ADGA Performance Recognition programs celebrate animals that demonstrate exceptional production, genetic merit, and the potential to improve future generations of dairy goats. These programs use information collected through Dairy Herd Improvement Registry testing, Linear Appraisal, pedigrees, and genetic evaluations to recognize outstanding animals and help breeders make informed breeding decisions.
Top Ten Breed Leaders
Each year, ADGA recognizes the ten highest-producing does in each breed based on completed lactation records from the previous year.
Qualifying records must meet ADGA requirements for the animal’s size category, verification testing, and minimum data collection rating. Does earning this distinction are recognized as Top Ten Breed Leaders, highlighting exceptional performance in milk, butterfat, or protein production.
Explore Top Ten Breed Leaders
Young Sire Development Program
The Young Sire Development Program helps breeders identify promising young bucks before they have enough mature daughters to receive highly reliable genetic evaluations.
Recently registered bucks are screened using rigorous production and type qualifications and ranked within their breed according to Estimated Transmitting Ability. Breeders can use these rankings, along with pedigree and performance information, to select young sires that complement their breeding goals.
The program encourages the early use of high-merit young sires in herds participating in production testing and Linear Appraisal. As daughters are retained, tested, and appraised, their records increase the reliability of future genetic evaluations.
Explore the Young Sire Development Program
Superior Genetics Awards
The Superior Genetics designation recognizes bucks and does that rank among the highest animals in their breed for a combination of production and type.
To earn the SG designation, an animal must:
- Rank in the top 15% of its breed and gender for either the PTI 2:1 or PTI 1:2 ranking
- Have a qualifying Production Type Index of zero or greater
- Have genetic evaluations for both production and type
An animal that earns both the Superior Genetics designation and a permanent championship is recognized as a Superior Grand Champion, or SGCH.
Once earned, SG or SGCH becomes a permanent prefix to the animal’s registered name, even if its ranking changes during a future evaluation.
Learn About Superior Genetics Awards
Elite Designation
The Elite designation identifies animals with exceptional genetic potential for milk, butterfat, and protein production.
Elite rankings are based on genetic evaluations produced through the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding and use an economic production index to estimate the value an animal may contribute to its future offspring.
- Elite does rank within the top 5% of their breed nationally.
- Elite bucks rank within the top 15% of their breed nationally.
- Animals must have evidence of recent progeny to qualify.
Unlike the permanent Superior Genetics award, Elite status reflects an animal’s standing in the current genetic evaluation. The designation may change as new performance records and evaluations become available.
View Current Elite Animals
Turning Performance Data Into Progress
Performance recognition is more than an award. Each designation represents information gathered by breeders who participate in production testing, Linear Appraisal, and other ADGA programs.
Together, these records allow breeders to:
- Recognize exceptional production and genetic merit
- Compare animals within their breed
- Identify promising young sires
- Select animals that support specific breeding goals
- Contribute information that improves the reliability of dairy goat genetic evaluations
Participation in ADGA Performance Programs helps recognize today’s outstanding animals while building stronger, more productive dairy goat populations for the future.