# Does it matter if you buy registered or unregistered goats?



## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

So I'm probably getting 2 does in the spring and I want to know if I should buy already registered ones or unregistered ones? Does it matter? Would I need to register them if they weren't already? Why do people even register their animals? Could someone please shed some light on this subject for me?


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## SheepGirl (Aug 28, 2013)

If you plan on showing them, get registered goats. Having registration papers is pretty much a "guarantee" your animal is purebred. That said, unregistered animals can be purebred, too. And registered does not mean quality and unregistered does not mean not quality. Look at tbe individual goats and their traits when deciding, and then their registration status last, esp if you dont care. However registered animals do cost more, but you can also sell their babies for more.


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 28, 2013)

MaddiesMomma said:
			
		

> So I'm probably getting 2 does in the spring and I want to know if I should buy already registered ones or unregistered ones? Does it matter? Would I need to register them if they weren't already? Why do people even register their animals? Could someone please shed some light on this subject for me?


I think you should buy registered stock if you can.  Some on here will tell you that if you are not interested in showing the animals in dairy goat shows, they don't need to be registered.  That is true.

But, when you buy registered animals you can see the animals lineage, the farms in the background, milking stars in their back ground etc.

A milk star indicates an animal has performed a productiont  test and has been shown to be a top producer.  A buck with a milking star either means his mom had a milking star, or his daughters have milking stars.  
Different stars and designations mean different things, *S, *D, *M, +B

You can't have this information and history without registration.


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## AshleyFishy (Aug 28, 2013)

Really the only reason to buy registered animals is to make their offspring worth more. I did the registered thing for over a decade and honestly I will not be doing it again.

However, with a registered animal you know more about what you're buying. You can look up relatives on their papers and see what is in your critters genes. Also farms that breed for registered animals tend to test for diseases and/or breed for better production, conformation, type and what not.

What are your going to be buying your goats for? Pets? Milk? Brush clearing?


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

@ OneFineAcre and SheepGirl
Thank you both! That clears so much up! I probably won't get registered right off the bat, since we just want milk for us for now and don't plan on showing.  If we decide we like milking and end up buying more land in a few years, then I will probably consider showing and spring for some registered ones.  I do like the idea of seeing the does milking history though, so maybe if I find some registered for a good price I'll get them.


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

AshleyFishy said:
			
		

> Really the only reason to buy registered animals is to make their offspring worth more. I did the registered thing for over a decade and honestly I will not be doing it again.
> 
> However, with a registered animal you know more about what you're buying. You can look up relatives on their papers and see what is in your critters genes. Also farms that breed for registered animals tend to test for diseases and/or breed for better production, conformation, type and what not.
> 
> What are your going to be buying your goats for? Pets? Milk? Brush clearing?


Milkable pets  If we had more land I would consider breeding and selling and having my own buck, unfortunately we only have enough room for a couple does currently.   In the future we hope to move and have a lot more room.


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## woodsie (Aug 28, 2013)

I started with unregistered but am switching over to registered. If you are just keeping a couple goats, it probably isn't a big deal as you don't have lots of babies to sell. Keep checking craigslist or your local classifieds and see the prices and how fast animals are moving off...in my area the unreg often are on for a long time and reduce prices multiple times and the registered are not even listed (you have to go direct to the breeder and get on a waitlist)...and reg go for twice the price. 

For me the advantage is being able to look at their pedigree/lineage. In my area if you want solid milking lines it is amazing how many goats come from the same lines and the inbreeding co-efficient can get high (and potentially poor recessive traits surface). I have bought Nubian goats from 3 different breeders within a 3 hours drive and they all have a lot of the same herds in their lineage.


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## Southern by choice (Aug 28, 2013)

We have both registered and inregistered (purebreds) Nigerian Dwarfs and Lamancha.

If you plan on ever showing they need to be registered. 
If they are just for your enjoyment or for milk than it doesn't matter.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both. 
Often registered animals will cost you more. Does generally start at $350 and go up from there. 
Unregistered start at about $125- $150 Sometimes more or less.... Purebred ND's not ND/Pygmy mixes

With all the Nigerian breeders here in NC, all the people that I know that have goats just for milk and sell their unregistered kids for a reasonable price sell their goats very quickly. Registered goats seem to hang around longer. 

Some breeders will sell their registered stock at a discount if you DON'T want the papers.

Those that show put alot of time and effort and expense into their goats to get them titled and starred. It is understandable they would be more. Starred dairy lines are "proving" they have high output for dairy. That is a bonus, however not always necessary. Also just because a goat has registration papers doesn't mean it is or will be a superior goat. There are many reg. goats that don't make the "cut" so to speak. They are usually sold to pet homes... often still with papers and still a higher price. That depends on the breeder. 

BTW-My bucks- I always have registered. 

I always recommend people look at their long term goals. Do you plan to show? Is this just for your family's milk? Are they for pets and brush control? What if it doesn't work out?  Is the investment of $500-$700 for 2 goats reasonable for just starting out? Will you be able to cover those costs plus feed, plus vet care, plus fencing, housing etc and at least break "even" in a given amount of time?
Unregistered quality goats at approx. $250-$300.. same scenario.

We do not show. We run a very strict bio-secure farm. Personally, I do not need my goats exposed to lice/mites/respiratory , or anything else.... many do quarantine their goats after a show- for good reason. Most have no problems however there are many whose goats come home and have scours, fever, respiratory. 
That is not to shy you away from showing. It can be great fun! As a matter of fact we are going to see (one of the posters here) a friend show coming up shortly! We are very excited for them! They love it too! 

We often refer people out when we know their needs may be more than what we have to offer.

On our farm reg/unregistered isn't our top priority. *Ours is all about parasite resistance while living NATURALLY on the land.* Meaning our goats are not "lotted" eating from feeders, but off the ground with supplemental hay and feed. In other words, we care more about the fact that our herd  is consistent with excellent parasite resistance. This year 2 of our does after kidding and after 3 straight seasons of rain needed de-wormed. That is it. We never have to deworm our goats. We have no cocci issues either and have never_ needed_ a preventative program. This year we chose to ONLY because of the severity of the weather and all the farmers in NC have lost lots of goats to parasites and cocci. It has been a bad year here in NC.

Go to a show! Visit some farms! This may help you look at the bigger picture and hopefully make the right choice the first time.
WARNING! Goats are addictive. Either way you will enjoy them.  

Yep- Long POST!  But thought the question deserved a broader spectrum.


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

woodsie said:
			
		

> I started with unregistered but am switching over to registered. If you are just keeping a couple goats, it probably isn't a big deal as you don't have lots of babies to sell. Keep checking craigslist or your local classifieds and see the prices and how fast animals are moving off...in my area the unreg often are on for a long time and reduce prices multiple times and the registered are not even listed (you have to go direct to the breeder and get on a waitlist)...and reg go for twice the price.
> 
> For me the advantage is being able to look at their pedigree/lineage. In my area if you want solid milking lines it is amazing how many goats come from the same lines and the inbreeding co-efficient can get high (and potentially poor recessive traits surface). I have bought Nubian goats from 3 different breeders within a 3 hours drive and they all have a lot of the same herds in their lineage.


I've been all over craigslist and uncle henry's the past few day just checking prices... $150-$200 seems to be the average for an ND unregistered doe and $300 and up for registered ones.
I can't get any til spring anyways but I know I'll be compulsively checking prices and pictures all winter  I really do like the idea of seeing their lineage, I just don't know if we will buy registered ones right away... decisions decisions...


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## Southern by choice (Aug 28, 2013)

oops- wanted to add... those that do "lot" their animals... no insult intended. There are many farms with Nigies that do "lot" and they are CLEAN and well fed and taken care of. 
I have seen many that due to circumstances need to lot and they are just as healthy and vibrant as field raised.


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## Southern by choice (Aug 28, 2013)

Many unregistered goats breeders still know their lineage. Also a good point was made. Here in NC they are all so closely related you have to be careful. I am currently looking at a buckling... he is still pretty close in relation to what I have. I recently purchased a registered doeling from lines that are not anywhere close to mine.


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

Southern by choice said:
			
		

> We have both registered and inregistered (purebreds) Nigerian Dwarfs and Lamancha.
> 
> If you plan on ever showing they need to be registered.
> If they are just for your enjoyment or for milk than it doesn't matter.
> ...


Like I've been saying, right now we just want milkable pets  So it probably isn't worth it to us to spend $500-$700 on goats right now, that's a lot for something that may not work out, as this is going to be a test run for us.  I had 1 goat a few years back for 4-H but my mom wouldn't allow me to breed her and milk her even though I begged her to let me.  I did "show" her at the 4-H demos but I was the only one with a goat so we had no competition lol So I do have general care experience with goats just not with breeding/registering/milking.  Sorry you guys in NC had a bad year, that sucks  Thank you for your post! it was definitely helpful


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 28, 2013)

Southern by choice said:
			
		

> Many unregistered goats breeders still know their lineage.
> Also a good point was made. Here in NC they are all so closely related you have to be careful. I am currently looking at a buckling... he is still pretty close in relation to what I have.
> I recently purchased a registered doeling from lines that are not anywhere close to mine.


Yes, many unregistered goat breeders do know their lineage, but can tell you almost anything.  Many sellers may not be as ethical as you are Southern, or buyers as thorough in their due deligence.

What do you consider to be pretty close in relation? :/


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 28, 2013)

MaddiesMomma said:
			
		

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I'm curious as to where you are located.  Only the best animals from some of the top breeders would go for that price here.  Make sure you get what you want, milkable pets.  You could end up with just pets.  I've seen people on this forum posting they are only getting a cup per milking from their Nigerian.  A good one will give 2 quarts a day.


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

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Kinda confused? I live in Maine... Southern by choice was saying around $500-$700 for a couple registered does and I went with that... I think that might be about right anyways... not too sure I've only been browsing craigslist goats... which looking now most of the registered ones are in NH


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 28, 2013)

You are thinking about getting goats next spring.  You have plenty of time to look.  Take Southern's advice, go to some shows and visit some farms.

I just googled "nigerian dwarf goats in maine" and there are a dozen farms with websites listed on the first page.

Many will post their spring 2014 kidding schedules that will list which does are bred to which bucks.  

Most people are glad to have you visit their farms.


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

> You are thinking about getting goats next spring.  You have plenty of time to look.  Take Southern's advice, go to some shows and visit some farms.
> 
> I just googled "nigerian dwarf goats in maine" and there are a dozen farms with websites listed on the first page.
> 
> ...


 I was just doing the same thing! I found a farm barely 20 minutes from me that I'm planning to visit.  We're going to the Common Ground Country Fair in September to look around and see how our 2yo daughter does around goats, she seems to like them in videos I've shown her, she gets excited and points at the screen saying goat over and over.  So based on that and the fact that she ADORES our chickens and our kitty I think she will love them


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## nigerianbreeder (Aug 28, 2013)

I would just like to put out there that my goats are registered and didn't cost that much. My one doe was $200 and the other was $150. Both are very high quality. Not sure on their udders yet, still waiting on kids. Just look around and eventually these kind of steals will pop up.


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## Catahoula (Aug 28, 2013)

Even though you may not be showing, you still have to breed your does to get milk. Think about who may buy the kids from you. If you have registered does and bred them to registered buck/s, even if you don't registered the kids, they can be registered. You would open up your market to people who may or may not want registered/ or registrable kids which are worth more than non-registrable ones. Someday you may want to sell your first original does too. Being registered, they are still worth more.


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 28, 2013)

MaddiesMomma said:
			
		

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I looked at a few myself.  A couple were kind of pricey.  There was another who raised ND's and Pygmy's and said on their home page they were selling all of their ND's to focus on breeding Pygmy's (Not sure why )

They had a couple of Sr. Does that looked pretty good ( you can only tell so much from a picture :/) That were listed for $300.  You could possibly pick up something like that already bred and a Jr. with her to breed later.

Oh, and go to the ADGA's website.  They have a listing of sanctioned shows usually a month to 6 weeks out.


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

nigerianbreeder said:
			
		

> I would just like to put out there that my goats are registered and didn't cost that much. My one doe was $200 and the other was $150. Both are very high quality. Not sure on their udders yet, still waiting on kids. Just look around and eventually these kind of steals will pop up.


 I'm already looking around even though I can't buy til spring, I just hope nothing too tempting pops up before then, otherwise my chickens might have roommates  lol jk jk


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

Catahoula said:
			
		

> Even though you may not be showing, you still have to breed your does to get milk. Think about who may buy the kids from you. If you have registered does and bred them to registered buck/s, even if you don't registered the kids, they can be registered. You would open up your market to people who may or may not want registered/ or registrable kids which are worth more than non-registrable ones. Someday you may want to sell your first original does too. Being registered, they are still worth more.


We were already planning on breeding, if I can get cheaper registered ones, like nigerianbreeder did, I'll go that route, but I'd really rather not shell out $600 or more for a pair of does :/ I just don't believe it would be worth it for us right now.  I may be wrong though, I have several months to think about it anyways and everyone has given me lots of advice to mull over


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## MaddiesMomma (Aug 28, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

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Yeah that's a great idea  I might do that... 

Thanks! I'll go check that out!


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