The National Saanen Breeders Association has designed an innovative Sire Proving Program to help its members gain proof on their sires. Most of us do not have a herd large enough, or exposure to other herds that is broad enough, to prove our sire's worthiness. Many times a quality sire will die in obscurity with his ability as a sire unnoticed. NSBA decided to do something about it.

We started out to design a "young sire program" and realized that many of us have older bucks that we'd like to have used in other herds and we metamorphosed the program into a "sire proving program". We have designed a program with a point system that covers three fields of interest - milk production, linear appraisal, and show wins. The idea behind the program is that herds who don't participate in all three areas can get help from herds who participate in the areas that they don't. For example, a show herd may want someone on milk test to use their sires, or a DHI herd may want a herd that appraises to use their sires. This program is designed for NSBA members to help NSBA members to find out which sires are truly valuable. As we all know, oftentimes a buck dies about the time we realize his greatness. If we work hand in hand, we can find these fellows and collect them before it is too late.

A buck may qualify in one, two or three categories to participate in our program. We use the 4 generation performance pedigree to determine eligibility. For milk, we look at PTA's, lifetime lactations, individual lactations, and sires that have earned their +'s. For linear appraisal, we look at PTA's for type, final scores, and category scores. For show, we look at Permanent Champion status and count Grand and Reserve National Champion wins. We have a possible 87 points in each category across 15 animals. A buck may qualify with a minimum of 30 points.

The owner of the buck provides a minimum of 20 straws for the program. Any NSBA member may purchase the semen at the owner's cost. The buyer may purchase 2-5 straws, and is required to use the semen within two years of purchase. The buyer pays a $10 processing fee to NSBA. This fee is refunded when the buyer provides proof to the Sire Proving Program Chair that their daughter has been appraised in milk, completed one lactation on DHI test, or participated in an ADGA sanctioned show in milk. NSBA owns a MVE 4/3 shipper that the buyer may rent for transport of the semen.

Our first applicant is now available to NSBA members. He is *B Dry-Creek-Hollow BPT Veintidos owned by Jim and Gayle Tanner of Waynesboro, TN. Dos qualified in both milk and linear appraisal. Dos is a son of Briarwind Pharoh Talut, 2005 Premier Sire. Talut has a PTAM +67 from 53 lactations across 18 daughters in 4 herds. Talut has a PTAT +.90 with a daughter average of 88.3 with a 64 Reliability, from 31 appraisals on 14 daughters across 4 herds. Dos's dam appraised 4-05 EEEV 92 and has a PTAM +48 and a PTAT of +.50. To see his full pedigree, please visit www.bonniebluefarm.com

If you would like to use this buck, or if you would like to nominate your buck, please contact Chair Marilyn Grossman at 304-965-1095 or at KICKADEE@aol.com