NAPgA Registry and Goatometer

[Nanno]

Phil recently completed the new website for NAPgA and he is seriously considering setting up an online packgoat registry so our goats can all be in a permanent database somewhere. That way if they are ever lost or stolen, there is a positive way to identify them. Eventually it would be a good way to track bloodlines and it could also track goats that are sold or died. Part of the registry would be a mileage counter for each goat so that pack trips could be logged with miles covered each day and the amount of weight (if any) each goat packed. In time, this could be a good way to track which breeds tend to do better for distance and/or weight, how long goats hold up as workers, if certain bloodlines produce better packers, etc. It would also just be plain fun to see what all of our goats have done as the miles add up over their lifetimes. Goats that are sold would have their mileage transfer with them to the new owner if that person is a NAPgA member. 

What do y'all think? Would this be a fun feature for NAPgA to add that would give concrete value to our members?

[Taffy]

I love the idea of a packgoat registry! I think it would give concrete value to NAPgA members.

[CMGifford]

Hi Nann

I still need to send you the files for the "informal" packgoat registry that we started when Dwite was forced to downsize his herd.  I currently have close to 200 goats in that registry.  Most of them are from Dwite's stock but there are a handful of other goats that are from other lines.  We have a varying degree of information on each individual goat.  I'll try to make sure that all of the photos are added to that registry and re-remember how to upload the files to One Drive so you can take a look at what we have so far.  Ultimately I would hope that NAPgA either take over what we have or incorporate what we have started into a more formal packgoat registry.  

I can see how logging the number of miles each goat has traveled would be a fun statistic to track but that piece of information is something that not every goat owner is going to track, track accurately, or even care about when it gets right down to it.  I think things that should definitely be recorded, whenever possible, are parents names, dates of birth, whether horned, disbudded, or naturally polled, sex (buck, doe, whether), breed (or as much information as possible regarding breed/crosses), identification (tatoos, microchips, etc.), possibly height, weight statistics once they reach 4 years of age, etc.  
I would be more than happy to collaborate and assist with getting a formal registry going.  
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[Nanno]

Are you Chris Gifford? I can't tell from your username. I do want to get with you about the info you already have. Nearly all the "fill-in-the-blanks" you listed are in the database Phil already created for our own herd a few years ago which he plans to base the NAPgA registry on. Original breeder and mature height and weight would need to be added though.

It's fine if not every goat owner tracks their mileage. Not everyone cares. However, for those who do care I can see that being pretty much the only thing they really care about, and it would be a great way to objectively track performance over time if people do end up getting into it. If nothing else, it never hurts to add one more feature and just see if it gets any love.

[CMGifford]

Yes Nan. This is Chris. Sorry for not letting you know. I'm not trying to hide behind a username its just one that I have used on other sites and sometimes I can remember a screen name when I can't remember my real name. LOL

I like having as much information as possible in a registry database (including miles logged) even if it is "just for fun" or whatever. I'm going to try to finish adding the recent photos that were sent to me for the registry and I'll try to send you the files tonight or tomorrow for you to check it out. I'll also put together an e-mail with screenshots and a brief explanation of what the registry we have allows includes. It includes a "pedigree" going back at least 5 generations, a place for medical records/vaccinations/schedules, photos (obviously), it has a "journal" tab that could be used to track miles based on each outing/day of packing or being on the trail, a list of descendants, breedings, a place to upload documents such as registrations with other organizations and/or vaccination records, etc.

[Nanno]

Awesome! I didn't think you were trying to hide--I just figured you thought I knew everyone. Turns out I'm not omniscient after all.
I was actually going to email you this week and see what you have since Phil just suddenly sprung this registry thing on me the other day. Anyway, sounds like you've got a great deal of stuff already compiled and that will be super helpful to get this thing going! Phil of course knows how to make it web based. I don't know if he can just import all the data and have it go in the right places or not. That would be a lot nicer than having to transfer all the info by hand!

[CMGifford]

Hey Nan, It's Chris again.

Just wanted to let you know that I made a change to the registry so that we can clearly distinguish between the actual breeder of each goat and the current owner of each goat so I had to go through all 205 records to confirm that the breeder and last known owner of each goat was accurate and up to date. I also received a bunch of new photos and a fair amount of new information on kids that were sold this spring and summer so it was a bit more of a task to get all the updates made. I now just have to add a handful of new photos (including photos of my own goats as I'm the last priority list). Anyway, I will try to get you something this week. It sounds like I may be attending a small (pack goat owner) gathering over Labor Day Weekend and I hear Curtis is possibly planning on attending so I will take my laptop and give him and anyone else that is interested an in person demo if there is interest. If you use Zoom we can also do a screen share where I can try to share my screen with others and walk through some of the features and information we are gathering. Just some thoughts.

[Nanno]

Great!

[aardvarklove]

Is this registry available to the general goat public?

[Nanno]

Not yet. Phil is currently working on a registry that will be available to NAPgA members (not the general public), but we still need to get time to look over what Chris compiled. We'll be sure to let everyone know when we finally roll out the beta.