Swiss Milk Goat Facts

The Swiss milk goat, more commonly called an Oberhasli goat, is a breed of dairy goat native to areas around Berne, Switzerland. Oberhaslis are one of the six breeds of goat recognized by the American Dairy Goat Association. They are known for their good temperament and high-quality milk.

  1. Appearance

    • The Oberhasli is a medium-sized breed of dairy goat. Oberhaslis are chamois in color, meaning that their fur is a shade of light to dark red. Though they are mostly red in color, Oberhaslis usually have several white hairs throughout their coat. Oberhaslis have two black markings on their face that run from just beneath their eyes to the muzzle. They usually have black faces, black underbellies and black udders as well. Though rare, some Oberhasli goats are solid black in color.

    Milk

    • Oberhasli goats are known for their milk, which is mild and sweet in flavor. Oberhasli goat milk ranges in butterfat content from about 3.5 percent to 4 percent. Oberhasli goat milk is thought to be the most similar taste to cow’s milk of any breed of dairy goat. Though they are medium-sized goats, Oberhaslis can produce a lot of milk for their size, generally about 2 gallons of milk a day.

    History

    • Oberhasli goats are native to the region of Switzerland known as Canton de Berne. The word “Oberhasli” roughly translates in English to “highlander.” Oberhasli goats are somewhat rare in the United States, though they were brought over from Switzerland in the early 1900s. Oberhasli goats were not recognized by the American Dairy Goat Association as their own breed until the 1960s because of their rarity and their similarity to the French Alpine goat.

    Introduction to America

    • Oberhasli goats were first brought to the United States from Switzerland in the early 20th century. Because many of these original goats were interbred with other breeds of goat in the United States, there are now two types of Oberhasli goats: American Oberhaslis and Purebred Oberhaslis. Purebred Oberhaslis can be traced back to a herd imported from Switzerland in 1936. A California goat breeder named Esther Oman worked hard to insure that her Oberhasli goats remained purebred. Because of this, many believe she is responsible for the continuation of the purebred Oberhasli in the United States today.

    Miniature Oberhasli

    • A miniature Oberhasli goat was created by crossbreeding standard Oberhasli females with Nigerian dwarf males. This breed is also known as the Oberian goat. Similar to the standard Oberhasli, Oberian goats are usually red in color but can also be solid black. Oberians are registered by the Miniature Dairy Goat Association. They produce goat milk as well, about 1/2 gallon to 1 1/2 gallons a day.