Association Perspective

Ditch the filing cabinet.

by Jeff Mafi, American Angus Association

For decades, registered Angus bull buyers have received registration certificates of bulls purchased from their seedstock supplier, and still do today. In my travels, I’ve seen many binders and filing cabinets full of such registration papers. Each breeding season, those papers are probably reevaluated to see which bulls best fit various groups of heifers or cows they are about to be exposed to. They may even be pulled to enroll a set of calves into the AngusLink^SM feeder-cattle program to document the genetics that represent the calf crop.

Fig 1: Location of member code Click here to view a larger version.

Since 2004, the American Angus Association has provided its members a more convenient option to electronically store and transfer those sometimes hard-to-find papers. This option not only exists for registered Angus breeders, but also for commercial bull buyers.

You do not have to be a member to take advantage of this online feature. All commercial bull buyers are given an affiliate member code after purchasing bulls. You can use that affiliate code to create an online portal with the American Angus Association by going to www.angusonline.org and submitting the required information. This service is free of charge and can be very helpful with recordkeeping. There are plenty of benefits: no more storing registration papers in binders and/or various filing cabinets, no more hassling with the U.S. Postal Service, 24-hour online access, and up-to-date expected progeny differences (EPDs) and dollar value ($Values) indexes.

How do I get started?

1. 1 – Go to www.angusonline.org and create a AAA Login account and password using your affiliate member code.

Fig 2: AAA Login Click here to view a larger version.

2. 2 – Update your current settings within AAA Login by clicking “My Account" and select “Registration Certificate Storage Preference” from the drop-down menu that appears (see Fig. 3).

Fig 3: Registration storage Registration Certificate Storage Preference

From there, all bulls you purchase in the future will be stored electronically. You will also be able to see your entire history of the bulls you have purchased and access their pedigree and current performance information, as well. For previously purchased bulls that are still active in the herd, those papers can be mailed back to the American Angus Association and stored electronically, as well. This is optional, and there is no charge.

Ultimately, it is up to you — the buyer — and what works best in your program. This option is designed to be helpful and more convenient to all users of Angus genetics.

For more information regarding the electronic option, contact the Member Services Department at 816-383-5100.

Editor’s note: Jeff Mafi is regional manager for Kansas and Oklahoma. Click here to find the regional manager for your state.