Curing the Paperwork Blues: Avoiding the 10 Most Common Errors
By Dolores Gravley

For most cattlemen, paperwork is a dirty word. It is the registration department's goal to make the registration, transfer, and data submission process as painless as possible. No one likes to get a paperwork delay notice in the mail. Following is ten of the most common errors and ways to avoid them. Hopefully, this will help you spend less time behind the desk and more time with the kids and cows.

1. Failing to mark the shaded red boxes on the registration application, results in an animal being entered as a compute only. To ensure that the animal is processed correctly, mark one of the following boxes at the far right of the registration application. The three boxes are - transfer, register, or compute. See line 41 on the back of the registration application for a detailed explanation.

Transfer - Indicates you are registering and transferring that animal, so transfer information needs to be enclosed.

Register - Indicates you want to register the animal now.

Compute - Indicates you only want the animal's data computed. You will not receive EPDs or a registration certificate, however, there is no charge for compute only animals.

2. There is a misconception that calves cannot be registered without weaning weights. Calves can be registered without weaning weights as young as one day of age. However, you will not receive the registration certificate or interim performance pedigree (IPP) until weaning data is recorded. If you need documentation of registration prior to weaning data being submitted, you can request a Performance Summary for $2.50 each.

3. Duplicate tattoos are not allowed. It does not matter if the animals are male or female - they can't have the same tattoo. A duplicate tattoo is when the prefix, the number assigned and the international year code are the same.

4. Attempting to transfer a calf at the side of a cow, without first registering the calf, causes the calf to not get transferred. When transferring a calf at the side of a cow, you need to register and transfer the calf separate from the cow, unless the calf has already been registered. There will be two transfer charges (dam and calf) and one registration charge for the calf. Marking the box on the back of the dam's certificate will not transfer or register the calf. If the calf has been previously registered, include the registration number of the calf on the back of the dam's certificate and that will transfer the calf.

5. Filling out an Application for Transfer in addition to the transfer information on the back of a Registration Certificate or IPP causes confusion for the registration department and duplication of work for the breeder. If you already have a registration certificate or IPP on an animal, simply fill out the back of the registration certificate or the bottom of the IPP to transfer the animal. There is no need to fill out an Application for Transfer to transfer these animals. Only use the Application for Transfer if you do not have a registration certificate or IPP or if you are registering and transferring a calf for the first time.

6. Reporting yearling information on bull calves on both the Weaning/Yearling Summary (green worksheet) and the IPP again creates duplication for both the registration department and breeder. On bull calves you may record yearling data on the Weaning/Yearling Summary (green worksheet) OR you may record the yearling data on the IPP, but not both. For females, you need to record yearling data on the green worksheet. Remember, when sending in yearling data on registered females be sure to return the original certificate with the green worksheet. We can't have two certificates out on the same animal.

7. When sending in data, we need the registration number if one has been assigned. We can't process work with only the prefix and tattoo. Work will be returned if registration numbers are not provided.

8. When you fax in your work, you need not send in the originals. This creates duplication of work. The only exception is the work that requires the original certificate to be returned such as transfers, yearling weights on females, or any changes on a certificate. If you do send in original work after it has been faxed in, please make a note of it in BIG LETTERS on a cover sheet attached to the work.

9. AGA does not take any registration, transfer or weight information over the phone. All work needs to be requested in writing. It can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the AGA.

10. If you owe over $10 on previous work or the current work, we will hold the work until payment is received. You will receive a paperwork delay notice in the mail stating why the work has not been released.

Sometimes the trail of paperwork can become complicated, even for us who deal with it everyday. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the registration department at the AGA office. We enjoy hearing from you and are here to answer any questions you may have.

For information on completing your "paperwork" electronically from your home computer, please visit the Gelbvieh HerdTrack Software page or request a HerdTrack brochure.