"WHAT IS A GG"?                           19/04/04 (Updated 29/9/04).

1) With a couple of cross-bred or golden coloured, unregistered goats
recently being described, in various areas of the US , as "part Golden
Guernsey" (GG), it seems an appropriate time to circulate some accurate
and knowledgeable information about this breed. The purpose being, to
help breeders and goat owners/potential buyers to understand exactly
what a GG is, and try to prevent any misunderstandings or
misrepresentations.

2) The first and foremost thing to understand is that the Golden
Guernsey is an established breed, NOT just a colour. It has a long
history and bloodlines traceable back to 1922 when registrations began.
It is recognised as an official dairy breed by the British Goat Society
(BGS) and is one of only two goat breeds on the registry of the Rare
Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) in the UK.  It is important to remember
that the GG is not the only breed to exhibit the red gene. Other breeds
can also be golden coloured and buyers should check carefully that what
they think might be a GG or a grading up BG (British Guernsey) is
actually that!
Any legitimate GG or grading up BG will have official BGS documentation
and carry a BGS  earmark.

3) The Golden Guernsey(GG) can only have GG status if BOTH PARENTS  are
pure-bred and registered in the GG Herd Books (either BGS or Channel
Islands). The GG breed has had a "closed" Herd Book since 1965 so
CANNOT be "bred/graded up to" like some other breeds. In the UK we also
have "closed" Herd Books for Saanen and Toggenburg breeds.

4) In the US there is still only ONE herd of pure-bred, registered
GG's. This is the "SWIND" herd in New York and all descend from frozen
embryos exported from the UK to Canada in 1996, then into the US
through official USDA protocols. Several "SWIND" bucks have now been
sold for breeding, but NO females have EVER left the herd so other
pure-bred GG's cannot be bred elsewhere.

5) As there is a growing group of Guernsey enthusiasts in the US who
cannot access GG's, an alternative breeding scheme has been put into
operation. This is to breed goats with "British Guernsey" (BG) status.
The British Guernsey (BG) has full BGS status and it's own Herd Book,
but unlike the GG, it allows just ONE initial outcross to a foundation
female.

6) US breeders who wish to pursue this route are therefore joining the
British Goat Society (BGS) and using "Swiss type"
Oberhasli/Alpine/Togg/Saanen/Sable dairy foundation does. ALL the
foundation females have to be registered with the BGS as Identification
Register (IR) which accepts female [standard size] dairy goats of any
age. Other breeds (Nubian/La Mancha/Minis) may not be recommended as
suitable types for grading up to BG.

7) The IR foundation goats are mated/AI'd to registered GG's and any
female progeny can then be registered on the next rung of the ladder
which is Supplementary Register (SR). From IR to BG there are FIVE
STAGES and ALL MUST BE GG (OR HB) SIRED and BGS registered. GRADING UP
MALES (BUCKS) CANNOT BE REGISTERED (until they reach Herd Book (HB2)
stage) AND HAVE NO STATUS.

8) A couple of breeders HAVE placed golden coloured bucks out of IR
dams with other herds. As stated these initial Guernsey grade bucks
cannot be registered but they CAN be used to sire IR foundation stock.
The progeny from these unregistered bucks should never be described as
"part or % GG".

9) It seems some kids sired by such bucks may be being passed off with
an incorrect description/status (maybe in ignorance) and could cause
considerable upset, when new owners realise they do not have what they
thought they were paying for!

10) Even when grades reach "British Guernsey" (BG) their status is
still different to the "Golden Guernsey" (GG) even though they may LOOK
identical. A "British Guernsey" can NEVER become a pure-bred "Golden
Guernsey". Each has it's OWN Herd Book.
It is so important to realise that there cannot be any such thing as a
"part or % GG" and anything advertised as such is a misrepresentation
of fact.