Oberhasli

The Oberhasli is a dairy goat that started out in the mountain cantons of Switzerland. It's a medium-framed animal known for its bay to deep red coat, called chamois, set off by black markings on the face, legs, belly and along the spine. Does typically weigh around 54 kg and stand close to 71 cm at the shoulder, with bucks running a bit bigger.

The breed is kept mainly for milk, and on most smallholdings that's still the point of having one. Yield is moderate compared with the bigger dairy breeds, but the milk itself has a mild, sweet taste that suits both drinking and home cheesemaking. Oberhasli does mother well and cope with cold snaps and rough ground without much fuss, which traces back to their alpine background.

Temperament sets this breed apart. Oberhasli goats are generally calm, gentle and fond of people, so they work well on family smallholdings, hobby dairies and school agriculture projects. They stay alert to what's going on around them without turning jumpy or hard to handle, whether you're farming on the Highveld, in a Lowveld camp, or somewhere in between.

Who this breed suits

The Oberhasli fits keepers after a manageable, level-headed dairy goat rather than the top milk volumes of the larger alpine breeds. Its calm handling and tolerance for cold makes it a sound pick for smallholders, hobby cheesemakers and school agriculture programmes, especially at altitude where winters bite. Farmers in the hot, humid Lowveld or those chasing large commercial yields may want to weigh it up against bigger alpine types first.

The Oberhasli traces back to the mountainous parts of Switzerland, including the area around Bern that gave the breed its name. It sits within the wider group of Swiss alpine dairy goats, shaped over generations for milk on small mountain holdings. The chamois colouring stayed a constant feature of these Swiss herds.

Goats of this type arrived in the United States in the early 1900s. For several decades they were lumped in with other alpine imports and often recorded under the general Alpine heading, which muddied the breed's own identity.

Dedicated breeders tracked down animals carrying the original Swiss chamois pattern and bred them to keep the line true. Over time the Oberhasli won recognition as a breed in its own right rather than a colour variant of the Alpine.

The Oberhasli remains scarcer than several other dairy breeds, including here in South Africa, where numbers are small. It's kept going by breeders who rate its colouring, temperament and milk quality, and herd records still put weight on the correct chamois coat and black markings.

The Oberhasli has a balanced, dairy-type build: a level back, a deep body and a well-attached udder in does. The face is straight or slightly dished, the ears stand up and point forward, and the overall look is alert and neat. Does and bucks alike may be horned or disbudded, depending on how the herd is managed.

Coat and colours

The signature colour is chamois, running from a light bay to a deep reddish brown. Defining black markings show on the face, with two pale stripes running from above each eye down to the muzzle, plus black on the lower legs, belly and a stripe along the spine. The ears often carry black edging or markings. Bucks generally carry more black through the coat than does. The hair sits short to medium in length and lies flat against the body.

The Oberhasli has a name for a steady, gentle disposition. These goats are people-oriented and tend to bond with whoever handles them, which makes routine jobs like milking and hoof trimming go more smoothly. They stay watchful of their surroundings but seldom panic, a trait that suits open veld and uneven ground.

Around family the breed is friendly and easy-going, and it's often recommended for households with children and for junior showing projects. Most Oberhasli goats are wary of strangers at first, then settle quickly once they know a person. They generally get along with other goats and other farm animals, though pecking order and individual personality still come into it.

The breed is fairly quiet by goat standards. Oberhasli goats don't call out as much as some dairy breeds, which helps where noise is a concern for neighbours. Like all goats, they're curious and able climbers, so secure fencing and something to occupy them helps stop escapes and boredom.

Grooming

• Brush the short coat weekly to lift loose hair and check the skin underneath
• Trim hooves every 6 to 8 weeks to stop overgrowth and lameness
• Check ears, eyes and coat for parasites during routine handling
• For milking does, keep the udder and flanks clean and clipped as needed

Exercise

• Give daily access to grazing or a large exercise camp
• Provide climbing structures, stumps or rocks to satisfy their natural urge to climb
• Fence at least 1.2 to 1.5 m high; goats test and climb weak spots
• Rotate camps to manage grazing and cut down on parasite build-up

Environment

The breed copes well with cold thanks to its alpine background, but it needs a dry, draft-free kraal or shelter to stay healthy through wet or windy spells. Provide clean bedding, good airflow and shade during hot months, since heat stress is more of a risk for this breed than cold, particularly in the Lowveld and other hot regions. Keep at least one companion goat, since Oberhasli are herd animals and don't do well kept alone.

The base of the Oberhasli diet is forage: grazing, browse and good-quality grass or legume hay such as lucerne. Browse from shrubs and leafy plants suits their natural feeding style. Milking does and growing kids need extra energy and protein, usually given as a measured ration of dairy goat concentrate. Clean water needs to be available at all times, and milk yield drops off fast when water runs short.

Treats and supplements

Give treats such as small amounts of fruit or vegetables sparingly so they don't throw the ration out of balance. Provide loose goat minerals with copper and selenium levels suited to your area, since deficiencies are common where local soils run low, as they do in parts of South Africa. A salt lick and clean water round out daily needs. Check with a vet or agricultural extension officer before adding supplements for specific health goals.

The Oberhasli is a hardy breed that handles cool, rugged conditions well. With good management many animals live 12 to 18 years, though the productive milking life is shorter. Most health problems are the same ones affecting dairy goats generally, and are largely avoidable through routine care, hygiene and good nutrition.

Preventive care

• Book faecal exams and deworm based on the results
• Trim hooves every 6 to 8 weeks
• Keep vaccinations up to date on local veterinary advice (CDT is standard in many areas)
• Provide loose minerals suited to your region
• Quarantine new animals before adding them to the herd

Oberhasli goats reach breeding age within their first year, though does are usually put to the buck once well grown, often around 8 to 10 months or at a suitable body weight. Like most goat breeds, they're seasonal breeders, cycling mainly through the cooler months of autumn and early winter. Gestation runs about 150 days, roughly five months.

Does typically give birth to one or two kids, with twins common in mature does. The breed has a name for good mothering, and does usually clean, nurse and protect their kids with little help needed. Kids stand and nurse soon after birth; making sure they get colostrum in the first hours matters for their immunity.

Kids start nibbling at forage within the first few weeks and are generally weaned by about 12 weeks, depending on whether they're raised on the doe or bottle-fed. Bucks used for breeding should be picked for conformation, temperament and correct chamois markings, to keep the breed's character intact.