American Dairy Goat Association

The American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) participates in a program of Dairy Herd Improvement. A Memorandum of Understanding with ADGA and Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) exists to ensure the flow of Dairy Herd Improvement records for industry purposes.

ADGA maintains production records in two separate volumes, Advanced Registry (AR) and Star (ST) Volumes. AR records are total lactation performance records for animals enrolled in Dairy Herd Improvement Registry (DHIR) record plans. ST records are of stars earned at Official ADGA One-Day tests and stars earned on the basis of pedigree or progeny.

A. GENERAL ADGA TESTING RULES

1. Electronically calculated Dairy Herd Improvement records of all registered purebred and American and recorded grade goats in the herd or the herds of the applicant will be accepted for use by ADGA upon receipt of an application on ADGA Form DHIR No. 1, for the acceptance of DHI records, (which is the basis for DHIR), and payment of the required fees set forth on the application. They will be subject to the following requirements, in addition to those currently set forth or which may from time to time be set forth, for the National Dairy Herd Improvement Program (NDHIP) - Uniform Operating Procedures and/or other approved procedures for dairy goats. These records will be designated as "Dairy Herd Improvement Registry" (DHIR) records.
2. All ADGA members on test will be sent the Uniform Operating Procedures and/or other approved procedures for dairy goats annually.
3. Each owner shall make arrangements directly with the ADGA Performance Programs Manager and a DHI Association.
4. The DHIR production testing program shall be conducted under the joint efforts of appropriate DHI organizations in cooperation with the American Dairy Goat Association.
5. Only Field Service Units, Laboratories, Meter Centers, and Dairy Records Processing Centers approved by a certifying agency contracted with by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding can be used by participating herds in ADGA's DHIR programs and One-Day Milking Competitions.
6. All scales used in the weighing of milk must be checked with standards traceable to the National Bureau of Standards. The DHI Association manager or a designated representative must approve this item. 7. All other equipment such as dippers and bottles must be approved by the DHI Association.
8. The ADGA Performance Programs Manager shall be responsible for keeping the DHI service affiliates and Dairy Record Processing Centers (DRPC) informed on requirements and rules of the Association. The Performance Programs Manager for the American Dairy Goat Association reserves the right to accept or reject any records reported by a DHI Association or DRPC on the behalf of ADGA. ADGA assumes full responsibility for initiating any and all disciplinary action concerned with records in progress or already accepted and approved by the American Dairy Goat Association.
9. Uniform production data and other data pertinent to the production record is provided to the American Dairy Goat Association from the USDA/AIPL based on reports provided from the DRPC's on all registered or recorded grade dairy goats in herds enrolled in the DHIR program. Reports include any and all production for a lactation up to 305 days in length; reports of such lactation records shall be forwarded to the American Dairy Goat Association at regular intervals. Another report includes all production from date of freshening or date of entering the herd to dry date or to date of disposal; reports of such records are forwarded at regular intervals. It is not necessary for the monthly test data to be forwarded to ADGA by the herdowner.
10. The American Dairy Goat Association will assess an annual fee as indicated on its application for entry on the DHIR testing program. A dairy goat herd is defined as one or more does. All does enrolled in National DHIA record plans must be members of, and routinely reside on the premises of, the herd enrolled in the record plan.

a. On farms with two or more distinct breeds, either a composite herd average or separate herd averages may be calculated and reported or,
b. On farms with two or more distinct breeds, it is acceptable to enroll one breed on test and not the other(s).

11. At no time during the test shall any condiments, conditioning powders, tonics, or drugs be given to a doe for the purpose of influencing her production. Nothing in this rule, however, shall prevent proper medical attention, either by a veterinarian, owner, or person in charge, when a doe is sick. In any such cases, the veterinarian, owner, or person in charge shall make a written statement describing the condition of the doe and reporting all medicine used.
12. Any practice in the feeding, care, or management of does on test that is intended to cause, or does cause, an abnormal yield of milk or butterfat at the time of test supervision is a violation of ADGA rules and the NDHIP Uniform Operating Procedures. Any violation of the rules shall cause the rejection, or the expunging and canceling of the record. The person violating them will automatically be excluded from the use of and denied all privileges of ADGA DHIR Testing. (See Bylaws, Article I, Section J.)
13. No DHI Supervisor (tester) shall test any animal for ADGA DHIR that:

a. Is owned partially or entirely by the Supervisor.
b. Is owned partially or entirely by any member of the Supervisor's immediate family, which includes children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, or spouse.
c. Is owned partially or entirely by the Supervisor's employer or employee. For the purposes of this section, "employer" shall mean any person for whom the Supervisor is rendering services for recompense, since the last test day, or is under contract to provide such services, whether on a fee or salary basis, except as specifically directed by the Association, since the last test day.
d. In which the Supervisor has any pecuniary interest.
e. Over which the Supervisor has any supervision, except that occurring as a responsibility of a DHI Testing Supervisor.

14. There will be no reciprocal testing between herds except as required by herds on group test, which by their normal rotation must occasionally use a reciprocal test.
15. Should the ADGA Performance Programs Manager question the validity of a test, the facts and evidence shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for final action thereon.
16. Daily milk records are not required to be kept by the owner. All data shall be determined by the official monthly test. The herd test report blanks, as supplied by the DRPC, are to be used in reporting DHIR tests.
17. Individual Certificates of Production will be issued for qualifying animals if the application is made for the animal in question and is accompanied by the proper fee. The certificate of registry for an animal qualifying for a production certificate under the DHIR program will be revised free of charge if sent in with the application. (This additional free service can be rendered only under the DHIR program, and under no circumstance will it include more than the addition of the designation for the latest tests.) Individual production certificates will be issued for extended lactations on the basis of DHIR testing under the same conditions that the 305- day lactation certificates are issued.
18. Certificates of Production in the Advanced Register shall be issued to does that have qualified at the end of 305 consecutive days of testing or less. Records beginning 75 days or more after freshening will not be accepted for the ADGA awards program when the individual goat record is sent to the ADGA office by the herd owner. Additionally, these animals will be considered for breed leader status, should they qualify and meet verification protocol. The minimum requirements governing the issuance of certificates for the first 305 consecutive days are:

a. All production records shall be classified according to the age of the doe at the date of freshening. If a doe kids on the day she is two years of age or previous to that day, she must produce in 305 consecutive days or less at least 1500 lbs. (680 kg) of milk or 52.5 lbs. (23.81 kg) of butterfat or 45 lbs. (20.41 kg) of protein. For every day the doe exceeds two years of age at the time of kidding, up to the time she becomes five years of age, the requirement is increased by .2 lbs. (.09 kg) of milk or .007 lbs. (.003 kg) butterfat or .006 lbs. (.0026 kg). After a doe reaches the age of five years, the requirement shall not be increased.
b. No doe that meets the requirements for milk production shall be refused a Certificate of Production because of low butterfat content; and, conversely, no doe that meets the requirement for butterfat production shall be refused a Certificate of Production, whatever the amount of milk produced.
c. The full production of milk and butterfat, together with the actual number of days, breed, and registration number, shall be stated upon the Certificate when issued.

19. Application must be made to ADGA to obtain Star Volume (ST) recognition on individual does enrolled in an Owner Sampler test type plan 40 meeting the required minimums as described in 17a. above. Application must include a copy of the doe's lactation report documenting the completed record on the ST qualifying lactation.
20. Youth with does on test producing 3000 lb. Milk or 100 lb. Butterfat or 90 lb. Protein in 305 days or less may apply for recognition on the Youth Production Testing Doe Honor Roll. ADGA Junior Members or Individual Members under the age of 21 years are eligible to apply. Qualifying does must be individually owned by the youth making application. Member herds participating in any test plan accepted by ADGA will be eligible to participate; test plan type will be noted on the published list. Verification testing of recognized does is not required, but verification status will be noted on the published list. ADGA registered or recorded does of any breed producing at least 3000 pounds of milk or 100 pounds of butterfat or 90 pounds of protein are eligible for this recognition. The individual DHI doe sheet documenting the qualifying lactation must accompany the application. Application must be made within 6 months of completion of the qualifying lactation. Owners will submit completed application with attached individual doe sheet to ADGA. There is no charge for this application. Owners of does with qualifying lactations receive a congratulatory letter and the lactation information appears in ADGA News & Events. For an additional $3, a Certificate of Honor Roll Recognition will be issued.
21. No certificates will be issued for a doe's record in the Advanced Register or Star Volume until the record has been approved by the ADGA Performance Programs Manager and until all fees and expenses for testing have been paid. In case the owner fails to pay his/her herd fee within sixty (60) days after the bill has been rendered to him/her by the ADGA Performance Programs Manager, the test surveillance shall be discontinued and the ADGA Performance Program Manager shall at once notify the owner.
22. Herd owners wanting to reinstate production records which would be unofficial due to delinquent testing fees may do so upon written request and payment of a late fee. Testing fees are delinquent after sixty (60) days past renewal date. This late fee is 100% of the regular fee, but limited to $100. This late fee must be paid within one year from the date of application or renewal. Herd owners who were unaware that they should have paid DHIR fees to ADGA may obtain recognition by submitting the proper fees, plus the late fee, to ADGA within one year of the date of the first test.
23. Herd owners requesting a refund of DHIR initial or renewal enrollment fees may receive a refund of individual animal fees, but not the herd enrollment fees, provided the request is made within 60 days of the time the enrollment was received by ADGA and provided that no DHI test was conducted.
24. All persons who test under the auspices of the ADGA shall grant to the ADGA the right to publish all completed lactations, regardless of length, when the record meets or exceeds minimum requirements for earning a star based on pounds of milk and/or components, or if the lactation is below star requirements and the doe has other performance data to be printed. They further grant permission for all completed lactation records to be used at the discretion of the ADGA and the USDA for research purposes.
25. All lactations reported to the ADGA office by Dairy Records Processing Centers by April 1 will be included in the current Production Summary.
26. ADGA will recognize the top ten producing does in each breed provided they meet minimum AR Requirements. These top ten producing does shall be known as Breed Leaders.
27. All does that appear as Top Ten Breed Leaders must have had a verification test of at least three consecutive supervised milkings or have participated in an ADGA Official Milking Competition during the lactation for which they are receiving recognition. The owner is responsible for seeing that either of these tests are conducted.
28. An ADGA verification test form or a DHIA approved verification form must accompany all verification tests used for Breed Leader documentation.
29. ADGA will accept milk records from the Canadian Goat Society (CGS) and any other registries approved by ADGA on dual registered animals after application to enroll and acceptance in the ADGA program.
30. The acceptance of records for the Advanced Registry is at the discretion of the ADGA and is not a matter of right accorded to members or others, but is a privilege to be granted or refused at the discretion of the ADGA Performance Programs Manager or of the Board of Directors of the ADGA.
31. ADGA will compile annually an Active Sire List from the annual USDA Sire Summary. This Active Sire List will include those sires that are either alive and/or have semen available. These will be the top 15% of each breed.
32. Beginning in 1986, ADGA will include the information from the USDA Sire Summary for each year in the annual ADGA Production Summary.
33. All matters not covered by these rules as to the making and reporting of authenticated milk and component tests shall be under the direction and administration of the ADGA Performance Programs Manager.

B. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR GROUP TESTING PROGRAM The ADGA offers a Group Testing Program, which permits small herd owners to reduce testing costs and participate in areas where state or county DHI testers (supervisors) may be unavailable to test their herds. For purposes of this program, the individual performing the monthly test accepts the same responsibility as the DHIA Supervisor under the NDHIP Uniform Operating Procedures and ADGA rules for the DHIR program.

1. A minimum of three herds must be involved in any single group.
2. Only those people attending a special training program supervised by the DHI Association Manager shall be permitted to participate in this program. Use the form "SUMMARY AND CHECKLIST FOR GROUP TEST" to report authorized testing personnel to the ADGA Performance Programs Manager.
3. All milkings must be witnessed, weighed, and a sample taken by a trained Member of that group who is not an owner of the dairy goat being tested. Three times daily milkings are permitted within a group but unanimous approval of such method must be obtained from Members of the group.
4. Frequency of testing by an individual of a particular herd shall be no more often than every third month. Example: Person A tests in January, the same herd may not be tested again until March.
5. Any person approved by their local association to perform verification tests is required to follow all DHI and DHIR rules for performing verification tests, just as a standard tester must follow.
6. When a member of a three-member group sells his/her goats, he/she may continue to test the remaining group members for the remainder of the current lactations.
7. Semi-annual reports must be sent to the ADGA Performance Programs Manager by each group. Use form "SUMMARY AND CHECK LIST FOR GROUP TEST" indicating which person tested which herd in the group. Supplementary reports must be submitted at any time when the schedule listed on the previous semi- annual report is amended.
8. Three or more herds must be involved in any single group. In the case of a three-member group, if a member drops out, the remaining members must immediately go on standard test or add another herd if they want their records to remain official with ADGA; or go off ADGA DHIR test.
9. All other rules and conditions of the testing programs as outlined by the ADGA and the NDHIP Uniform Operating Procedures must be complied with.

C. TESTING PLANS APPROVED BY ADGA DIRECTORS

1. Standard Test Testing Supervisor comes to a herd to record milk weights and take component (milk) samples both AM and PM once each month.
2. Group Test A group of three or more people can test each other's herd. (Sampling and weighing occur as in C.1.) Groups with more than three members may have non-goat owning members as long as there is a minimum of three herds involved. Exception: Groups formed prior to the adoption of these standards (10/00) and documented with ADGA may remain in tact. Every member is required to take training from a Certified Supervisor and the group must follow rules for Standard testing. Group members may include non-ADGA members or ADGA members using DHI (non-DHIR) plans provided they are identified to ADGA with proper training in ADGA and DHIR procedure.
3. Plans accepted for ADGA DHIR Advanced Registry and Star programs (Standard or Group):

a. DHIR 20 Standard: Basic test plan. Supervisor weighs and samples both milkings on test day. Verification Test (VT) required for Top Ten awards. A minimum individual animal Data Collection Rating (DCR) of 93 or higher is required for Top Ten awards.
b. ADGA ITP 00 Every Other Month: Owner and supervisor alternate months collecting test day data. Owner weighs only and sends in barn sheets. Supervisor weights and collects samples. ADGA audits apply. Annual VT required. NOT accepted for Top Ten awards.
c. ADGA ITP 01 APT: Supervisor and owner share responsibility for collecting test day weights alternating the AM and PM weighing each month. Supervisor also collects component samples when weighing. A time monitor must be installed. Annual VT required. A minimum individual animal Data Collection Rating (DCR) of 93 or higher is required for Top Ten awards.
d. ADGA ITP 02 APCS: Supervisor and owner share responsibility for collecting test day weights alternating the AM and PM weighing each month. Supervisor also collects component samples when weighing. Annual VT required. A minimum individual animal DCR of 93 or higher is required for Top Ten awards.
e. DHIR 21 APT: Supervisor collects one test day weight, alternating the AM and PM weighing each month. Supervisor also collects component samples when weighing. DRPC will determine second weight. A time monitor must be installed. Annual VT required. A minimum individual animal DCR of 93 or higher is required for Top Ten awards.
f. DHIR22 APCS: Supervisor collects both test day weights. Supervisor also collects component samples alternating AM and PM samples each month. VT and a minimum individual animal DCR of 93 or higher is required for Top Ten awards.
g. DHIR 23 AP: Supervisor collects one test day weight, alternating the AM and PM weighing each month. Supervisor also collects component samples when weighing. DRPC will determine second weight. Breed association may determine additional requirements. Bulk tank comparison required. A minimum individual animal DCR of 93 or higher is required for Top Ten awards.
h. 40 --OWNER SAMPLER: Owner weighs and samples all milkings on test day. VT is required at 60-150 days in milk. A minimum individual animal DCR of 75 is required for STAR (ST) Volume recognition. Documentation of the qualifying lactation must be sent to ADGA by the herdowner.

4. Plans accepted for Breed Leader Top Ten Awards NOTE: DCR/VT requirements for DHIR 20 start with lactations beginning in 2002. All other plan requirements were instated for 2001 lactations.

a. DHIR 20 Conditions: Individual animal Data Collection Rating (DCR) must equal 93 or higher and a Verification Test (VT).
b. ADGA ITP 01 Conditions: Owner must supply a pre-milking monitor time in addition to the monitor- supplied and supervisor time, so that a total of 3 times are documented. Individual animal DCR must equal 93 or higher. VT necessary. No auditing during the year. If eligible for Top Ten, barn sheets must be available to ADGA.
c. ADGA ITP 02 Conditions: Owner must supply a pre-milking weight in addition to the regular owner- supplied weight, so that a total of 3 weights are documented. Individual animal DCR must equal 93 or higher. VT necessary. No auditing during the year. If eligible for Top Ten, barn sheets must be available to ADGA.
d. DHIR 21 Conditions: Owner must supply a pre- milking monitor time in addition to the DRPC- supplied weight and supervisor times, so that a total of 3 times are documented. Individual animal DCR must equal 93 or higher. VT necessary. No auditing during the year. If eligible for Top Ten, barn sheets must be available to ADGA.
e. DHIR 22 Conditions: VT and individual animal DCR must equal 93 or higher.
f. DHIR 23 Conditions: Owner must supply a bulk tank comparison and have an average of 96 - 110% of DRPC herd average. Individual animal DCR must equal 93 or higher. VT necessary. No auditing during the year. If eligible for Top Ten, barn sheets must be available to ADGA.

D. VERIFICATION TEST RULES AND GUIDELINES

1. The DHI Association Manager shall arrange for verification tests when requested to do so by the ADGA Performance Programs Manager:

a. If an individual record, after 90 days, is projected on an actual basis to be at least 3000 lbs. (1361 kg) of milk and/or 105 lbs. (47.63 kg) butterfat;
b. On an ME (mature equivalent) basis after 90 days to be 3500 lbs. (1588 kg) milk and/or 125 lbs. (56.70 kg) butterfat;
c. On an ME basis after 180 days, 4000 lbs. (1814 kg) milk and/or 140 lbs. (63.50 kg) butterfat;
d. If he/she has information that would lead him/her to believe a verification test would be necessary. (The above figures are to be included in the DRPC programs and notification is to be given to the DHI Association Manager and to the ADGA Performance Programs Manager. The above check tests are to be conducted within 60 days of notification.)

2. Verification tests shall be conducted in accordance with the NDHIP Uniform Operating Procedures and ADGA rules. In computing the monthly credits for a goat or a herd, all regular and verification tests will be used except when obvious discrepancies exist in which the DHI Association Manager shall determine which tests shall be used. Further guidelines can be found in the ADGA publication, Supervisor's Guide to the ADGA Verification Test, pub. 2003. The herd owner shall pay the costs of the first verification test made during the calendar year, and the American Dairy Goat Association will pay for all other extra tests made during that same calendar year as required above.
3. ADGA adopts the following criteria for examining records for possible expunging:

a. A subcommittee of the Production Testing (PT) committee will be pre-selected each year to handle verification test (VT) review and will include the PT chair.
b. The President and Secretary-Treasurer will be notified when the VT review process needs to be activated.
c. Members of the VT subcommittee that have an appearance of a conflict of interest will be removed.
d. The Performance Programs Manager will contact the herdowner and send the VT follow-up form to obtain information regarding the lactation(s) in question. This may include, but is not limited to requests for barn sheets, health records, summary sheets, verification test forms, and doe sheets. This information will be submitted to the PT chair.
e. The Performance Programs Manager will notify the herdowner that the PT chair may contact the herdowner or other DHI individuals involved in the lactation record and herd records.
f. The PT chair will contact herdowner, testers, and DHIA personnel for any clarifications.
g. The PT chair will forward information to the VT subcommittee for review.
h. The VT subcommittee will generate a report to the full PT committee for vote on recommended actions.
i. The results will be forwarded to the Executive Committee for consideration.
j. Dependent on Executive Committee recommendation, the herdowner will be notified of pending actions and asked for response.
k. The report will be given to the Board of Directors for consideration, with recommendations for follow up action(s).
l. The herdowner will be notified of the final report to the Board of Directors.

4. Guidelines for ADGA herds on Innovative Test Plans and Owner Sampler (OS). 01, 02, and 00 test plan codes are ITPs; 40 is the test plan code accepted for ADGA OS testing.

a. Herd owners must notify ADGA's Performance Programs Manager that their herd is being tested on an ITP or OS-40. Failure to do so could result in their herd DHIR records being declared unusable by ADGA.
b. Herds on ITP's or OS-40 must be Verification Tested annually. Herds that have bulk tanks and/or timers may use them for verification. Herd owners without a verification test by 10/1 will be notified by 10/31.

E. DHIR REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVANCED REGISTRY The following chart lists the milk, butterfat and protein requirements for a doe to be eligible for Advanced Registry. A doe may meet these requirements on either milk, butterfat or protein. (Note: Protein awards not available until computer programming is completed.)

Age at Freshening

Milk Lbs - Kg.

Butterfat Lbs - Kg.

Protein Lbs - Kg.

2-00 or younger

1500 680

52.50 23.81

45.00 20.41

2-01

1506 683

52.71 23.91

45.18 20.49

2-02

1512 686

52.92 24.00

45.36 20.58

2-03

1518 689

53.13 24.10

45.54 20.66

2-04

1524 691

53.34 24.19

45.72 20.74

2-05

1530 694

53.55 24.29

45.90 20.82

2-06

1536 697

53.76 24.39

46.08 20.90

2-07

1542 699

53.97 24.48

46.26 20.98

2-08

1548 702

54.18 24.58

46.44 21.07

2-09

1554 705

54.39 24.67

46.62 21.15

2-10

1560 708

54.60 24.77

46.80 21.23

2-11

1566 710

54.81 24.86

46.98 21.31

3-00

1572 713

55.02 24.96

47.16 21.39

3-01

1578 716

55.23 25.05

47.34 21.47

3-02

1584 718

55.44 25.15

47.52 21.55

3-03

1590 721

55.65 25.24

47.70 21.64

3-04

1596 724

55.86 25.34

47.88 21.72

3-05

1602 727

56.07 25.43

48.06 21.80

3-06

1608 729

56.28 25.53

48.24 21.88

3-07

1614 732

56.49 25.62

48.42 21.96

3-08

1620 735

56.70 25.72

48.60 22.04

3-09

1626 738

56.91 25.81

48.78 22.13

3-10

1632 740

57.12 25.91

48.96 22.21

3-11

1638 743

57.33 26.00

49.14 22.29

4-00

1644 746

57.54 26.10

49.32 22.37

4-01

1650 748

57.75 26.20

49.50 22.45

4-02

1656 751

57.96 26.29

49.68 22.53

4-03

1662 754

58.17 26.39

49.86 22.62

4-04

1668 757

58.38 26.48

50.04 22.70

4-05

1674 759

58.59 26.58

50.22 22.78

4-06

1680 762

58.80 26.67

50.40 22.86

4-07

1686 765

59.01 26.77

50.58 22.94

4-08

1692 767

59.22 26.86

50.76 23.02

4-09

1698 770

59.43 26.96

50.94 23.11

4-10

1704 773

59.64 27.05

51.12 23.19

4-11

1710 776

59.85 27.15

51.30 23.27

5-00 or older

1710 776

60.06 27.24

51.48 23.35

F. RULES GOVERNING THE CONDUCT OF ADGA OFFICIAL MILKING COMPETITIONS

1. An Official Milking Competition may be sponsored by any state fair, county fair, local, state, or regional goat breeders' association, breed club, or individual, provided the application form and $25 fee is filed with the Secretary-Treasurer of the American Dairy Goat Association at least thirty days prior to the competition. Applications received less than 30 days prior to a competition will be accepted, but a double entry fee will be charged. This application is to be signed by the Secretary of the Fair Board or the superintendent in charge. If the application is approved, the ADGA Secretary-Treasurer will issue written permission to conduct an Official Milking Competition and will furnish an official report form, application blanks for issuance of Star Milker Certificates and forms for certifications required under Rule 3.
2. Competition must be open to any goat registered or recorded in the American Dairy Goat Association, the American Goat Society, or the Canadian Goat Society, upon proof of such registration or recordation. If the competition is held at the state or county fair, the rules governing entry to such fair must also be observed, provided they do not in any way waive the requirement of registration or recordation.
3. The owner shall certify to the superintendent in charge and to ADGA the fact that the goats have not received any substance, nor have been subjected to any other non- routine management practices for the purpose of temporarily enhancing components or increasing milk production within the last 10 days. This certification shall be made out and signed by the owner in the presence of the superintendent at the time the animal is brought into the barn. The superintendent shall forward this certification to ADGA with the completed milking competition report form.
4. Goats entered in a One-Day Test shall be on the testing premises the evening before. They shall be milked dry 24 hours before the hour set for the final milking in the test. The superintendent in charge, or his/her representative, shall check each doe to verify compliance with the preliminary milkout requirement. The superintendent, or his/her representative, may require any doe to be stripped dry at that time to comply with the requirement. Refusal by the owner (or caretaker) will eliminate the doe from participation in the test. At the time of this preliminary milking, the superintendent in charge will be responsible for checking the tattoos of every doe to verify that they correspond exactly to the tattoos listed on her registration/recordation certificate. Those that are illegible or incorrect cannot receive any *M award.
5. There shall be no more than three milkings per day for the competition. Milk must be weighed on a DHI approved scale, recording in pounds and tenths of pounds. Weighing and sampling must be done by an approved DHI testing supervisor. Standard DHI sampling and weighing techniques must be used. The supervisor will record the milk weights on the standard form furnished by ADGA. Component results will be supplied by the DHI certified laboratory. The report form must be signed by the DHI Association Manager. The official milking out and taking of samples may not be done in private, but must be done in public view. Further guidelines can be found in the ADGA publication, Supervisor's & Superintendent's Guide to the ADGA One-Day Milking Competition, pub. 2003. Points shall be given for quantity of milk, for period of time since last kidding, and for butterfat as follows:

a. For each pound of milk, one point figured to 1 decimal place.
b. For each complete ten days the goat has been in milk since last kidding one-tenth (.1) of a point, with a maximum of 3.6 points.
c. For each .05 pounds (.023 kg) of butterfat yielded in the milkings, one point.
d. Any goat that receives 18 or more points will be awarded an automatic *M designation without application or fee.

6. If a Star Certificate is desired, the owner shall complete the necessary part of the application for this certificate and mail with the correct fee ($3 members; $5 nonmembers) to the American Dairy Goat Association.

G. RULES GOVERNING ADGA PRODUCTION RECOGNITION

1. GENERAL RULES

a. ADGA recognizes production on pedigrees through designation of *M for does, and *B and +B for bucks based on meeting minimum criteria either through Advanced Registry (AR) based on DHIR, or the Star program (ST) based on Owner Sampler production testing. One-day competitions, progeny recognition, or acknowledgment of approved non- ADGA DHI programs. The program designation (AR or ST) is included with the *M on the pedigree.
b. The number of Stars shall indicate the number of consecutive generations of females in the immediate background that have qualified. For example: 1*M indicates that the doe has qualified by meeting AR or ST requirements and that her dam has no production record; 2*M indicates a qualified tested doe with a 1*M dam; 3*M indicates a qualified doe with a 2*M dam and a 1*M grandam, etc.
c. The Certificate of Registry for may be revised to show Star and/or Plus designations obtained (either automatically or by application) by sending the certificate to the ADGA office together with the revision fee. Any additions or revisions to registration papers must be accompanied by the correct fee (see Schedule of Rates.)
d. An ADGA-registered or recorded doe may be issued a Star Milker Certificate upon proper application and payment of fee (see Schedule of Rates) provided she has met minimum production requirements for AR or ST under ADGA rules. Certificates are not issued for does issued *M on the basis or progeny or on bucks.

2. ADVANCED REGISTRY VOLUME

a. An automatic *M designation is granted any ADGA registered doe that has qualified for Advanced Registry on the basis of milk, butterfat or protein without application or fee.
b. An ADGA registered buck shall be entitled to an automatic +B (AR) designation without application or fee if:

(1) He has three Advanced Registry daughters from three different dams. At least two of the dams must be registered or recorded with ADGA or;
(2) He has two Advanced Registry sons that are Advanced Registry Sires.

c. An ADGA registered buck shall be entitled to an automatic ++B (AR) designation without application fee if:

(1) He has three Advanced Registry daughters from three different dams and two Advanced Registry Sire sons.

3. STAR VOLUME DOES

a. A *M designation shall be awarded to those does meeting minimum requirements under ADGA rules, as follows:

(1) On the basis of meeting minimum DHIR production requirements as defined in Section E, including a minimum DCR of 75, an appropriate VT, and documentation of the qualifying completed lactation record.
(2) On the basis of earning 18 or more points at a recognized Milking Competition conducted under rules approved by the Board of Directors or
(3) On the basis of AGS Advanced Registry or Canadian R.O.P. certificate (original of which to be lent to ADGA office for verification) where production meets ADGA minimum requirements in 305 days or less. (British Goat Society records are also accepted.)

b. An ADGA-registered or recorded doe shall be entitled to an automatic *M designation without application or fee (with no Star certificate issued):

(1) On the basis of three qualifying ST Does or Advanced Registry daughters, or
(2) On the basis of two +B sons (ST) or 2 AR sons, or
(3) On the basis of one AR son and one +B son (ST), or
(4) On the basis of one AR son and two AR and/or *M daughters, or
(5) On the basis of one +B son (ST) and two AR and/or *M daughters.

4. STAR VOLUME BUCKS

a. An ADGA-registered buck shall be entitled to an automatic *B designation without application or fee if:

(1) His dam is either an Advanced Registry doe that has qualified on both milk and butterfat requirements, or a ST Doe, and his sire is an Advanced Registry Sire, a Star Buck or a +B (ST), or
(2) His dam is either an Advanced Registry doe that has qualified on both milk and butterfat requirements, or a ST Doe, and his sire's dam is an Advanced Registry doe that has qualified on both milk and butterfat requirements, or a Star Milker.

b. An ADGA-registered buck shall be entitled to a +B (ST) designation without application or fee if:

(1) He has three *M daughters from three different dams. At least two of the dams must be registered or recorded with ADGA, or
(2) He has two +B sons (ST), or
(3) He has one AR son and one +B son (ST), or
(4) He has one AR son and two AR and/or *M daughters, or
(5) He has one +B son (ST) and two AR and/or *M daughters.

c. An ADGA-registered buck shall be entitled to a ++B designation without application or fee by qualifying in any of the ways listed in "b" except the way in which he earned his first plus. (++ must be earned on the basis of both sons and daughters.)

H. GUIDELINES FOR ADVERTISING MILK RECORDS The only production figures that should be used in advertising are the pounds of milk and/or components actually produced up to the date they are printed. No projected figures or mature equivalents should be used, either for an individual or a herd average. For example: A previously completed lactation may be used, as well as the pounds of milk and/or components already produced in the current lactation.

American Dairy Goat Association ®
209 West Main Street - P O Box 865
Spindale, NC 28160
Ph. (828) 286-3801 - Fax (828) 287-0476
E-mail: info@adga.org