1. Original Animal (OA): A living female with an unknown Jersey sire, or a dead or unknown female, or the daughter of a Registered Jersey sire out of a J1 female.
2. Provisional Register (PR): A daughter of an OA dam and a known Registered Jersey sire.
3. Genetic Recovery (GR): A daughter of a PR dam and a known Registered Jersey sire.
4. Herd Register: Daughters and sons of GR cows sired by Registered Jersey bulls.

What qualifies for Genetic Recovery?
Only females showing Jersey characteristics are eligible. 

How do I determine an OA from a PR?
If the oldest living cow in a family has an unknown sire, she will become an OA. Her daughters sired by Registered bulls will be PRs. 

If the oldest living animal in a cow family has a Registered sire, she qualifies for PR registration if an application for her dead or unknown dam is created and submitted (OA step). She may qualify as a GR if her dam was also sired by a Registered bull. In this case, applications for her dead dam (PR step) and grandam (dead or unknown OA) are created and submitted. Return to top of page

What information is required?
Information which identifies each animal is the key to completing an application. All applications must list birth dates and tattoos.Tattoos must have at least one number and one letter (other than I, O, Q, or V) in at least one ear (AJCA Voluntary Tattoo Program). Living animals must be tattooed before they are recorded. 

For dead animals, birth dates and tattoos can be approximate. For a living OA, the birth date can be estimated if necessary, but tattoo(s) must agree with the legibile tattoo(s) in the ear(s). All other applications for living animals must list exact birth dates and tattoos. 

The USDA eartag box in the upper right-hand corner of the application should be completed for all animals that have been on DHI test with an eartage number. This is critical for USDA and AJCA to link the cow's registration number with the eartag number in order to correctly access production information and genetic evaluations. When a grade cow receives an AJCA registration number, her identification on DHIA test should be changed from the eartag number to her registration number in order for her PTAs to be received and used by the AJCA. Return to top of page

How do I complete the applications?

Original Animal
Assign this animal a name, even if she has always been identified by number. (Her number may be used as part of her name.) Be sure to list the tattoo(s) and a birth date, even if estimated. 

Provisional Register
The information required to complete this application will be available from the OA application and your breeding records. Provide a name, birth date, valid tattoo(s), and simple pedigree consisting of the OA dam (living or dead) and the known Registered Jersey sire. 

Genetic Recovery
Complete identification for a GR female includes name, date of birth, tattoo(s), sire name and registration number, and dam name and registration number. Return to top of page

How much does it cost?
Refer to the following table for recording fees for OA, PR and GR animals. And, do note that the fee is reduced for members of the American Jersey Cattle Association.

For Assistance
Contact the AJCA or your AJCA-NAJ Area Representative.