Sale Catalogues for Pedigree cattle are a valuable tool when breeders are looking to purchase quality animals for their herds. There is much more certainty in your purchase compared to buying cattle in a sale yard, where little information is provided.
Points to be aware of when purchasing an animal using an official 3GP or from a catalogue where pedigree data is used:
- An official 3GP shows the ancestry of an animal, the official records of the animal and its ancestry for 3 generations, as at the date the 3GP is run.
- An animal name on a 3GP does not guarantee the animal is registered. If the LIC logo is on the 3GP (in the top, left-hand corner), the animal is not registered with HFNZ. If a 3GP is not used the vendor must indicate if the animal is not registered.
- An official 3GP has the following indicators displayed for the buyer to recognise a registered animal:
Breed = PF or SF, the words Registered Holstein Friesian or Supplementary Registered Holstein Friesian with the HFNZ logo in the top left hand corner;
PF = Pedigree Holstein Friesian;
SF = Supplementary Holstein Friesian.
If a 3GP is not used the vendor must use the HFNZ logo and the registration status codes to indicate registration, i.e PF or SF. - G3 indicates that the animal holds a New Zealand profile with Genemark (LIC) on a 3GP.
- If the animal has been DNA parentage verified to Sire (S) and/or Dam (D), this will be indicated on the 3GP with a tick next to the S and/or D. If a 3GP is not used the vendor must indicate the parentage status where an animal has been tested.
- If the animal has an unofficial Sire or Dam, this will be indicated on the 3GP with a hashtag (#) beside the S and/or D. This must be stated by the vendor where a 3GP is not used.
- The NZAEL logo in the background of an official 3GP denotes that the pedigree does not include genomic information, with the exception of some historical herd BW values.
- Take note of any run-with-bull dates printed in a catalogue.
- Animals vetted in-calf do not guarantee they are in-calf to the AB mating – they could be in-calf to the run-with-bull date.
- Be aware that a mating to sexed semen does not always guarantee a heifer calf.