Oberhasli info

Kittikity · #1 07/19/06, 10:17 AM

I've recently become interested in the oberhasli breed.. I already want to get some nigerians and know lots of things about them.. But I wanted to see what kind of breed the oberhasli was before I actually decided on them.. For instance, what kind of temperment do they have? I do know that they are a dairy goat, but how good is the milk? Is it good for making soaps or cheese? Is there anything else particular to oberhasli's? Just basically anything you can think of..

It's funny, one of the reasons I like the nigerians is because of their varied colors and you never know what color you're going to get.. But I also like the oberhasli color and markings..

tioga12 · #2 07/19/06, 10:34 AM

I am interested in reading some replies to this as I am preparing for our first goats which will include an ADGA reg. Oberhasli doe in milk and three ober. doelings from other dams. I think they are very personable and know that the woman who is selling me the milking doe uses the milk for her family and sells it to others. They are beautiful goats and regarded as a heritage breed.

chamoisee · #3 07/19/06, 01:06 PM

Oberhasli are nice, but their production and udder attachment is sometimes not as good as the other breeds, at least in the U.S. The breed nearly died out here except for a small number preserved by Esther Oman, who almost singlehandly kept it alive. What I am saying is that the purebred Obers are inbred by definition, and the gene pool is so small that improvement is difficult. Their personalities are nice, they're pretty.... but buck service can be hard to find and IMHO, they are just not as robust as a breed as the other Swiss breeds.

This is only my opinion, I've met and seen many great Obers, and in any breed there will be individuals who do not conform to the stereotype.

Kittikity · #4 07/19/06, 01:38 PM

Well, I'm not really looking for showing or anything.. Just mostly as pets and some babies once in a while and milking..

wardarden · #5 07/19/06, 03:14 PM

I have gotten my first dairy goats this year and decided on the Ober bacause of a few things I have read; They are a quiet breed! They are hardy in my temp zone (middle Tennessee). The heat has not seemed to bother them so far. They are sweet and not bossy, etc. Their milk is very good and mild flavored. They do not have as much butterfat as the Nubians and I guess do not produce as much milk as maybe some other breeds. I get 1/2 gal per day and that is leaving the kid with her full time as well so maybe 1 gal per day if kid was not nursing. I love my Obers and am very glad to continue a breed that is not so common. I do understand that breeding may be somewhat of a challenge but do know that there are a few breeders in my state and am very interested in learning AI. My vote is -- try an Obie you won't be dissapointed!

Arden Ward
Murfreesboro, Tn
Epona Farm

cjb · #6 07/19/06, 04:57 PM

I have 3/4 oberhaslis and have been around tons of pure ones and I really like them. Their markings are very pretty and, most of all - they are very, very quiet. Mine have nice temperaments and give an abundance of very good-tasting milk.

Can't go wrong. Now.. I have an ober/nubian mix and she is my FAVORITE!

lijj · #7 07/19/06, 07:47 PM

I like my ober. She has a good temperament, she's not very loud, and she's pretty friendly. When I first got her she was a little wary of me, but she loves me now

Someone said above that they don't have very good udder attachments, I'd have to agree

My ober's udder IS a little droopy, but she gives out a good amount of milk (I guess) for a first timer. And as for the milk taste, my ober's milk tastes VERY good! I don't pasteurize it or anything, I just put it in the fridge and drink some. Very creamy.

I also think oberhaslis are more hardy than, say, nubians. My nubian doe had cocci really bad after I first got her, and my ober was perfectly fine. She's never had worms or anything!

oberhaslikid · #8 07/19/06, 08:53 PM

I just couldnt stand it I had to jump right in here.I have had Obers for 7 years now and I cant give them up. I got bored a few years ago all my babies were alike so I went for a nubian and then a lamacha.They are all different I agree. The most Lovey would be the Nubians, My lamacha is the milkiest goat and she has tripletts. But the Obers are beautifully different in manner and not a large breed, Love the attention, friendly.I had a doe that would give 2 gallon a day.The udder is not the freindliest of udders. They would make a great first goat as far as not giving tons of milk.I think easier to train than say my Nubians are like mules sometimes.the Ober seems to catch on very quick.those babies are the cutest always have a smile on their faces.

longhorngal · #9 07/19/06, 08:58 PM

Gosh, you all are making me want one! They sound neat!

Kittikity · #10 07/19/06, 09:28 PM

Yes, after all this praise I will have to definitely add them to my want list along with the nigerians.. I have only 2 acres so the small size is great also.. I've never had goats so I'm not too concerned about conformation and such.. But since it's also a heritage breed that needs some work, I will be a little pickier when it comes time to buy..

Freeholder · #11 07/20/06, 01:28 AM

If you buy from a good breeder, you should be able to find some really nice Obers. The only purebred Ober I have is my buck -- he's only a year old and already 150 lbs., so will be large for an Ober. That's good, as he's a packgoat sire. But his daddy is a permanent GCH, and his mother has the best udder on the breeder's farm (and she has a lot of good goats). All the females in his lines are really good milkers. So there ARE very nice Oberhasli's out there if you take a little time and look for them. I really like my buck -- he's a sweetheart. I've put a pack on him a few times, and will eventually, when he's no longer needed for breeding, castrate him and use him for a packer, too. I have three of his offspring -- they are 3/4 Oberhasli, and 1/4 Boer. They and the buck are the quietest goats I have, which is really nice. The Kinder goats talk to me. They are easier keepers than the Obers, and give richer, sweeter milk, but the Obers have the advantage of being very quiet and gentle-natured.

Kathleen

wooly1s · #12 07/22/06, 11:04 AM

They are a quiet breed! They are hardy in my temp zone (middle Tennessee). The heat has not seemed to bother them so far. They are sweet and not bossy, etc

I second this statement in N Idaho. We have one OH in our herd, and she is a dear. Excellent mother. Sweet "auntie". She is a 3yo, twinned at first kidding, first freshening, allowing her to dam-raise, so not sure how she would milk, but nice udder!!!

Sadly, she is for sale =( DD wants to switch to a full fiber herd.

Kittikity · #13 07/22/06, 08:59 PM

Too bad we can't get her down here.. Also too bad I don't have the money or an enclosed area for her and her little buck or I'd take them both.. = ) The last two are the only reasons I don't have goats already.. heehee The absolute best reasons of course, but it'll happen some day..

Charleen · #14 07/22/06, 09:07 PM

Everything that I'm going to say about Oberhasli will be biased

We've raised alpines, saanens, grades and oberhasli but the obers are our favorite. So much so that they are now the only breed that we have. And we've bred them for about 10 years.

They are quite docile, temperment is quiet, lovely feminine faces, delicious milk (our herd average in butterfat is 4.2%).

If you'd like to PM me, I can give you the name of a very reputable Oberhasli breeder in Florida.

Kittikity · #15 07/22/06, 11:05 PM

Thank you for the offer Charleen, but I don't have any place to put them right now.. We have almost 2 acres but none of it is fenced.. I also don't have the money for them right now since they would be mostly just hobby/pets.. And if I'm going to raise them I want to start with some fair stock.. Just not affordable right now..