The Herd Inventory

The Herd Inventory is a record of which females are enrolled as breeders and their registration status and next expected calving period. Females calving between January 1- June 30 are referred to as “Autumn Calvers”. Females calving between July 1- December 31 are referred to as “Spring Calvers”.

You can view and make changes to your female inventory at any time by logging into the “Members Area” of Angus Australia website. Herd Inventories are sent to breeders in December each year for Autumn Calvers and May for Spring Calvers. You can also take animals off the Inventory, add females to your Inventory and change the status of animals using this form.

Annual fees are levied on the active females in your Inventory. Paying the Inventory fees on a female allows you to register her calf in that register for that year. Females become eligible for Inventory fees in the year they turn two. Inventory fee invoices are sent out at the beginning and middle of the year for “Autumn” and “Spring” Calvers respectively.

The Calf Registration Process

There are four ways that you can register calves with Angus Australia:

1. Paper Calf Record Forms
2. Herd Management Programs (email or disk)
3. Microsoft Excel Calf Record forms
4. Online through the “Members Area” of Angus Australia website

Paper Calf Record Forms

Angus Australia sends Calf Record Forms at the beginning of March and August for Autumn and Spring Calving groups respectively. The list of active females on your Inventory is pre-printed on the forms. Record each female’s calf beside her on the Calf Record Form. You also need to record the calf’s sire, date of birth, identification number and sex. Herds enrolled in Angus GROUP BREEDPLAN can record birth performance information such as weight and calving ease on this form too. Instructions, codes and sample entries are included with the forms.

Where provided, mating details submitted on the females will be pre-printed on the Calf Record Forms. Please check these details carefully. For example, an AI mating on the Calf Record Form may not have resulted in the calf. Instead, a back up bull or subsequent AI bull may be the sire of the calf. Please check that gestation times match. If the sire printed on the form is not correct, enter updated sire details. If unsure of the sire, don't guess. Either have the calf paternity tested using DNA or submit the Angus Society ident codes for the possible sires. Opting for the latter will mean that the calf is only eligible for registration in the APR.

For cows that have twins, enter details of one twin beside the cow and re-enter her number on a spare line to register the second calf.

Embryo Transfer (ET) Calves

Embryo Transfer calves are recorded on separate ET Calf Record Forms. If you have ET calves to register, ask Angus Australia for the form or download from Angus Australia website. Details of the implant date of the embryo, along with the identification number, breed and age of the recipient dam must be given for ET calves. As of the 1st January 2003 a copy of the flush report must also be supplied.

Sending in the Forms

Please sign the bottom of each Calf Record Form and ET Form. Remember that in doing so you are stating that the information is correct. The information that you submit is the data that will be printed on registration certificates and included in our Angus GROUP BREEDPLAN analysis.

Registering Calves Electronically

If error free data can be electronically entered then the costs can be reduced. A rebate of $1.10 per animal (less than six months of age when submitted for registration) or $0.55 per animal (more than six months of age when submitted for registration) applies for error free input of calf registration data provided electronically in standard format.

The Microsoft Excel Calf Record Forms are available for download if you click here (18Kb). Instructins on how to use the Excel Forms are available for download if you click here (29Kb).

What if You Make a Mistake?

Then you won't be the first and we make them too. After each batch of registrations is processed, we send you a Calf Registration Report that lists details of the calves that have been successfully registered. You have the opportunity to check the details to make sure they are correct. Let us know of any errors. Any problems we find are flagged as Pending Registrations. A list of Pending Registrations may also be sent back to you with the Calf Registration Report asking you to provide more information or to check what you have submitted. In some cases the mother may not be active and needs to be reinstated to have a calf registered. In other cases, the birth date may be too far away from the accepted average for an AI sired calf. When you confirm details or supply the required information, the registration is completed and a registration report forwarded.

If some time later you realise that there has been an error in the registration, for example registering a heifer as a bull, let us know of the error and it can easily be changed with no charge. Correction details can be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed in to the Registrars.

Registration Certificates

Registration Certificates with pedigree and performance information are provided to breeders on request. Alternatively, you can print animal information direct from our Website. Where the vendor has filled in a Transfer Application and submitted it to Angus Australia purchasers will be sent pedigree and performance certificates.

Registration Enrolment Checklist

• Join as a Full Member of Angus Australia by completing the Membership Application Form ( 813kb pdf), including:
  • Listing all animals registered with Angus Australia that have been transferred into your ownership
• If you are a Commercial Member complete a Changes to Membership Details Form to upgrade your membership status
• Read the detailed information brochure on the particular register(s) that you wish to record animals in. Call Angus Australia or visit our website to obtain a copy.
• For APR, MBR and ACR producers, list all base cows on the Base Female Input Forms available from Angus Australia or our Website
• If you want to participate in Angus GROUP BREEDPLAN enrol either on the Membership Application Form, or by filling out a BREEDPLAN Enrolment Form
• Send the completed Membership application (including GROUP BREEDPLAN enrolment) (813kb pdf) and Base Female Input Forms (32Kb) to:

Membership Services
Angus Australia,
Locked Bag 11
ARMIDALE
NSW 2350