Is it worth it?

[justmalc]

Last month we had a non-short heifer calf from pedigree parents. Unfortunately, I forgot to register her with the DCS until about five days over the 30 day limit and was advised that my application would be considered by Council.

I have today received a letter from the DCS telling me that the Council have considered my application and agreed that in this instance the heifer can be registered providing I pay a fee of £43.91 instead of the normal fee of £13.18.

A number of things about this concern me but, to kick off, I'd value your views on the following:

1. As I buy and sell both pedigree and non pedigree Dexters regularly I am aware that for non- short heifers there is no price differential between registered and unregistered stock. There is a differential for short heifers with show potential. I have always registered heifers capable of registration as the normal fee of £13.18 is a very marginal additional cost. However, £43.91 is clearly less marginal so is it worth me registering her?

2. What does the penalty figure of £30.73 represent? Are there extra costs for the DCS? Is it a simple penalty designed to deter me from re-offending? If Council are willing to accept the late registration providing I pay the extra money then surely this indicates that the rule is flexible and doesn't really need enforcing?

I've got some other questions but let's kick off with these if we could please.

Many thanks,

Malcolm.

[Rob R]

I'd say it depends upon how important she is to your future breeding and if not just keep her for beef.

I guess the society has to have a cut off point which is arbitrary but necessarily so, or people will take advantage. I think you're lucky that they haven't asked for DNA testing too.

[justmalc]

Thanks Rob.

I can see that the DCS have to have a cut off point and that DNA testing is a logical stage for late registrations where there might be some doubt about parentage. What I don't really understand is why they have the interim stage - the extra charge? The charge itself doesn't clarify parentage so is it just a penalty charge?

[SteveM]

not at home at moment so cant check but arent both parents shown on the cattle passport, i know there is provision to enter the bull details when applying.

Before cattle passports the pedigree certificate would have been the only way to prove an animals parentage

[Jac]

The charge itself doesn't clarify parentage so is it just a penalty charge?

Quite likely I should think esp as they have a bee in their bonnet at the moment with late registrations.

I have always registered heifers capable of registration as the normal fee of £13.18 is a very marginal additional cost. However, £43.91 is clearly less marginal so is it worth me registering her?

Should everything be registered just because it is from registered parents? Does the 'very marginal additional cost' encourage registration? As Rob says, whether to pay or not depends whether she is important to your breeding programme. If you pay the £43.91 can that be passed on to the customer should you decide to sell it a some time in the future?

[SteveM]

We normally register all females, however as we oftens have more females than we need, and less steers it makes sense to beef the heifers rather than buy in extra steers. so only registering the most promising heifers seems a possiblility.

if everyone did that then any extra late registration cost could lead to a downturn in breeding numbers

[justmalc]

Assuming she's a good heifer shouldn't the DCS be actively encouraging me to register her? Even if this is a few days late?

What is the extra £30.73 for? Did one of the Council members suddenly shout through a mouthful of chocolate digestives the random figure of "thirty pounds seventy three pence!" Before taking another slurp from their mug?

Malcolm.

[Jac]

Assuming she's a good heifer shouldn't the DCS be actively encouraging me to register her? Even if this is a few days late?

Malcolm.

How would the DCS know that she is a good heifer or indeed how would anyone know for certain at 1 month of age.

[justmalc]

That's not really the point I'm making Jac. What I'm asking is whether the DCS should actively encourage registration or actively discourage it - in this case by charging the extra amount.

[Jac]

Well, in my opinion registration should only be encouraged if the animal is worth breeding from esp. since they are no longer an endangered breed and the rules for registration should be relaxed to allow the breeder to properly evaluate what they have bred without having to register it within a month or incur overage charges.

Of course, moving the registration age may mean an initial loss of revenue for the DCS but if they moved the cut off date to say 12 months and increased the registration fee perhaps this would discourage people from registering anything and everything and who knows, it might lead to a price differential and an improvement in the quality of stock advertised as 'registered' Dexter.

[justmalc]

Thanks Jac, good points. I've also been wondering about the fee of £21.96 payable for the transfer of an animal to a non-member. Who is meant to pay this - the buyer or the vendor? Has anyone ever paid it I wonder. How could it possibly be enforced?

[Rob R]

Thanks Jac, good points. I've also been wondering about the fee of £21.96 payable for the transfer of an animal to a non-member. Who is meant to pay this - the buyer or the vendor? Has anyone ever paid it I wonder. How could it possibly be enforced?

That's always puzzled me - I could be wrong but I'm guessing that noone ever does that. If you care enough about the pedigree you just join the society, surely?

Personally I think all transfers should be free and membership should come with a small number of registrations included to encourage smaller herds to join & enable pedigree breeders to trace stock.

[Jac]

I've also been wondering about the fee of £21.96 payable for the transfer of an animal to a non-member. Who is meant to pay this - the buyer or the vendor? Has anyone ever paid it I wonder. How could it possibly be enforced?

Well that's another issue. Perhaps for a nominal fee (£5) the vendor should transfer the animal to the new owner and then the DCS have the opportunity to send out marketing material coupled with perhaps an offer of a reduced membership fee for the first year as an incentive to join or maybe a years free membership (auto-enrolment to an area group).

[Rob R]

I've also been wondering about the fee of £21.96 payable for the transfer of an animal to a non-member. Who is meant to pay this - the buyer or the vendor? Has anyone ever paid it I wonder. How could it possibly be enforced?

Well that's another issue. Perhaps for a nominal fee (£5) the vendor should transfer the animal to the new owner and then the DCS have the opportunity to send out marketing material coupled with perhaps an offer of a reduced membership fee for the first year as an incentive to join or maybe a years free membership (auto-enrolment to an area group).

Why the nominal fee? There's nothing to the breeders advantage in doing this, so how many will? Get rid of the fee and the vendor is far more likely to do it.

[Jac]

Why the nominal fee? There's nothing to the breeders advantage in doing this, so how many will? Get rid of the fee and the vendor is far more likely to do it.

There must be an administration cost to the DCS for printing and posting out a new pedigree certificate someone has to pay it.