Shorthorn Registries in Canada | Canadian Shorthorn Association

SHORTHORN REGISTRIES

All registered shorthorns in Canada fall into one of two Registries: The Purebred Closed Herdbook • The Appendix Registry Herdbook

In the 1960s, ten years after the current Canadian Shorthorn Association was established, the Graded Up Herd Book was created in Canada for the registration of shorthorns that were only 50 – 75% pure. The Graded Up animals had an “R” or “G” prefix on their registration numbers and the certificates issued were green in color to distinguish them. In 1988, the Appendix Registry Herd Book replaced the Graded Up Herd Book. Animals at 87.5% and higher in the Graded Up Herd Book went into the Purebred Closed Herd Book and are identified with the prefix “G” in their registration number.

Since 1988, the Canadian Shorthorn Association has operated with two shorthorn registries. All Shorthorns in Canada that are a minimum of 50% shorthorn are eligible for registration and fall into the Purebred Herdbook or the Appendix Registry Herdbook.

A description of the makeup of these Registries and eligibility for inclusion are set out in the following sections A) through D). Accurate Registry maintenance is essential for the ongoing integrity of the shorthorn’s unique genetics and physical characteristics at the purebred level.

TABLE OF ELIGIBILITY

PUREBRED CLOSED HERDBOOK

APPENDIX REGISTRY HERDBOOK

PURITY CALCULATIONS

SHOW CLASSIFICATIONS

KEY TO REGISTRATION NUMBER PREFIXES/SUFFIXES

For marketing and commercial reasons as well as member awareness, a simpler classification has been adopted for a clearer understanding of the distinctions between Purebred shorthorns and non-purebred shorthorns:

Purebred Shorthorns

93.8% purity and higher
Exhibit shorthorn characteristics including accepted shorthorn colours*
*Note: See section Shorthorn Coat Colours

ShorthornPlus

50% to 93.7% purity
Accepted colours include Shorthorn Colours* as well as tan; black and blue roan are acceptable for shorthorns at 50% purity only.

All CSA rules and regulations apply for both classifications above provided they are registered.

TABLE OF ELIGIBILITY

This table is a summary of percentage examples and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Therefore, any number of percentages can and will be calculated to fall between the examples provided.

SIRE	DAM	FRACTION	%	SYMBOL	HERDBOOK	CERTIFICATE	CLASSIFICATION
100	–	1/2	50%	AR	Appendix	50% Pure	ShorthornPlus
–	100	1/2	50%	AR	Appendix	50% Pure	ShorthornPlus
100	1/2	3/4	75%	AR	Appendix	75% Pure	ShorthornPlus
1/2	100	3/4	75%	AR	Appendix	75% Pure	ShorthornPlus
100	3/4	7/8	87.5%	AR	Appendix	87.5% Pure	ShorthornPlus
3/4	100	7/8	87.5%	AR	Appendix	87.5% Pure	ShorthornPlus
100	7/8	15/16	93.8%	*	Appendix	Purebred (93.8%)	Purebred Shorthorn
7/8	100	15/16	93.8%	*	Appendix	Purebred (93.8%)	Purebred Shorthorn
100	15/16	31/32	96.9%	*	Appendix	Purebred (96.9%)	Purebred Shorthorn
15/16	100	31/32	96.9%	*	Appendix	Purebred (96.9%)	Purebred Shorthorn
100	31/32	63/64	98.4%	*	Appendix	Purebred (98.4%)	Purebred Shorthorn
31/32	100	63/64	98.4%	*	Appendix	Purebred (98.4%)	Purebred Shorthorn
100	63/64	127/128	99.2%		Closed	Purebred	Purebred Shorthorn
63/64	100	127/128	99.2%		Closed	Purebred	Purebred Shorthorn

PUREBRED CLOSED HERDBOOK

All cattle born after December 31, 2005 who have achieved 127/128 shorthorn blood concentration (or 99.2% purity) are allowed into the Purebred Closed Herd Book (provided the animal carries all breed characteristics; see COAT COLOR below); the asterisk (*) is removed when the animal achieves 127/128 or 99.2% purity.

APPENDIX REGISTRY HERDBOOK

All cattle born after December 31, 2005, must be a minimum of 50% shorthorn blood in order to qualify for registration. A sire or dam who is 15/16 or higher blood level (or 93.8% or higher) is considered to be 100% for progeny calculation purposes when bred to a sire or dam who is less than 15/16 or 93.8%. (see examples in the section Calculating Shorthorn Percentages.)

COAT COLOUR: All Purebred Closed Herd Book animals and all Appendix Registry Herd Book animals at 15/16 or 93.8% or higher must be an accepted shorthorn color; these are Red, White, Roan, Red and White, or Red with White Markings. Any animal that does not meet one of these acceptable shorthorn colours can never be registered above 93.7%. Except, all cattle that have a solid black hair coat and/or solid black skin (eg; Blue Roan) are eligible for registry at no higher than 50% purity.

PURITY CALCULATIONS FOR SHORTHORN PROGENY

CAN In many instances, a straight forward adding of a Canadian sire’s percentage to a Canadian dam’s percentage and dividing by two will produce the correct progeny percentage. Foreign-born animals (sire or dam) and their progeny always require a more detailed review of ancestry and manual calculation in order to meet CSA purity standards. See examples of progeny calculations below: