Why Goats?

At Loki Farms, we milk twice a day, morning, and sometime later in the evening where we can fit it into our schedule with chores, kids, and dinner that day. It’s calm work, a nice slow end to the day. The goats greet us at the gate with their familiar voices and clamber to be first to the stand. Each one has a personality: Daisy’s hollering at the gate to get us moving because she thinks we're always late, Iris' patience, Tilly’s eagerness for a snuggle. It's a nice, usually peaceful, way to begin and end the day.

Goats also bring humor and joy in a way few other animals can. They’re playful, clever, and full of personality. The kids run, climb, and balance on anything they can find. Logs, stumps, feeders, while the adults play lazy headbutt games on cool afternoons. They’re interactive animals. They make eye contact, respond to your voice, and often come looking for scratches or a tug on your shirt sleeve just to say hello.

For homesteads looking to start small, goats are wonderfully scalable. Two well-bred standard size does can easily provide enough milk for a homestead. One to milk, one to carry a pregnancy and you can alternate them year by year to keep milk flowing through the seasons. For those looking to go bigger, the same setup scales beautifully. More goats mean more milk, cheese, soap, or sales. We expanded from three to six last year and plan to reach ten to twelve in milk as we grow.

And best of all, goats fit around real life. They’re flexible animals that work with your schedule instead of ruling it. If you have a busy season or need to take a break, you can milk once a day instead of twice without harm. If you’re kid-sharing, you can still take weekends off, just leave the kids on mom those days. It’s easier to adjust, leave for a short trip, or just skip a milking when life gets hectic with kids sharing.

And despite what people say, they’re not nearly as troublesome as expected. Ours respect their four foot fences and have never been the escape artists people warn about. They don’t eat everything. In fact, they’re quite selective grazers. And the milk? They're known for having a mild, clean milk character.

For us, goats are more than just livestock, they’re a partnership. They’ve made this dream of self-reliance possible, one jar of milk at a time. Whether you’re looking for fresh milk for your homestead, or a gentle step into farming, goats are a wonderful place to start.

For us, goats began as a way to feed our family and live more independently, but like most good things, it grew. Once you’ve seen what a few good does can do, it’s hard not to imagine what ten could accomplish. The next step was turning that rhythm into something lasting. A herd that could provide milk for others, build a reputation for quality, and support our family in return. That’s when registration became more than paperwork, it became part of our plan to make Loki Farms something that lasts.

Goats are a perfect fit for small farms and homesteads. They don’t need endless pasture or specialized equipment. Just good hay, clean water, shelter, and appropriate loose minerals. They give back in spades: milk, soap, cheese, butter, and enough "cool" manure to keep any garden thriving. For many homesteads, goats are the easiest way to gain a real measure of independence. Fresh milk you don’t have to buy, healthy protein if you're open to that, and a reason to step outside and breathe for a bit every day. I love just going out and sitting in their pen at times. They all usually come up for scratches and to just hang.

We chose goats because they were practical. Cows are wonderful, but they produce more milk than most families could ever use themselves, require heavy duty fencing, take up more space than we wanted to dedicate, and the feed bill would be much higher. Sheep, another good option, can make incredible cheese, but their lactations are shorter, their yield smaller, and they can be more fragile in our humid climate. Goats hit the balance point. Productive without being overwhelming, sturdy without being hard on the land.

Why Start With Registered

When we started with goats, the goal was simple: milk for our homestead and a step toward self-reliance. But the deeper we got into breeding and improving our herd, the more we realized how much tracking and lineage matter. Registration isn’t just about paperwork it’s about purpose.

For a small farm, or even a homestead focused on sustaining only itself, registered goats are a smart investment. They sell faster, to a wider audience, and at higher prices. There is an overabundance of goats on the market. If they're not registered, they either don't sell, or sell for a fraction of what they're worth. Having your goats registered with a breed registry, you aren't getting stuck with more animals than you intended, or having to make the hard choice to take them to a sale barn, use them for meat, or resign to feeding all those extra mouths for life. You're giving them the best chance to go to a good home where they can be productive long term. When people buy registered stock, they know what they’re getting, and are willing to pay more for it. They're getting a goat with a known pedigree, predictable production, and traceable genetics. That transparency builds trust. It also builds reputation, which is priceless when you’re planning to turn your herd into part of your family’s income.

Registration also helps us measure progress. We can track milk yield, structure, udder attachments, and temperament over generations. It gives us another way to pair animals intentionally, not just by appearance or convenience, but by data and results. When we look back at our herd records, we can see where each improvement came from: stronger legs, better milk quality, smoother foreudders. That’s the kind of refinement that happens when you know your starting point.

There’s also a sense of accountability and stewardship that comes with working inside a registered herd. These animals carry the history of the Oberhasli breed, decades of careful breeding and selection. Keeping records, submitting registrations, and improving each generation isn’t about chasing ribbons; it’s about preserving and continuously improving something worth keeping.

And, simply put, registered goats make business sense. They hold value better, appeal to both homesteaders and other breeders, and open doors for growth, milk testing, linear appraisal, and genetic performance programs. They’re not just part of a farm, they’re part of a legacy.

For us at Loki Farms, registration ties everything together. The heart of homesteading, the science of breeding, and the future of a small family business built on trust and quality.

Once we knew we wanted to build a herd with real staying power, the next question was: which breed? There are dozens of dairy goats to choose from, but one stood out to us from the beginning. Not just for its looks, though they are pretty, but for their balance, temperament, and milk.

Whichever way you decide is right for you, let me just impart this one thing. Start with bottle raised if you can. Dam raised can be hard to tame if they've not been handled, but bottle babies will be in your pocket. Which might be annoying at times, but it really makes them so much easier to handle and train if they already trust you.

Why Oberhasli

When we started searching for the right dairy breed, we were looking for milk with a smooth, clean, and naturally mild character. The Oberhasli’s reputation for a gentle profile is what first caught our attention. After milking our own, we’ve found that reputation doesn’t quite do them justice. Their milk is lighter, crisp, and lacks the strong “goaty” aftertaste often associated with some breeds. Especially when mineral balance is maintained. Even on hot days or after chilling, Gem and Iris, two of our does, consistently produce milk that is fresh, mild, and well-balanced.

Production is nothing to overlook either. One of our foundation does, Daisy, peaks at nearly a gallon and a half per day, with Gem holding steady at about a gallon, and Iris, as a yearling first freshener, coming in around three-quarters of a gallon daily. That level of production is more than enough to support a small homestead and still leaves room for projects like cheesemaking, soap, and raising bottle babies.

Where this breed truly shines, though, is in disposition and manageability. Every Oberhasli we’ve worked with has been level-headed, calm, and easy to handle. They respect fences, tolerate handling well, and adapt quickly to changes in routine. Axel, our senior buck, is a gentle giant, strong and thick-boned, yet patient enough to be handled calmly even during rut. The does are much the same. Curious without being pushy, and consistently cooperative when it comes to milking and hoof trimming.

We’ve also found them remarkably hardy and low-maintenance. Parasite issues are minimal, hoof rot hasn’t been a problem (even in wet seasons), and they’ve handled the Southern Georgia heat and humidity very well. They’re easy kidders, attentive mothers, and rarely need intervention. They thrive when given the basics, food, water, shelter, and balanced minerals, and then largely left to do what they do best.

Here at Loki Farms, we’re steadily shaping our Oberhasli line toward our ideal:

• A sturdy, more substantial frame like Axel’s, paired with Daisy’s long dairy body

• Wide, level hindquarters like Tilly and Tails

• High, well-attached udders with smooth, pocket-free foreudders that should pass down from Tails' lineage.

• Hard, clean feet, good feed conversion, and efficient metabolism like Axel

• Milk with a mild, clean character like Iris and Gem with strong production like Daisy

• And above all, Axel’s patience and gentleness. The kind of temperament that makes them safe for our children and a joy to handle. They can be the perfect goat in every other way, but if they have a poor attitude, it can just ruin the day and cause stress.

Oberhasli goats fit the rhythm of our farm really well. They’re beautiful, sensible, and quietly reliable. Goats that do their job without fuss and make every day a little easier.

Origin and History:

Oberhasli goats are a distinguished dairy breed with roots in the Swiss Alps, specifically the Oberhasli region that gave them their name. These goats were originally known for their dependable milk production and their ability to thrive in rugged alpine terrain. They were first brought to the United States in the early 1900s, where they were initially grouped under the “Swiss Alpine” label before being officially recognized as their own breed in the 1970s.

Known for their rich mahogany coloring with distinctive black markings, Oberhaslis have remained a smaller, dedicated breed compared to others. Prized by people who value their combination of elegance, calmness, and reliable production. Today, they continue to stand out as an ideal dairy goat for both homesteads and show herds alike.

Adaptability:

Oberhaslis are naturally hardy and adaptable, having evolved in the steep, rocky regions of Switzerland. That background makes them resilient to both cold winters and warm southern climates, provided they have good shelter and steady care. They handle the Georgia humidity and heat well, and their thick coats protect them in the colder months.

They’re also efficient foragers, thriving on brush, leaves, and weeds rather than needing pristine pasture. This makes them an excellent choice for rotational grazing and brush control on diversified farms.

All of our goats are either polled (naturally hornless) or disbudded at Loki Farms. Both for their safety and ease of management. Horned goats can get caught in fencing or injure other herd members, especially when playing. If you're wanting to purchase one of our kids horned, we can accommodate with a non refundable deposit.

Care and Management:

Oberhaslis require similar care to other dairy breeds: a balanced diet of quality hay, fresh water, loose minerals, grain for milkers or bucks in rut, and regular hoof trimming and deworming as needed.

We’ve found Oberhaslis to be clean animals, much tidier than the cows I milked in high school. They don’t like standing in the rain and greatly appreciate a dry shelter. Contrary to the old saying, they don’t eat everything in sight. In fact, they can be surprisingly picky and cautious about new foods.

Their gentle nature makes them easy to train and handle once you establish a routine. We feed twice a day, with morning and evening milkings. They’re flexible and forgiving of real life schedules. Bucks can lose a little weight during rut, so we supplement their feed and minerals during that time to help them maintain condition.

We’ve had very few escape attempts. Our fencing is 4-foot woven wire, with plans to add a hot wire at the top mainly to keep horses from reaching over. Once settled, the goats stay content. No climbers, no wanderers, and no drama.

Breeding and Genetics:

Breeding Oberhasli goats is as rewarding as it is purposeful. Each year, we plan our pairings to improve specific traits like udder attachment, rump width, clean mild milk character, and frame strength.

The buck we added for the 2025 breeding season comes from proven genetics: a Champion dam (CH) line known for excellent udders and overall correctness. And our senior buck, Axel has a very thick sturdy frame. The two bucks complement each other well and add very different traits that we're looking to combine together in our herd overall. You can see pictures and info of each of our goats on the "Our Oberhasli Goats" page.

Our long-term goal is to develop nice long dairy does with high, well-attached udders, smooth foreudder transitions, and wide, level rumps, with a nice naturally wide rear stance like we see with Tails and his lineage. I would also like to increase the bone density on the dairy structure in some of the does, much like what we got with Daisy and Axel's offspring, Poppy. And the most important overall is maintaining the calm, patient temperament our herd already has.

Breeding Oberhasli goats can be a rewarding experience, especially for those looking to enhance specific genetic traits. With strong dairy lines, breeders often select for optimal milk yield, sound conformation, and robust health. The breed's distinctive coloring and markings are also a point of interest for breeding enthusiasts. Our goals are more towards more robust frames, but still dairy looking animals with correct conformation, health and environmental hardiness, and milk taste over quantity.

Milk Production:

One of the most defining traits of the Oberhasli goat is its milk. known for being rich, creamy, and mild. A well-managed Oberhasli can produce 1 to 1.5 gallons per day at peak, with a butterfat content of around 3.5% to 4%, perfect for making cheese, yogurt, or soap.

Our girls consistently produce at peak:

• Daisy: up to 1.5 gallons/day

• Gem, who's udder is pictured here: around 1 gallon/day as a first freshener

• Iris: ¾ gallon/day as a yearling first freshener

Their milk is known for a mild, clean character and lacks the "goaty" flavor often associated with some breeds. Especially when mineral balance is maintained. This makes it a versatile milk on the homestead, well-suited for uses like cheesemaking, yogurt, soap, and raising bottle babies.

The Oberhasli Advantage:

Oberhasli goats are often celebrated for their clean, sweet milk, but that’s just part of their story. These goats are balanced, sturdy, and versatile, capable of much more than producing a daily pail of milk. Their calm, dependable nature and solid conformation make them well-suited for pack work, brush control, and even showmanship.

They thrive on routine and interaction, quickly becoming an enjoyable part of everyday farm life. Their intelligence and good temperament make them a favorite for families and first-time goat owners, while their steady production and resilience appeal to experienced breeders and homesteaders alike.

Here at Loki Farms, we value Oberhaslis not only for their utility but for their personality and presence. They bring humor, calm, and connection to our daily routine. Whether milking in the quiet of the evening or watching kids play at the fence.

Our Mission Going Forward

Our goal is simple: raise goats that make life better. For us, for our customers, and for the breed itself. We’re building a herd that’s productive, healthy, and gentle. With milk known for is clean, mild character, and bodies that stand the test of time. We believe good farming is about balance between work and family, between progress and preservation. Every season, every breeding, every drop of milk brings us one step closer to the farm we’ve dreamed of.