Milk Testing & Linear Appraisal
Milk Award Designations with ADGA
What is a milk star? (*M for does, *B or +B for bucks)
It’s a notation in a goat’s pedigree earned by meeting the minimum milk production requirements set by the registry. A buck earns a milk star based on the production of his progeny or his dam and sire’s dam. The number of stars appearing after a doe’s name refers to the number of consecutive generations of does that qualified for a star (maternal line only). For example if a 1*M doe has a daughter earn a milk star, that daughter is a 2*M. If the line is broken at any point, the count starts over.
How can my doe earn a milk star?
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One Day Milk Test - Common at fairs and shows, but can be scheduled anywhere (including your own farm). Days in milk, pounds of milk produced in 24 hours, and butterfat percentage are thrown into a formula. If a doe meets the minimum, she earns an ST (Standard) milk star. It does not count toward a genetic evaluation (PTI scores, Superior Genetics, etc) but it can be passed on to her bucklings.
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305 Day Milk Test - Milk production is tested multiple times during a doe’s lactation. Volume (pounds of milk), fat, and protein produced are calculated. If a doe meets the minimum in any one category she earns an ST milk star. It counts toward a genetic evaluation but cannot be passed on to her bucklings. If a doe meets the minimum requirements in both volume and fat, she earns an AR (Advanced Registry) star. It counts toward a genetic evaluation and can be passed on to her bucklings.
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Progeny - A doe can earn a milk star without ever being on milk test if her progeny earn enough milk stars:
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3 daughters with milk stars
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2 sons with milk stars
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2 daughters and 1 son with milk stars
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How can my buck earn a milk star?
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A buck is awarded a *B if his sire has a milk star and his dam has an AR milk star or an ST star earned on a one day milk test.
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A buck is awarded a *B if his dam and his sire's dam both have AR milk stars.
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A buck is awarded a +B if he has three daughters by different dams earn milk stars or if he has two sons earn a +B.
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Bucks can earn both a *B and a +B. Because a +B can be earned in two different ways, possible combinations of buck stars are +*B, ++B, or ++*B
Other Registries
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AGS: Instead of *M, does earn *D. Instead of *B/+B, bucks earn *S/+S
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MDGA: Instead of *M, does earn *P. Bucks are still *B/+B.
Links
Component Requirements For Does Star Awards at age of freshening
Buck Award Designations
How can my buck earn a * B or +/++ B, +/++*B? (As explained from the ADGA rule book)
An ADGA-registered buck shall be entitled to an automatic *B (NOTE: *B is for bucks FROM ANCESTORS) designation without application or fee if either:
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(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 Buckor a +B (ST)
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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 p.75-76
+B is for bucks and earned FROM PROGENY- 5 different ways to do it.
An ADGA-registered buck shall be entitled to a +B (ST) designation without application or fee if any of these apply:
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(1) He has three *M daughters from three different dams. At least two of the dams must be registered or recorded with ADGA
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He has two +B sons (ST), or
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He has one AR son and one +B son (ST),
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He has one AR son and two AR and/or *M daughters
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He has one +B son (ST) and two AR and/or *M daughters. p.76
++B (now your buck is getting fancy ;) FROM PROGENY sons and daughters
An ADGA-registered buck shall be entitled to a ++B designation without application or fee by qualifying based on different progeny 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.) p.76
ANDDA
Sire Award - Sire has 3 or more daughters qualifying for any of the ANDDA JuJu Awards
ADGA/ AGS
PEDIGREE ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
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GCH ~ GRAND CHAMPION AWARD EARNED DURING AN ADGA OR AGS SANCTIONED SHOW. THE WINNER OF THE CLASS OF ALL FIRST PLACE ANIMALS IN THAT BREED OR SANCTIONED CLASS DEPENDING ON THE SHOW.
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CH/MCH ~ PERMANENT GRAND CHAMPION AWARD ~ THREE GRAND CHAMPIONS FROM SHOW WINS ACCORDING TO THE ADGA & AGS GUIDELINES GCH ARM, CH PERMANENT, GRAND CHAMPION AWARD AND AN AR MILK STAR EARNED FROM ADVANCED REGISTRY OR STAR VOLUME MINIMUMS.
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PTA ~ POTENTIAL TRANSMITTING ABILITY – THE GENETIC QUALITIES THAT AN ANIMAL IS EXPECTED TO TRANSMIT TO HIS OR HER OFFSPRING. THE PTA IS BASED ON DHI AND LA DATA.
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PTI ~ PRODUCTION TYPE INDEX – AN INDEX BASED ON PRODUCT (DHIR) AND TYPE (LA). THERE ARE TWO TYPES; PTI21 AND PTI12. THE FORMER EMPHASIZES PRODUCTION OVER TYPE AND THE LATTER EMPHASIZES TYPE OVER PRODUCTION.
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ETA ~ ESTIMATED TRANSMITTED ABILITY – A RELATIVE NUMBER THAT COMBINES HALF THE PTI’S OF THE SIRE AND THE DAM AND SUBTRACTS A QUALIFYING LEVEL (QL) SET BY EACH BREED BY THE SIRE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. THIS NUMBER IS USED TO RANK ESTIMATED ABILITIES OF AN ANIMAL BEFORE THEY REPRODUCE. SIMILAR TO PTI, THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF ETA; ETA21 AND ETA12.
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ELITE ~ THE “ELITE” RATING IS A TOOL TO IDENTIFY THE GENETIC “CRÈME DE LA CRÈME” FOR BREEDERS TO IDENTIFY THE BEST POTENTIAL SIRES AND DAMS FOR THEIR BREEDING STOCK. FOR BUCKS TO QUALIFY AS “ELITE” THEY MUST BE IN THE TOP 15% (86TH PERCENTILE AND ABOVE) WITH EVALUATION DATA FROM RECENT DAUGHTERS. FOR DOES TO QUALIFY AS “ELITE” THEY MUST BE IN THE TOP 5% (96TH PERCENTILE AND ABOVE) WITH THEIR RECENT EVALUATION DATA AND BE LIVING AT THE TIME THE LIST IS GENERATED.
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SG ~ SUPERIOR GENETICS AWARD – TO IDENTIFY AND RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS FOR THEIR GENETIC SUPERIORITY THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN ADGA’S PRODUCTION (DHIR) AND TYPING (LINEAR APPRAISAL) PROGRAMS. USING PTI NUMBERS, AN ANIMAL MUST BE RANKED IN THE TOP 86TH PERCENTILE AT LEAST ONCE DURING HIS OR HER LIFE. TO QUALIFY AS AN “SG” DOE USING PTI21, SHE MUST HAVE RANKED IN THE 86TH PERCENTILE IN THE DHIR PROGRAM AND HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LINEAR APPRAISAL TYPE EVALUATION.
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SGCH~ A COMBINATION OF SUPERIOR GENETICS AWARD AND PERMANENT GRAND CHAMPION AWARD.
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AR ~ ADVANCED REGISTRY – A PROGRAM TO IDENTIFY THE DOES THAT PRODUCE A QUALIFYING LEVEL OF MILK, BUTTER FAT OR PROTEIN WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE DHIR PROGRAM.
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ST ~ STAR PROGRAM – OWNER SAMPLER PRODUCTION TESTING. STAR NUMBERS ARE NOT RECORDED ON AGS REGISTRATION PAPERS *M*D STAR DOE (2 TYPES: AR STARS OR ST STARS)
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X*MX *DX STAR MILKER = THE SUCCESSIVE GENERATION NUMBER OF A DOE LINE THAT HAS EARNED A STAR BASED ON REGISTRY MINIMUMS (E.G. 2*M = THE SECOND SUCCESSIVE GENERATION TO EARNED A MILKING STAR.
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+B+S PLUS VOLUME BUCK/SIRE:
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HE HAS THREE *M DAUGHTERS FROM THREE DIFFERENT DAMS. AT LEAST TWO OF THE DAMS MUST BE REGISTERED OR RECORDED WITH THE ADGA
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HE HAS TWO +B SONS (ST), OR
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HE HAS ONE AR SON AND ONE +B SON (ST), OR
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HE HAS ONE AR SON AND TWO AR AND/OR *M DAUGHTERS, OR
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HE HAS ONE +B SON (ST) AND TWO AR AND/OR *M DAUGHTERS.
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++B++S PLUS PLUS VOLUME BUCK
1) TWO +B AND/OR AR SONS AND
2) THREE *M AND/OR AR DAUGHTERS *B*S STAR VOLUME BUCK/SIRE (2 TYPES: AR STARS OR ST STARS)
1) HIS DAM IS EITHER AN ADVANCED REGISTRY DOE THAT HAS QUALIFIED ON BOTH MILK VOLUME AND BUTTERFAT/PROTIEN REQUIREMENTS, OR A STAR PROGRAM (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 VOLUME AND BUTTERFAT/PROTIEN REQUIREMENTS, OR A ST DOE, AND HIS SIRE’S DAM IS AN ADVANCED REGISTRY DOE THAT HAS QUALIFIED ON BOTH VOLUME MILK AND BUTTERFAT/PROTIEN.
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+*B COMBINATION OF *B (INHERITED STAR BUCK OR AR) AND +B (FROM PROGENY)
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++*B COMBINATION OF *B (INHERITED STAR BUCK OR AR) AND ++B (FROM PROGENY)
LINEAR APPRAISAL
Click below to view the American Dairy Goat Association's printable Linear Appraisal Guide. This guide is a general description of linear and structural traits of dairy goats.
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LA ~ LINEAR APPRAISAL – EVALUATES INDIVIDUAL TYPE TRAITS THAT AFFECT STRUCTURAL & FUNCTIONAL DURABILITY, IN ORDER TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR GENETIC IMPROVEMENT THROUGH BREEDER SELECTION. GOATS ARE EVALUATED OBJECTIVELY AGAINST A KNOWN STANDARD INSTEAD OF SUBJECTIVELY THE LA AN ANIMAL RECEIVES SHOULD BE THE SAME REGARDLESS OF THE PERSON DOING THE EVALUATION.
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FS ~ FINAL SCORES ARE:
E ~ EXCELLENT (90-100)
V ~ VERY GOOD (85-89.9)
+ ~ GOOD PLUS (80-84.9) WHICH IS CONSIDERED AVERAGE
A ~ GOOD (ACCEPTABLE 70-79.9)
F ~ FAIR (60-69.9)
POOR (UNDER 60)
LINEAR TRAITS
