ADCA Meetings & Minutes Archives

Click here to return to the ADCA Meetings and Minutes Main Page...

2009 ADCA Annual General Meeting

June 27, 2009
Fort Dodge, Iowa
 

Note:  Prior to the call to order 56 voting members and 47 proxies were verified with the membership roster. 

• Call To Order and Welcome

A special ‘Thank You’ was given to the Seydel’s as well as all those others instrumental in hosting the 2009 AGM at Fort Dodge. 
The meeting was called to order at 2:20 p.m. by the President, David Jones, who introduced the Officers, Regional Directors and Staff present. 
The 2008 AGM minutes were reviewed.  Robert Seddon (Region 9) moved to accept the minutes as printed.  Jim Woehl (Region 6) seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

• Financial Overview for 2008

Jim Smith, Treasurer, presented handouts of the Financial Statements and gave an explanation of the current financial status of the ADCA with projections for the 2009 year.  Richard Fennema (Region 7) moved to accept the 2008 financial report.  Dennis Anderson (Region 7) seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

• Membership Review

Chuck Daggett, Registrar, reported current membership hovering at 1000 and the Registry holds about 23,000 animals.  The Registry is backed up off site every night to secure the records.

There was discussion on the issue of a free 1^st year membership for 1^st time Dexter owners as a marketing tool.  Chuck stated that there was an excellent renewal rate for those who had received a free 1^st year membership.  Both the Website and the Registry have redundancy in the form of have a trained person (Dan Butterfield) as back-up should Chuck not be able to fulfill his duties. 

• Committee Reports

Liaison for Texas A&M Lab – DNA Testing– Pam Malcuit
Since June 2008, Dr. Cothran’s Lab at TAM has completed a total of 744 DNA tests for members of the ADCA.

            Chondrodysplasia – (332 Total Tested)

        Non-Carriers:   232                 123 Males                   109 Females
        Carriers:            100                   40 Males                    60 Females

            Colors – (123 Total Tested)

                                    Red – 63          Dun – 26         Red/Dun Combination – 34    

            Genotyping – (289 Total Tested)

Members are advised to check their results carefully.  Occasionally there are errors in spelling, etc., and results should be carefully checked to make sure there are no errors prior to sending the result sheets to the Registrar.  If errors are found, please contact the liaison or Dr. Cothran’s lab to make appropriate corrections.

 Youth Programs & Chris Odom Award – Warren and Sally Coad

The program still in its beginning stages.  The committee is open to suggestions and comments.  The Chris Odom Award Memorial Junior Exhibitor Award is sponsored by both the ADCA and the Texas Breeders Association.  While Texas has some shows for steers, most regions are limited by 4-H and FFA rules to heifers/breeding classes as there is a minimum weight requirement for steers.  Because the $1500 donation from the ADCA helps to fund only the Chris Odom Memorial Junior Exhibitor Awards, a request was made to the BOD for additional money to develop materials specially designed for the youth program.   

 Classification/Historical – Patti Adams

Classification was available and completed on seven (7) animals at the AGM this year.  
A power-point presentation was made with pictures and information gathered by the historical committee.  Many of these photos can be viewed on the ADCA website.

 Marketing & Advertising – Robert Seddon

One of the best advertising venues is GOOGLE on-line with 20,000 hits a month with 500 to 600 of those going on to the ADCA website.  The ADCA also purchased an ad on the Cattle Today website last year.  Advertising in printed publications has continued.  Robert requested that those selling cattle ask the buyers where they first heard about Dexter Cattle (ex:  Hobby Farms magazine) and let him know so he can try to track them and determine the return on the money spent for printed publication ads.   A new ad was recently taken out in the Tractor Supply  quarterly magazine.

A suggestion was made to develop a shell story for use in local newspapers telling about member attendance at the ADCA AGM and hi-lighting the activities including the show and sale.  Robert said he could write it up and it could be posted on the website.

Information requests are forwarded by the Registrar to the Secretary who then sends out a general information letter, list of regional directors, and a color brochure to inquiries.

Merchandising  (shirts, caps, etc)  is being handled on the web at cafepress.com.  This is a more efficient way for us to handle the merchandise and not be faced with storage of a large amount of items.

Nominations & Elections – Carol Ann Traynor

Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 & 11 are affected this year.  The procedure will begin August 15^th for nominations.  Nominations will close on September 10^th, proxy ballots will include a statement of the nominee qualifications and will be sent on October 7^th with a final return date of October 25^th.   Election meeting dates for each Region affected will be scheduled sometime between the 1^st and the 30^th of November. 

Pedigree & Genetics – Sandi Thomas

The Pedigree & Genetics Committee has addressed numerous issues this past year involving registration corrections, verifications and considerations. 

• PHA testing has moved from the initial stage into an educational phase.
• Chondro testing has increased with the numbers of owners releasing their results continuing to grow.
• Genotyping of bull calves has begun as Registry criteria.
• Reviews, updates, and submissions to the BOD of Standard Operating Procedures for action regarding:

-          Registration                  -    Polled & Horned                -    Permanent ID

-          Color                           -    Foreign Transfers               -    Embryo Transfers

• Release of Results for Genotyping, PHA & Chondro Testing is Voluntary

There are 3 important factors involved in controlling genetic abnormality (Chondro and PHA) aspects to the importance of voluntarily releasing testing reports of your test results:

1.      Test your animals

2.      Label the carriers

3.      Post the test results thereby making the information available to other breeders enabling them to make responsible breeding decisions.

The effectiveness of a reporting program depends almost entirely upon its completeness.

Website & Technology – Chuck Daggett

Dan Butterfield has been assisting with the work on the archival material as well as the day-to-day maintenance of the website.  Although the website is dynamic and changing, but ours is an old style and requires physical changes instead of the newer style which uses a data base.  Almost anything can be done on the website, but some requests are prohibitive on a cost basis.

Talisman Award – Roberta Wieringa

Nominations  forms were published in the Bulletin and the committee received several this year.  A Standard Operating Procedure is being established for selection for this award.   

NEW BUSINESS

• Standard Operating Procedures

David Jones reviewed the BOD’s work on Thursday to revise and update the existing Rules & Regulations document into a current working form of ADCA Standard Operating Procedures. 

Diane Mills-Frank Region 12) asked about getting copies of the ByLaws and Articles of Incorporation for those who do not have computer access.   In those cases, a request to the secretary will result in the 24-page document being mailed.  

• Genotype Update

Texas A&M holds the data base of information for the ADCA.  The most frequently discussed item has been the use of labs other than TAM.  During the Thursday BOD meeting it was decided that results from other labs will be accepted by TAM at the owner’s expense if the test markers are compatible.  Sire genotype must be on file at TAM in order to register any offspring beginning January 1, 2010.    

Discussion followed on possible problematic cases.  The Pedigree/Genetics Committee will review problems using a Standard Operating Procedure on a case-by-case basis.   Further explanation will be made in the Bulletin. 

• Realignment of Regions

A Task Force will be put together to analyze the current Regions  and making realignment more equitable in terms of member numbers in each Region.

• A2 Beta Cassien Testing

Testing at TAM has been temporarily suspended until clarification of a Trade Mark/Patent issue is made regarding the term, “A2”.   

• Random Parentage Testing

The information gleaned from genotyping is so far superior to what RPT would give us that there hasn’t been a lot of drive to move forward with the program.  Most breed associations move forward by first testing all sires, moving forward into dams, and then offspring.

The BOD will review the program in the Sunday meeting.

• PHA Update

Patti Adams gave a brief overview of the abnormality and availability of the testing program and steps were taken by the ADCA for initial testing of 30 AI bulls in December ’08 and January ’09.  Testing using tail hair for DNA samples should be available sometime in July.  Reporting of test results is voluntary, but is encouraged to help others make informed choices when breeding their cattle.  Check the ADCA web site for the most recent information.  Refer to the article in the Summer Bulletin. 

• Discussion – Board Votes by Roster

The President explained that the BOD had already taken this under consideration at the Thursday meeting.  Although this is not required by Delaware Corporate Law, the BOD felt that this was a request from the membership and tallies would be done by Region Number, not individual Director Name.  Items considered in executive sessions will not be posted and will remain confidential.  Consideration for final adoption of reporting BOD votes by roster will be done at the Sunday BOD meeting. 

• Future AGM Locations & Hosts

2010 – Region 8 Hosting

(S Carolina, N Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee)

 Location:  Athens, TN   

2011 – Region 6 Hosting (Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma)

Location:  Pending

• Permanent Animal Identification

Tattooing is the primary means of identification used by most Dexter breeders, but it is not the only acceptable one.  Any form of permanent ID attached to the animal is acceptable.

• Nominations & Election of Directors at Large

Robert Seddon (Region 9) was nominated by Rick Seydel (Region 12), seconded by Richard Fennema (Region 7).

Rick Seydel (Region 12) was nominated by Robert Seddon (Region 9) seconded by Gene Pittman (Region 6).

There being no further nominations, these two individuals were elected to be Directors at Large at the Sunday BOD meeting by voice vote.

OLD BUSINESS

• A question was asked regarding standardization of judging criteria at the AGM.  Pat Mitchell, Vice President, has been working to develop a packet for show judges.

Meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m. 

 Respectfully submitted,   Carol Ann Traynor, ADCA Secretary