# Can I register any goat?



## JasonCalhoun (Sep 4, 2012)

I just bought some 4-6 month old pygmy goats. None of the goats have papers. The previous owners didn't bother to ask the breeder they bought from for papers or about the parents. One is a buck, and the other's are does. We thought about having the buckling castrated, since we don't know if he's a brother to any of the does (we wouldn't want that sort of breeding going on). My question is can they be registered?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

-Jason :help:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Unless the parents are registered and you can provide breeding papers, ect, I do not think you can )= Maybe you'd be able to register as experimental since you can't "prove" that they're fullbloods. Not entirely sure how that works.

If the buckling is eight weeks or older, I'd have him castrated ASAP, or the girls could get pregnant, which they aren't ready for. Bucks and does can make babies at the ripe old age of 2 months -- not so great. :laugh: 

Also, when in doubt about whether to castrate or not, always castrate. There are more bucks then needed out there (it's good to be very picky with bucks since they're the future of your herd, and make an impact on the breed). Wethers make great pets. (=


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## JasonCalhoun (Sep 4, 2012)

Thanks. So if I want to have a registered herd I need a registered buck and registered doe. Is that right? or will just one registered parent do?


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

There is one or two miniature goat registries now where I think you can register grade stock. Otherwise, the pygmy registries don't allow grade animals that I know of. Keep in mind that there are many registries out there...some registries are much better than others. Some papers will give your goat value, other papers won't change the value. Just based on what registry they're registered with. I'd start looking around, google miniature goat registry and see what comes up if you were really wanting to get them papered.

If you want registered goats, then you need to buy from registered goat herds. And for pygmies, no, both parents would need to be registered if you want to use the good registries...like I said...I think there are one or two registries that will register grade mini goats. Those registries though, aren't very "popular."


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Jason, depending on breed if you want registered Pygmies, the parents would need to be registered with NPGA in order for the kids to be... for Nigerian Dwarf, parents must be registered with AGS in order to be able to register kids with NDGA or ADGA.

If you have unregisterable kids with any of those registries you can register them as foundation stock of unknown heritage through the National Miniature Goat Association, this registry is mainly for identification purposes and does not have ties with the above registries. There are none of the benefits however that AGS or NPGA provide for purebred status and any goat registered with NMGA will only be known as a "Miniature" and not a Nigerian or a Pygmy


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## JasonCalhoun (Sep 4, 2012)

Thank you all! We're growing pretty attached to some of our goats already and see them as special. I guess it doesn't matter too much that they are registered, but that they are healthy and happy. Should the time come, when we want to become professional breeders, we will buy some registered animals. - May the Lord bless you and keep you and bless all that you steward.


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## Melanie Klingele (Feb 10, 2018)

JasonCalhoun said:


> I just bought some 4-6 month old pygmy goats. None of the goats have papers. The previous owners didn't bother to ask the breeder they bought from for papers or about the parents. One is a buck, and the other's are does. We thought about having the buckling castrated, since we don't know if he's a brother to any of the does (we wouldn't want that sort of breeding going on). My question is can they be registered?
> 
> Thanks in advance for your advice.
> 
> -Jason :help:


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Do the goats have ear tattoos or tags & did the seller tell you who the breeder was? There may be a chance then...


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

No


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