# MDGA Pedigree



## FarmerDad (Apr 28, 2021)

Is there any cheat sheet for reading MDGA pedigrees? There are some stray codes and asterisks that I'd like to understand.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Hope someone will chime in soon.


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## FarmerDad (Apr 28, 2021)

toth boer goats said:


> Hope someone will chime in soon.


nod nod. I noticed that, like, someone from MDGA itself was active here... but that was 10 years ago. I always wonder if anyone from the actual various associations are out chatting it up with the rank-and-file goatherds.


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## Lil Boogie (Mar 24, 2021)

@Jubillee ! I call upon ye!


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## Morning Myst (Jan 2, 2022)

Check this information out. Really hope it helps. 


How to Understand Your Goat's Pedigree


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## FarmerDad (Apr 28, 2021)

sandracromwell3 said:


> Check this information out. Really hope it helps.
> 
> 
> How to Understand Your Goat's Pedigree


That _is_ very interesting as I have pedigrees from all three outfits listed. It doesn't answer the questions _I_ have about my MDGA pedigrees but very interesting and a must-bookmark link. Thank you.


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

Whatcha need to know? I register with both MDGA and TMGR.


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## FarmerDad (Apr 28, 2021)

Jubillee said:


> Whatcha need to know? I register with both MDGA and TMGR.


Far be it for me to just sit down and wait to be spoon fed answers, I found most of my questions (like what is an asterisk after the registration number mean). They just don't have all the bits and pieces in a handy "how to read an MDGA pedigree" space. The only thing I can't figure out is the code "*G6S*-NP" which is on two of my pedigrees in the upper right corner.


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

G6S is a genetic mutation that is in Nubians. It causes ill thrift and death when an animal is affected. You can Google more on it for a better explanation. Most people test Nubians and Nubian crosses for it. If it has "N" after, they are normal and don't have the gene. NP means normal by parentage, neither parent has it sp they can't pass it on. C means carrier, the animal has 1 gene to pass on. Two carriers bred together has 25% change of producing an affected animal (one with a gene from each parent). Running River Dairy Goats has a blog where they documented an affected kid for I think 2 years before she passed. Shows you what happens to them. 

What was the asterisk after the reg number? I haven't seen that. An asterisk before a herd name signifies its not an MDGA herdname. A "P" at the end of a reg # means the animal is polled. VCH before means they are a Virtual Show Champion. FCH live show champ, FMCH a doe that has milk star and lice show champ. is *P, *B, +B, ++B are all milk stars. A number before the *P is the successive generations in which a star has been earned, like dam, granddam, great-granddam etc.


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

FarmerDad said:


> "how to read an MDGA pedigree"


This is great feedback and very useful...I'll bring it up and see what can be done.


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## FarmerDad (Apr 28, 2021)

Jubillee said:


> G6S is a genetic mutation that is in Nubians. It causes ill thrift and death when an animal is affected. You can Google more on it for a better explanation. Most people test Nubians and Nubian crosses for it. If it has "N" after, they are normal and don't have the gene. NP means normal by parentage, neither parent has it sp they can't pass it on. C means carrier, the animal has 1 gene to pass on. Two carriers bred together has 25% change of producing an affected animal (one with a gene from each parent). Running River Dairy Goats has a blog where they documented an affected kid for I think 2 years before she passed. Shows you what happens to them.
> 
> What was the asterisk after the reg number? I haven't seen that. An asterisk before a herd name signifies its not an MDGA herdname. A "P" at the end of a reg # means the animal is polled. VCH before means they are a Virtual Show Champion. FCH live show champ, FMCH a doe that has milk star and lice show champ. is *P, *B, +B, ++B are all milk stars. A number before the *P is the successive generations in which a star has been earned, like dam, granddam, great-granddam etc.


So.. somebody somewhere up the line tested the Nubians that went into those two goat's parent stock and confirmed that the Nubes were free of this gene. I suppose it'd be a good idea to test the rest of my herd...

As to your question, when a goat's generation count would qualify for an American book registration (Did I say that right? I imagine it's not a literal book.), but does not have all the characteristics of the breed, they are registered in the Experimental book and an asterisk is added to the end of the name. In this case, I have an F4 MN doe whose ears are more airplane than pendulous. XNxxxxxx number with an asterisk at the end. I found that tidbit on a page talking about the Books.


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

Ahh gotcha, that was actually a topic of discussion lately but I didn't realize they marked them that way. 

Ehhh, yes, but it could be that your doe's parents were tested and she is normal by parentage. So you don't have to worry about her. It is good to have any Nubian stock tested, then once you have all your stock tested, and all are normal, you know that you won't have any issues with the kids. 

And yes, they are called herdbooks, which are really like classes. Experimental, American, Purebred. If an Americna or Purebred generation animal does not meet the breed character standards, they retain their generation but drop backdown to Experimental.


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## FarmerDad (Apr 28, 2021)

FarmerDad said:


> So.. somebody somewhere up the line tested the Nubians that went into those two goat's parent stock and confirmed that the Nubes were free of this gene. I suppose it'd be a good idea to test the rest of my herd...
> 
> As to your question, when a goat's generation count would qualify for an American book registration (Did I say that right? I imagine it's not a literal book.), but does not have all the characteristics of the breed, they are registered in the Experimental book and an asterisk is added to the end of the name. In this case, I have an F4 MN doe whose ears are more airplane than pendulous. XNxxxxxx number with an asterisk at the end. I found that tidbit on a





Jubillee said:


> Ehhh, yes, but it could be that your doe's parents were tested and she is normal by parentage. So you don't have to worry about her. It is good to have any Nubian stock tested, then once you have all your stock tested, and all are normal, you know that you won't have any issues with the kids.


Yup. That covers two of my mini Nubians but I have four others that I believe the responsible thing to test.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Jubillee said:


> Ahh gotcha, that was actually a topic of discussion lately but I didn't realize they marked them that way.
> 
> Ehhh, yes, but it could be that your doe's parents were tested and she is normal by parentage. So you don't have to worry about her. It is good to have any Nubian stock tested, then once you have all your stock tested, and all are normal, you know that you won't have any issues with the kids.
> 
> And yes, they are called herdbooks, which are really like classes. Experimental, American, Purebred. If an Americna or Purebred generation animal does not meet the breed character standards, they retain their generation but drop backdown to Experimental.


That’s is really interesting. I never realized there was so much more to registered.


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