registrations
Valerie Donald
Hello Everybody
the Groups seems to be a dead loss as no-body uses it. I just thought I would have something to say. I have just been looking at the PAIRS registrations and no-body is registering. Surely somebody has had kids, either pure or upgraded.
They can't be called Australian Heritage angoras unless they are registered so what you have if you have any is a dead loss. There must be proof of their breeding.
Jan remember when the Angora goat Breeders was alive and well. All our kids had to be kid recorded by one month old and I think it was no later than 6 months at a higher fee. I think you should introduce that system to the PAIRS registration. Then once recorded we could register them when we wanted to. That way there was no problem with remembering the breeding. I think this is important for you to introduce.
Their mohair is very special compared to other Angoras. I have been told several times from the people who buy my mohair which I sell for dolls hair that it is the best mohair they have been able to buy.
So Jan think seriously about introducing a kid record. Should be easy to do. I would be tough and not accept registrations if not kid recorded before 6 months. that way we can be reasonably certain that they are recorded correctly.
Val
Breeder of Australian Heritage Angora Goats, Dorper Sheep and English Donkeys
http://mohair.alphalink.com.au
Preview and purchase my book on Australian Heritage Angora Goats at http://www.blurb.com/books/1295430
Now available as an eBook in iPad format
http://store-au.blurb.com/ebooks/p15e2d36fdf53920241cb
Jan Irving
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Helen Repacholi
From: moh...@alphalink.com.au
To: heritage...@googlegroups.com
Subject: registrations
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2013 16:09:40 +1000
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Lill Roberts
G’Day Everyone,
Yes, we’re still here, albeit a bit slow off the mark.
July has not been a month on which I will look back with undiluted pleasure.
Re registrations: we have bought our own animal management program. I understand that PAIRS is our ‘stud book’, but it’s really not much use for the day to day management of our animals. The delay we have in registering is that we have abandoned the practice of tattooing. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, it’s a cruel, messy and ineffective method of ID. The tattoos are rarely clear enough to be read with any certainty. Secondly, if someone found one of our goats wandering around and it has lost its ear tag, then the tattoo would not mean anything to them. Rather we are now micro chipping those goats from whom we plan to breed or sell for breeding. Mirco chipping is nationally recognised and most properties and all vet and councils have readers. The problem is that it is very expensive, so we are only chipping those animals which we think are good enough for breeding stock. We’d like to wait until they are a year old before making that decision. So our kids from last year are yet to be registered.
Helen - It’s good to read that your new home is finished and you are settling in well. With respect to selling mohair, I just posted off some of my mohair to a lady living in Benalla, so there is a market out there, it just takes a bit of work to find it. Searching out local craft groups is a great way to start however I’d be showing them how mohair can be used rather than asking if they already use it. You could also try a stand at the local show, or, if you have a local Farmer’s Market, you could ask the management about a stall. In the past Farmer’s Markets were only about food, but many are now prepared to take on Farmers of fibre as long as they can show a clear connection between what is being sold and the Farmer. A web site also helps. We have just purchased a new, you beaut electric carder, so we’ll be able to sell batts as well as raw and washed fleece.
Roger and I helped out Mohair Australia Vic at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show earlier in the month. The aim was to promote mohair, but they were happy for us to bring along some stock to sell. We sold enough to cover two nights accommodation, so we didn’t make a killing, but we have had several inquiries since, and a few more sales. We nearly froze to death.
July has also been memorable because Roger spilt hydrated lime into his eyes. We’ve had 8 trips to the Eye and Ear hospital in Melbourne. He’s healing well, but his left eye still has some mending to do. He’s back driving again. So if you are thinking of putting lime round the goat’s sheds and feeders to reduce the challenges of the wet, WEAR SAFTY GLASSES and BE CAREFUL. If you live in Victoria you may also want to check you have ambulance subscription. Without it, we would have been up for $1833.00 for a 10 minute trip between here and the local hospital.
That’s about it from us. Apart from appearing in a local lifestyle magazine, hosting three vet students for a week each and hosting a bus load of school children from Melbourne and me finishing a Certificate of Spinning with the Hand Weavers and Spinner Guild, not much has been happening here.
Hope everyone is well and happy. Sorry I’ve rambled a bit.
Oh, but the way was have very light grey bucks and does to sell if anyone is interested. I’m not worried if no one is ans we are happy to keep them, but there may be someone who would like to try their hand at coloureds.
All the best
Lill
Heather Morrissey
I would love to have members contact me if they have goats for sale. Or wish to sell some of their hair.
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Valerie Donald
Heather it is great to hear from you again. the Groups has been very quiet for a long time. I haven't any Angoras for sale but I do have a coloured gene in my flock. I have an orange kid this year but it will go white when it gets its mohair
Helen I am glad to hear you still have an interest in the Angoras. a lot of people are quite excited at the beginning but then find it is quite a lot of work and lose interest.. A website is a great idea as you get a lot of feedback when you have one. Although it can take a while before it shows up on Google. It did for me anyway.
Lill I am sorry to hear you will not be registering anymore which means any goats you sell to someone else can't register either even if they wanted to as the parents won't be listed. That will be a lot of goats lost to the system. Tell me about micro chipping. I know they do it with dogs and cats and they insert a chip into the neck. Is this what you do with the goats? What does the chip contain? Are you able to decide what goes in the chip? If so why not put your tattoo id and the goats number. I feel sure you could then register.
(What do you have to say Jan?)
Do you still have to have a PIC number in the ear. I hate those fold over ones as they pull out too easily. I also noticed on a website that EReaders cost over $1000.00 so not everyone would go that way.
We have had some beautiful weather here just perfect for kidding. I'll see if I can include a photo with this email. Note my orange kid. A pity she wouldn't stay that colour. Also note I have tags on the kids. I use a light weight plastic chain and a tag with the number of the kids mother on it. That way I won't forget who's who. I generally do my own ear tagging and tattooing at a few days old but now I have lost the strength in my hands I have to get someone else to do it which won't be until another fortnight. Kids are easy to tattoo etc. at an early age but just about impossible when they are older.
I'd just like to add some of the article which was printed in the Rare Breed Trust of Australia newsletter.
(AHAs are the most significant endangered goat breed. They have a history that is different to every other Angora around the world. A unique history different to that of Texan or South African.
The RBTA strongly encourages the support for the preservation of the REGISTERED (my italics) Heritage Angora that has documentary evidence of its ancestry from Australia's registered Angora stud - the Banksia herd)
Val
Lill Roberts
G’Day Val,
As usual, I’ve confused you. We’ll still register our kids on PAIRS, but not until after we have decided they are going to contribute in a positive way to the AHA gene pool and we have had them micro chipped.
The microchips come with their own ID, and I suspect trying to change the codes would be more expense. PAIRS has a field to allow breeders to register microchip codes and that’s what we have included instead of tattoo numbers. The only problem is that our microchips are in the opposite side of the goat to what PAIRS records, but I don’t think that would matter as a reader would pick up the code irrespective on where it is on the goat. It’s the same technology as is used for cats and dogs, that’s why it is expensive. The chips have to be inserted by a vet, or someone who is qualified to do it. We have been meaning to find out how we can qualify, but life being the way it is, it’s one of those things which has fallen down through the cracks. We have about another 12 to register, 6 of which are grey.
Loved the photos of your kids. We planned to kid in late September, but Toby jumped the fence five months ago, and Blanche is huge. She’s due next week. The rest of the kids will be as planned. There will only be a few as we are running out of room.
All the best
Lill
Heather Morrissey
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Val Donald
Jan Irving
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