07/28/2025
Let's have an education moment about registered vs. unregistered pricing. I've had a lot of questions about pricing this season from folks just getting into goats, and I'd like to shed some light on the issue.
Sometimes breeders will offer goats up for sale as registered only, unregistered only, or with the option to do either. This varies based on the quality of the goat, lineage, and/or how badly the breeder needs to move the goat. Breeders reserve the right to offer their goats with whatever registration options they see fit.
If you see a goat offered at one price as unregistered, but a substantially higher price as registered, you may wonder why the price is so much higher for just a piece of paper. If you are thinking, "Why would I pay the registered price when I know the registration fees aren't that high?", you aren't fully understanding what you are paying for.
When you buy a registered animal, you aren't simply paying for the breeder's registration fees. In fact, if you are buying a kid, the breeder will most likely complete the registration/transfer online (ADGA) and then have the charges sent to YOUR cart. Once you pay the fees, the registration is sent straight to you.
In a nutshell, you are not paying a fee to get a piece of paper when you pay a higher price for an animal to be registered.
You are paying for the right to carry a breeder's herd name, genetics, and reputation forward.
You can't pay the unregistered goat fee and then register that goat later yourself. Only the original breeder can register that goat with their herd name, and only if that animal is being sold as a registered animal. You also cannot under any circumstances buy an animal from another breeder and register it under YOUR herd name (unless you owned the parents at the time of the breeding). It just doesn't work that way.
The registered price of a goat reflects:
- Years of selective breeding
-The breeder's investment in genetics, health, and conformation
-The quality a breeder is willing to vouch for (breeders don't want mediocre animals out there representing their herd names)
-And your right to carry that breeding program forward
So yes, registered goats cost more.
Because you're not just buying a goat, you're investing in a legacy.
