ADCA Meetings & Minutes Archives

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

Jan/Feb, 2008 Workyoke Summary

 Information – Beef Promotional Project Data (continued)

Data continues to be gathered for this project by Robert Seddon

Information – Regional Director Ballots (continued)

Consensus was to keep all ballots and results for a period of 3 years until the term is up.  Mark storage envelopes with a destroy date and put them in the storage unit.  A committee is working on proposed guidelines for all future nominations and elections.

Information – New Ad (continued)

It was suggested that the ADCA website address in the ads in the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Bi Monthly News and the Annual Directory be used instead of Chuck's phone number and email address.

Information –Registry/On-Line Pedigree

Chuck has been working with the Genetic Committee to find and correct errors and add information to the registry that was not available in the past.  Hundreds of correctable errors have been made in the last few weeks. Chuck’s goal is to give complete certificates of all registered animals. Putting in minimal info on all those in the PDCA, English, Canadian etc. means digging up information out of their online pedigrees. This can take about 10 times as long as a normal registration. It was his suggestion that at the AGM we should probably look at a different price structure for animals not in the ADCA  registry. This is common in other registries.  Searching the heading in the on-line registry with a sort of sort any field is interesting to those that want background history.

Information – Website Information

Again, the problem of using the word ‘minature’ in describing Dexters has come up regarding those who use it on the web as a search beginning.  Without the word ‘minature’ many interested individuals would not find the ADCA site. 

It was pointed out that the definition of ‘miniature’  is a representation or image of something on a small or reduced scale.  Dexters are neither a small or reduced scale of a larger animal.  A suggestion was made to add a new twist to the definition and advertise Dexters as the "Alternative to Miniature Cattle", thus still getting interested people to the site and at the same time boosting their curiosity to look in to this smaller breed that isn't a miniature......

Information - Committee Assignments

Vice President, Pat, asked the new directors what committees they would like to work with and for anyone interested to indicate preferences.

Information – Attorney (continued)

An update on progress being made by the attorney regarding the R&R and Workyoke procedures was requested. ADCA President, David, has had several emails with them and should have the information from them by the end of  February so the committee can start with their comments ASAP.

Information – 2008 AGM

AGM dates are June 20-22

The Board will be scheduled to meet at 9:00 AM on Thursday June 19^th . 

The nearest major airport will be in Waco which is just a bit north of Belton. 

Motel info will be in the Bulletin, and pertinent info is on the Region 7 Website (www.region7adca.com)

Information – Membership Handbook

The advertising campaign has been very successful and Chuck is swamped with inquires with basic questions that require a response to specific questions. Chuck has been out of Membership Directories for several weeks. Dan has helped send out brochures and responses and Chuck has contacted CAT to get help in putting together a packet for information inquiries.

The present minimal response to inquries is the weakest portion of our customer relations and he would like to put together a membership directory giving the information that the inquiries are requesting.

Information –  Registration Procedures

The Pedigree and Genetics Committee has released the following statement on the Website Regarding the Registration of animals: 

"Animals in the ADCA registry entered it according to the regulations, procedures, and information that existed at the time of entry."

The word "information" is important as the ADCA can only register on the information given to the Registrar, whether by a member or by another country. 

Information – Winter ’08 Bulletin

The Bulletin is at the printer and should be out the last week in February.  The proof was reviewed on February 19^th.

Motion to Accept the 2008 Budget

A motion was made by John Foley to approve the 2008 budget as it had been sent to all directors with no comments received.

Motion seconded and passed unanimously, with 12 directors voting.

Information – Random Parentage Testing

In order to safeguard the ADCA registry, the BOD has been discussing the possibility of a random parentage testing program as well as mandatory testing of breeding bulls.

Testing ideas, with options, will be presented at the 2008 AGM for membership input.

The BOD will begin working on language for a motion over the next 4 months for presentation at the AGM, allowing the membership to assist in fine tuning prior to the Texas AGM.

The Following  Proposal Regarding the Integrity of the American Dexter Cattle Association Registry was submitted to the ADCA Board of Directors, February, 2008.

Approval was given by 8 members of the BOD to be included as a published insert in the Winter Bulletin 2008 Issue.

Based upon the concerns expressed by ADCA Membership, the Board has been contemplating possible ways to maintain the integrity of our Dexter Registry.   After some research, it is clear that most registries of various breeds of animals have a means of doing just this.  Thanks to the wonderful progress with DNA research and development, it has become the way of doing business to require that at least the sires have been genotyped and that information is recorded.  Some registries require that both parent animals have DNA records on file.
Rather than just diving into this process, the Board is considering implementing Random Parentage Testing in the ADCA.  The proposal the Board has compiled follows:
The ADCA begins random DNA parentage testing on every 100th applicant for registration with the ADCA - to help insure the integrity of our registry.  Every 100th applicant, picked by computer, will be required to submit three separate tail hair samples: one from the calf to be registered, one from the Sire, and one from the Dam reported on the registration application.
These would be tested at Texas A&M and the reports returned directly to the Registrar and the Genetics Committee for evaluation.  Payment for these random tests will be covered by the Treasurer of the ADCA.  The owner would then receive copies of these tests, as an added benefit for them.  It will be the breeder's responsibility to submit the samples required, and refusal to comply with this testing would make the calf involved unable to be registered until the testing is accomplished.  The results of these tests will be compiled in a database by the ADCA, and will be used in any research that the ADCA deems appropriate as an organization.  (As a not for profit organization, we are supposed to contribute towards scientific research.)
In the event of the death of the sire or dam - DNA not already on file with the ADCA - alternative sampling of grandsire or granddam as required by the testing laboratory will be accepted.  If sampling of necessary heritage is not available for some reason, a report stating the reasons must be submitted to the Genetics Committee and the procedure would then be determined on a case-by-case basis.
If the sire or dam of the animal selected for testing has been sold and removed from the breeder's property prior to the request for testing, the breeder is required to work closely with the ADCA and the new owners to acquire and submit the necessary samples in a timely manner.
The benefit to the owner - getting free DNA testing of sire and dam to be kept on file.
The benefit to our association - taking a small step forward to the eventual necessity of having breeding animals DNA on file.  This helps to insure that Dexters are who we say they are…no slip-ups on "who's the Daddy?" and preservation of the purity of this great breed of cattle that we own and raise. 
This is a small step forward, but the Board hopes that you will look at this with an open mind, and give us some suggestions between now and the AGM.  We look forward to a good discussion on this at the AGM in Texas in June.