Regulations for registering Miniature Longhorns with the TLBAA

1)    All Miniature Texas Longhorns (MTL) must be descended from registered standard-sized Texas Longhorns

2)    Until a sufficient pool of registered stock has been established, all MTLs submitted for registration or reclassification must pass visual inspection and/or other genetic tests as needed to prove purity and/or parentage. 

a)     The burden of proof rests on the member applying for application and all required tests will be paid for at said member’s expense.

b)    Visual inspection will be based on photographs. 

·       Two to three photographs must be submitted for each animal, depending upon age.

o      Front with the animal standing directly in-front of the camera with the hindquarters in line with the head  (required for all ages)

o      Side with the animal looking straight ahead and not at the camera  (required for all ages)

o      Side with the animal looking directly at the camera  (required for animals 5 years of age and older)

o      Photos of both the sire and dam are required for all animals that are being registered or reclassified that are under one year of age.

·       Only one photo is required of each (sire and the dam) and should show the side of the animal with the animal looking directly at the camera

·       Visual appraisal to include inspection for:  evidence of hump, horn shape and length (mature cattle only ≥ 5 years of age), evidence of dwarfism and recognized color patterns

o      Animals must be at least 6 months old before they are eligible for registration or reclassification as MTLs.

o      There is no age restriction on registering MTLs if both the sire and dam are registered as MTLs.

o      There is no review required for animals being registered as MTLs, if both the sire and dam are registered as MTLs

3)    All MTLs currently registered with the TLBAA will have two registration options:

a)     Retain current registration papers, forfeiting rights to participation in association sanctioned MTL activities

o      These animals may not be advertised as “TLBAA registered Miniature Texas Longhorns,” they may only be advertised as “TLBAA registered Texas Longhorns.”

b)    Submit animals for reclassification as a MTLs, contingent upon passing inspection as per paragraph 2b, retaining the right to participation in all association sanctioned MTL activities.

o      Only animals in the MTL registry may be advertised as “TLBAA registered Miniature Texas Longhorns.”

o      Only those animals registered with the MTL registry will be eligible for association sanctioned miniature cattle exhibitions.

4)    Registering animals as MTLs

a)     An MTL application along with a registration application must be submitted when registering animals having neither or only one registered MTL parent and the animal must pass inspection before the application will be processed.

b)    When registering animals that have both their sire and dam in the MTL registry, only the registration application is required and the animals do not need to pass inspection before the application will be processed.

5)    Cattle registered with another Texas Longhorn registry (e.g. ITLA or CTLR) must first be brought into the TLBAA Standard Texas Longhorn registry before an application may be submitted to re-classify the animal as a MTL.

6)    Bulls that have been Artificial Insemination (AI) Certified within the standard TLBAA or ITLA registries are not eligible for reclassification as MTLs.

7)    Once an animal is accepted for registration or reclassification as a MTL, its registration number will be marked with an “M” and a new registration certificate will be issued on blue parchment to differentiate the MTL registration certificates from the standard registration certificates.

a)     All offspring conceived after the reclassification date must be registered as MTLs and will not be eligible for standard registration, regardless of physical size.

b)    Animals descended from miniature stock but not meeting the size requirements will be considered “Breeding Stock” Miniatures.  These animals will be eligible for registration as will their offspring, however they will not be eligible for any competition or exhibitions sanctioned by the association.

o      “Breeding Stock” MTLs will not be separated within the registry and it will be the member’s responsibility not to enter them in competitions or exhibitions sanctioned by the association.

o      “Breeding Stock” MTLs must be advertised with the “Breeding Stock” designation.

8)    Any animal of standard size ancestry is eligible for MTL status (except AI Certified bulls) if it passes all required inspections and tests.