Boer Goat REGISTRATION

[dougie]

Where is the best place to register Boer goats? ABGA OR USBGA?

[Ken in Maine]

Right now I'd only register with the ABGA. Too many internal problems and lawsuits going on with USBGA.

[Goat Freak]

All of ours, right now and in the future, will be in ABGA. Didn't even know there was another place to register them. Good Luck, bye.

[poorfarmer]

ABGA is what we are changing too. The USBGA was a great group until two people took it over and they put thier self in charge not by membership vote.

[TexCountryWoman]

Okay, so there is the ABGA, the USBGA...........what is yalls opinion of the IBGA?

[stacygoats]

USBGA replaced the IBGA.

This is a pain because I've already paid my USBGA membership and my Goats are currently registered with them.

In order to register my kids with ABGA I've got to:
- Pay for membership.
- Pay to change my buck and does over. (They will only register kids when the doe & buck are already ABGA registered.)
- Then finally I'll be able to send in my paperwork for the kids to be registered.

I'm thinking I may take a chance with USBGA, supposedly the paperwork is not getting delayed. Another breeder said she got her registrations back in 3 weeks. I really liked the USBGA, but hate the political uproar happening at headquarters right now.

[TexCountryWoman]

The IBGA still has it's website up, what is the deal with that? And it stands for the INTERNATIONAL BGA, I'm a bit confused.

[dougie]

Thank you all so much.

[Jcran]

I was lucky enough to go to a history conference in Austin, Texas last week. As Spicewood was only 30 miles from Austin, I rented a car to go "take a look". I had a great time visiting Annette Maze's goat ranch and then a nice visit at the USBGA office. Both were pleasant and I did hear that there is going to be a mediation or something of that sort next week with the DA... Anyhow, just to play it safe, I joined ABGA and transfered all my goats FOR FREE!! They've got a membership drive going (it may have ended March 31) and all one has to do is pay the membership fee and then the transfer of goat paper is free!

[Ken in Maine]

Hi JC;

I have a question??? You visited both Annette Maze's ranch and the USBGA office? Which USBGA office did you visit? The reason I ask is that I was under the impression that everything from the USBGA that was at the Maze's was removed and the office was relocated somewhere else in Spicewood. It was no longer at Annette's ranch. Just curious.

[Jcran]

You are right...the offices were at Annette Maze's ranch, and now they are at the TEENY TINY little strip mall that constitutes the burg of Spicewood. I had asked for suggestions of ranches to visit (emailed USBGA) and got no response, so I called the nearest ranch I could find which was Annette's. Her place was marvelous to visit, and she gave me directions to find the relocated office-no sign on the outside. They were equally gracious. It makes me sad when folks argue and I didn't want to get into the reasons so I just focused on the goats. I hope whatever the problem is, they get it resolved. For now, I am double-enrolled in USBGA and ABGA.

[TexCountryWoman]

So let me get this straight: If I were to pick one organization, it should indeed be the ABGA, correct? I have had Boers for two years and am deciding wether or not to stay in them, have Lamanchas , have really always been a dairy person (ADGA). We are considering selling out of cattle because of how the drought and hay shortage has just killed us and we don't see an end. Our forage is lost for years to come (for cattle). We need livestock for tax exemption. So we may raise more Boers. So ABGA is the organization of choice?

[shelbynteg]

Just a correction, International Boer Goat Association is a separate organization from either the ABGA or USBGA. I'm member number 88, have been with them for years. I'm very happy with the service of the office, fees are market rate, and they do honor the members votes. Way back when, the ABGA wanted to exclude colored boers, or downgrade their status, so I joined IBGA and have been with them every since. The IBGA had a stinky control fight in '99, but that's becoming a distant memory. If I remember, Annette Maze was in the middle of that one too. At any rate, there's no place where politics are more heated than in animal registries, it's not confined to the goat folks.

[Jcran]

I'm not familiar with IBGA but I have heard that they have a really good youth program-this info coming from a high school ag teacher.

[dougie]

Well it looks like ABGA it is then. If I buy goats that are already registered with the ABGA do i need to do anything about their papers? Do I need to get hold of the ABGA and tell them that I'm the new owner?

[TexCountryWoman]

In my mailbox yesterday was my info packet from Spicewood. The application says: "IBGA/USBGA"..........so I guess they ARE the same organization. The pamplets inside were all in reference to the USBGA rather than the IBGA.

[Jcran]

I think there is another IBGA apart from the IBGA/USBGA; I'm not sure what it is though.