Recording/Registering

Recording & Registering Sheep with GSBANA

  • Gotland Lamb
  • Gotland Ram Lamb

The GSBANA registry recognizes purebred Gotland sheep genetics from several different countries, including Sweden, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Sheep can be entered into the GSBANA registration book in two different categories: Recorded sheep and Registered sheep.

Only GSBANA members in good standing may submit paperwork to record, register, transfer ownership, or transfer sheep from another registry. 

Likewise, record/registration papers will be issued only to GSBANA members.

Only the breeder can record/register sheep with GSBANA.

Please visit our Forms & Applications page for registry instructions and fees and to register your sheep with GSBANA.

Recorded Sheep

Recorded stock – prefix “R”

Sheep may be recorded in the registry if they contain some percentage of Gotland breeding, and derive from eligible foundation stock. Recorded sheep need not adhere to the GSBANA standard.

Registered Sheep

Registered Gotland stock – no prefix
Registered ewes must be at least 87% Gotland, and rams must be at least 87% Gotland.
All registered sheep must adhere to the GSBANA standard.

Registered 81.25% Gotland Ewe - Pacific Fibers Farm
Registered 81.25% Gotland Ewe

Transferring Registrations

Percentage Gotland sheep, already recorded or registered in another recognized Gotland sheep association, may also be entered into the GSBANA flock book and registry if they meet GSBANA breed and eligibility standards. Any foundation animal(s) in the sheep’s background must be from one of the ten recognized foundation breeds, and, if recorded in the original association after June 1, 2018, must also be registered in one of the acceptable foundation breed registries or be the first generation progeny of parents registered in one of those registries. To request a transfer, please submit the transfer fee and copy of the current record/registry for the sheep.

Determining Percentages

To calculate the percentage of off-spring, the sire and dam Gotland percentages are added together and divided by two.

The Gotland percentages will be calculated and shown to four decimal places (e.g. 82.8125%).

EXAMPLES:
A foundation ewe crossed with a 100% Gotland ram (artificial insemination) would produce 50% Gotland off-spring.
A 50% Gotland ewe bred to a 75% Gotland ram would produce 62.5% Gotland off-spring. (Record will show 63%)
A 75% Gotland ewe bred to a 90.625% Gotland ram would produce 82.8125% Gotland off-spring. (Registration will show 83%)

IMPORTED SEMEN – Approved Gotland rams whose semen is imported for use in North American Gotland breeding programs will be registered with GSBANA. These rams will have the suffix “AI”.

IMPORTED EMBRYOS – Imported Gotland embryos are eligible for registration. The dam and sire will need to be registered with GSBANA. The lambs will have a suffix “EM”.

 AI Ram Registration Guidelines

Definition: Artificial Insemination (AI) is used to designate that the ram is not present at breeding and his semen is introduced via Artificial Insemination and is the mode of bringing about a fertilized egg.

General Rules:

Given GSBANA’s goal to “To maintain high standards and promote quality Gotland sheep that meet those standards.”, the following policy has been established regarding the registration rules, required documentation, process and timeline for registering AI rams.

  1. An AI ram must be eligible for registration under current GSBANA guidelines.
  2. By submitting a ram for registration as an AI ram, the Producer of the semen certifies that the semen comes from a ram already registered with GSBANA, or that the ram exhibits all the physical and genetic characteristics that would normally allow for his registration or recording.

Required Documentation:

In order to register an AI ram, the Semen Producer or Importer must provide the GSBANA Secretary (Secretary) with a minimum of:

  1. Registration application
  2. Work order and Fees
  3. If the semen is imported, a copy of the USDA or CFIA (Canadian Government) import permit.
  4. Proof of registration with a four-generation pedigree issued by the appropriate Gotland Breeder’s Association in the ram’s country of origin.
    a. Any genetics imported from NZ before 2015 will be grandfathered, as there was no registry at the time in NZ.
  5. Evidence of the quality of the genetics:
    a. An Elitlamm pedigree and evaluation with estimated breeding values OR
    b. Clear and well-lit photographs of the AI ram demonstrating Gotland phenotype, to include:
    i. Conformation photographs at evaluation age of approximately 110 days –
    1. Front view photo,
    2. Head photo with ear tag legible,
    3. Side photo including topline,
    4. Rear photo demonstrating leg conformation.
    ii. Full fleece photos at evaluation age of approximately 110 days will include:
    1. Front view photo,
    2. Side photo,
    3. Rear view photo
    iii. Full fleece photos with fleece lifted at evaluation age of approximately 110 days
    1. Front, middle, thigh/britch, and hind close up with scale (a ruler).

Also preferred, but not required:
6. Results of the ram’s Codon 171 DNA lab test (e.g. QQ, QR, and RR)

At least one photo of the ram’s sire and dam

Required Documents:

In all cases, please review “Registration Guidelines”

  1. Register/record lambs you bred and own- registration application, work order. See also document “Recording Guidelines”
  2. Transfer animals you bought or sold- registration application, work order, registration papers with owner’s signature indicating transfer of ownership
  3. Register and Transfer at the same time animals you bought or sold- application, work order, signed registration papers indicating transfer of ownership (registration AND transfer fees apply)
  4. Register lambs of bred ewe when you do not own the sire/sire owner provided ram for live cover- application, work order, Certificate of Service
  5. Register AI lambs- application, work order, Certificate of Service Form,
  6. Register AI Ram- see document “Register AI Ram”
  7. Register Embryo lambs- See document “Register Embryo Transfers”
  8. Dual registration (registering an animal already registered with another Gotland association)- See document “Dual Registration”
  9. Foundation ewe registration- application, work order, Foundation Ewe Pedigree Form. See also document “Foundation Ewes”

Process and Timeline:

  1. Upon submission of the above documentation, the Secretary will distribute copies of the packet to the Board for review of the packet.
    a) The packet shall be submitted to the Registrar by the GSBANA Secretary for addition to the database within 10 business days.
  2. The GSBANA # for AI rams shall be formatted as AI‐Country abbreviation‐GSBANA#.  
    a) NZ imports after 2016 will show as NZSBA e.g. AI-NZSBA-GSBANA#
    b) Domestic AI rams will show as e.g. AI-US-GSBANA#
    c) Ancestors of AI sheep will show a country or breed association identification instead of a GSBANA #, unless they have been separately registered with GSBANA.
  3. When a full Elitlamm pedigree and evaluation as well as breeding values is provided, the AI ram will be assigned an “Elite Ram” designation.