MISSION STATEMENT
To recognize and welcome the diversity of the Milking Shorthorn as a unique feature of our breed, distinguishing it from all other breeds in the United States.
To encourage each breeder to use all the Society programs which will benefit them individually and respect the rights of other breeders to have a different goal and to use different programs.
To administer the Society to effectively use the information generated by the breeders to aggressively market our breed.
The American Milking Shorthorn Society (AMSS)would like to introduce you to the many programs and services offered to improve the efficiency and value of your Milking Shorthorn cattle. Many of the programs help you to market your Milking Shorthorns through recognition, official classification scores and production records.

Programs

• Registration & Transfer
• Classification
• EXPRESS Program
• National Awards
• Futurity
• Membership
• Genetic Expansion Program
• Journal

AMSS EXPRESS Program
A complete service program of the American Milking Shorthorn Society.
The herd owner must be a current member of the American Milking Shorthorn Society and must be enrolled in the official DHI testing program in the dairy breeder's respective state. The dairy breeder shall enroll the entire official and genetic expansion Milking Shorthorn milking herd which will be renewable at the beginning of each calendar year. If a dairy breeder has a mixed milking herd, only the females recorded in the official and genetic expansion herdbooks are enrolled in the AMSS EXPRESS program. Under the EXPRESS program, a yearly fee is paid for each cow in the herd at the beginning of the testing year. THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR COWS ADDED TO THE HERD AND NO REFUNDS FOR COWS LEAVING THE HERD DURING THE YEAR. Fees will not be refunded to herds choosing to discontinue EXPRESS during the year.

Minimum Fee: $50.00
First 1 to 80 cows $16.50
81 to 160 cows $15.00
161 and over $13.50

EXPRESS Benefits Include:

1. DHIR Production Testing - DHI production records for 305, 365 and completed lactations recieved directly from each DRPC and processed monthly.

2. Classification of all 1st and 2nd lactation females once each calendar year. Other animals can be classified at owner's option for $8.00 per head.

3. Registration of all females under 6 months of age as defined by calves birth date, i.e. for 1999 includes calves born between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 1999, and registered before 6 months of age.

4. Production records eligible for "AMSS Honor Roll" and "High Fat & Protein" lists in the Milking Shorthorn Journal.

5. Herds and cows eligible for all National awards.

6. Membership in the Y.E.S. (Young Elite Sires) Program.

7. Milk Production Records and Classification socres appear on official tabulated pedigrees.

GRADE-UP

The Grade-Up Program began in 1945 to bring neglected purebred Milking Shorthorns into the Herdbook. A Grade-Up certificate is issued to any characteristic female with a minimum of 50% registered Milking Shorthorn blood. Therfore, one parent must be a registered Milking Shorthorn and the other a non-recorded Milking Shorthorn.

Three-quarter blood females and males sired by a registered Milking Shorthorn sire and out of a Grade-Up dam are eligible for registry in the Official Herdbook.

BIRTH RECORD PROGRAM

To expand the genetic base of Registered Milking Shorthorns selective crosses are acceptable if the resulting progeny are entered in a three-step process. The dam or sire must be a registered Milking Shorthorn to enter the Birth Record Program. Continued crosses with purebred Milking Shorthorns allow the progeny to be entered in the full herdbook. Below are the guidelines for the Birth Record Program.

BIRTH RECORD MALES - RED AND WHITE OR RED FACTOR HOLSTEIN CROSSES

The most popular and suggested cross is with Red and White or Red Factor Carrying Holstein-Friesians. This is the only cross acceptable for a Birth Record male.

The male offspring from the first cross is given a Birth Record Certificate and a 36000 number. When this 36000 male is bred to a registered Milking Shorthorn female and the progeny of this cross is a male, he recieves a Birth Record Certificate and a 37000 number. Off color black and white males with over 50% Milking Shorthorn blood (one parent must be a full herdbook Milking Shorthorn) will be given a 36000 number. Semen from a 36000 sire cannot be sold unless approved by the AMSS Young Sire Committee. Animals with a 36000 or 37000 number are not eligible for show. Progeny resulting from a 37000 male and a registered female meeting color requirements are eligible for full Milking Shorthorn registry in the Official Herdbook.

BIRTH RECORD FEMALES - RED AND WHITE, RED FACTOR HOLSTEIN OR HOLSTEIN

Any one-half blood female resulting form a red or black Holstein and a registered Milking Shorthorn cross will recieve a 36000 number and a Birth Record Certificate.

Any three-quarter blood female from a registered Milking Shorthorn and a 36000 animal is eligible for an official AMSS Herdbook Registration Certificate, with the letters "EXP" as a suffix to her name, provided she meets the color requirement. Any three-quarter female not meeting the color requriement will be given a Birth Record Certificate with a 37000 number. Animals with a 36000 and 37000 number are not eligible for show.

BIRTH RECORD FEMALES - OTHER DAIRY BREEDS

Any one-half blood female from a registered Milking Shorthorn and a recognized dairy breed cross is eligible for a Birth Record Certificate and a 36000 number.

Any three-quarter blood female from a registered Milking Shorthorn and out of a 36000 is eligible for a Birth Record Certificate and a 37000 number.

Any seven-eights blood female sired by a registered Milking Shorthorn and out of a 37000 (other dairy breed) cross animal is eligible for an AMSS Official Herdbook Registration Certificate, with the letters "EXP" as a suffix to her name, providing she meets color requirements. If she does not meet the color requirements, she will continue to be recorded as a 37000 number animal.

Any female progeny of an off-color 37000 female bred to a registered Milking Shorthorn bull is eligible for registry in the AMSS Herdbook provided she meets color requriements of the program.

NATIONAL AWARDS
The American Milking Shorthorn Society recognizes outstanding individuals, cows and herds annually through its national awards program.

The Harry Clampitt Award honors a breeder 21 to 40 years old who is doing an outstanding job promoting Milking Shorthorns and the Society. The Citizen of the Year Award commends and individual who has made significant contributions to the AMSS and the breed.

Other national awards recognize top production records of individual cows and herds, including Progressive Breeder recognition for outstanding milk production.

FUTURITY
The National Futurity is an exciting opportunity for breeders to promote the Milking Shorthorn breed. The Futurity contest is held at the International Show in Madison, Wisconsin, and involves the best two year old cows of the breed.
To enter the Futurity, breeders must nominate heifer calves born between August 31 of a given year and September 1 of the following year. Through the next two years, the breeder makes small payments to the Futurity purse for each heifer he enters. At the periodic payment times, the breeder may decide to drop or keep any of the heifers entered.

At the International Show, all two year olds remaining in the Futurity compete for top placings. The judge places the class as he would any other class.
After all expenses are paid, the purse is divided among the animals shown. In recent years, the owner of the first place animal has received over $350.00 as his percentage of the Futurity purse.

JOURNAL

The Journal is a bi-monthly publication to promote Milking Shorthorns. Each publication features a breed program including All Americans, sire information, cow/calf recognition, top production records and the national AMSS Annual Meeting. State and national shows, sales, picnics and meetings are also reported in the Journal. Production achievements are listed in each issue through the Honor Roll and "700 Pounds of Fat" cow listings. You can promote your Milking Shorthorns by advertising in the Milking Shorthorn Journal.