A Thoughtful Step Toward a Future Mini Oberhasli Program

Sometimes farm decisions don’t come from chasing a trend. They come from one moment that makes you stop and rethink how things could be done better.

For us, that moment came during a first freshener kidding that ended up fine overall, but was very stressful and could have gone very differently. We’ve had some very large kids born here, healthy and strong kids, but big singles that demand close attention during labor, hands-on assistance, and a level of stress we’d rather avoid when possible. Seeing how close a “normal” labor can come to becoming a difficult one made us pause and ask an honest question:

Is there a way to make first births safer and calmer?

First Fresheners, Singles, and Why Size Matters

Like many dairy breeds, Oberhasli first fresheners are more likely to produce singles during their first kidding. Singles aren’t inherently a problem, but when a single kid inherits the full size and bone of a standard dairy buck, it can result in a baby that’s simply large for a young doe delivering for the first time.

That combination, a first-time pelvis and a big single, is where we’ve seen labor become more intense and hands-on than we’d like, even when everything ultimately turns out well. It’s not a failure of the doe or the breed. It’s just biology doing what it does.

Recognizing that pattern helped us think more intentionally about how to reduce risk at that specific stage. That realization is what led us to the next step.

Why We’re Bringing a Nigerian Dwarf Buck Home

In the near future, we’ll be bringing home a dairy Nigerian Dwarf buck. His first and immediate role at here is very practical and welfare-driven:

Breeding first freshener Oberhasli does in order to support easier, lower-stress births.

This choice is grounded in animal welfare. Smaller-framed bucks consistently sire kids that are easier for young does to deliver, which is especially valuable when first fresheners are already more likely to carry singles.

Using a Nigerian Dwarf buck for first fresheners offers several important welfare benefits:

• Smaller birth size, reducing physical strain on an immature pelvis

• Easier positioning during labor, with less risk of shoulders or heads hanging up

• Shorter, calmer deliveries, with less fatigue and stress for the doe

• Reduced need for hands-on assistance, lowering the chance of internal irritation or injury

• Better postpartum recovery, allowing does to bounce back more quickly and comfortably

• A smoother start to first lactation, with less stress carried into early milk production

This approach isn’t about changing the doe or pushing production. It’s about setting her up for success during her first birth, when welfare matters most.

There are very few cons to this approach, but they’re worth mentioning. These include having unregistered kids that are generally harder to sell, and the possibility that a doe may produce slightly less milk. Neither of these concerns outweigh the welfare benefits, in our view.

Looking Beyond the First Generation

Beyond immediate first-freshener management, this buck also opens the door to a longer-term project we’ve been thinking through carefully: a future Mini Oberhasli program.

He has some very nice dairy genetics behind him, with strong milk lines and excellent udders, which sets us up well to explore this project thoughtfully.

If, and only if, we see truly exceptional offspring, we may retain a small number as experimental animals. Over time, the goal would be to thoughtfully develop Mini Oberhasli goats that:

• kid easily and efficiently

• have a tendency toward multiples

• require less intervention at birth

• fit Mini Dairy Goat Association standards

• retain strong dairy frames, usable udders, and calm temperaments

• and still look and function like Oberhasli

In a mini program, smaller-framed kids allow us to safely select for does that manage multiples well, without the risk that twins become oversized or problematic. Over generations, that kind of selection supports safer, more predictable kidding patterns, not by forcing outcomes, but by choosing animals that already do this well.

Why This Buck, and Why Now

This opportunity didn’t come from chasing listings or forcing a plan. He appeared at the right time, with solid milk genetics, a steady temperament, and the kind of foundation traits that serve both his immediate purpose and potential future use.

Assuming logistics line up, we expect to be bringing him home soon.

Taking the Long View

Our Oberhasli herd remains our foundation, and that isn’t changing. This step isn’t about rushing into minis or reinventing the farm. It’s about reducing stress on young does, improving welfare at first kidding, and leaving room for thoughtful, long-term development.

If Mini Oberhasli goats eventually become part of Loki Farms, they’ll be built slowly, with heavy selection and a clear focus on health, function, and calm, capable animals, not novelty.

We’re sharing this process because transparency matters to us, and because good farming often starts with asking better questions, not rushing to final answers.

We’ll share updates as this unfolds.