australian Wagyu Genetics and Canadian bred Wagyu Genetics) will require a DNA SNP Profile report to run any Parentage Analysis for any potential offspring.

A letter has been sent to those Members residing overseas about this DNA update as well as informing the Australian Breed Association of this new requirement. Many Canadian members are unaffected because they perform their testing in the US but for those that are using Canadian labs for parentage then a Neogen comparable SNP marker panel will be required.

The American Wagyu Association is currently working with the owners that have previously sent in data files (STR) on those genetics which we are now seeking to be SNP Profiled (SEQ2) via the University of Queensland (UQ). The responsibility will be those individuals whom are selling these genetics into the US Market to supply the required SNP (SEQ2) Profiles. Please contact the American Wagyu Association office if you seek further information.

DNA Collector Cards (Hair or Blood)

DNA Collector Cards are available through the American Wagyu Association. Click here for the current fee schedule and pricing of testing supplies. Please note, that the lab charges an additional processing fee for hair card sample types. Contact the American Wagyu Association office at 208 262-8100 or office@wagyu.org to order.

Note: CARD TYPE is unique for Hair and Blood because the media used is different; adhesive (HAIR) or blotting (BLOOD). Please indicate to staff which TYPE of cards you require. You CANNOT submit blood on hair cards.

Reminder: If samples are submitted for BVDV testing, please use hair or tissue only. If blood is used, it only tells whether the animal currently has an infection, but it could be something that will pass. Hair or tissue sample types will help determine if your animal is persistently infected, where it will carry the BVD virus indefinitely, continually risking spread to other animals that come in contact throughout it's lifespan.

Due to the specific method the lab uses to process Allflex Tag sample types, the BVDV testing needs to be ordered in the initial testing run on the sample, and cannot be ordered later after it has previously gone through processing. A brand new sample would be needed to test for BVDV in this case.

Allflex TSU Unit

Check out this video tutorial for how to use a TSU unit and applicator to collect and store tissue samples.

Please contact the AWA office at office@wagyu.org if you would like to order TSU supplies.

You can also visit www.allflexusa.com to learn more.

How to Order a DNA Test

When you are ready to submit a DNA test order, please follow the Digital Beef tutorials.

Order DNA tests in DigitalBeef

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