Nubians

The Nubian type goat is most likely the oldest species of goat known to mankind. Some breeders feel the name Nubian is not an accurate name for the breed, due to the crosses made in its development. The name “Nubian” originates from Nubia, a desert region in Northern Sudan. It is said that the animals from this area did not play an important part in the development of the Anglo-Nubian. Although the French started working on the Nubian type animals before the English, credit must be given to the British for the development of the present day Nubian.

Known as the Anglo-Nubian, the Nubian is mainly a combination of two pure breeds, the Anglo or English, and the Nubian, whose origin is more obscure, tracing to a variety of sources. The Anglo part of the ancestry includes the English breed and various cross-bred animals. Under the development of the Anglo-Nubian, regulations were in place to bring in new blood, provided foreign blood other than Nubian was not evident for a given number of generations. A small percentage of Swiss blood has in some cases been gradually introduced in this way.

Nubian type does were imported into America as early as 1896, but most of these early imports were lost to the breed until the import of three animals, buck, Holly Lodge Shingle, and twin does, Wigmore Brownie and Wigmore Pansy, by Mr. J.R. Gregg of California. Mr. Gregg imported another buck, Scriventon Bellerphone, and a doe, Luxor Butane, in 1913. These animals formed the nucleus from which Nubians in America descended. Mr. Gregg developed two important lines: the Bonzai line Holly Lodge Shingle, who was a grandson of Bricket Cross, and a great grandson to Sedgemere Sangers, and the Inkyo line from Scriveton Bellerphone.

Between 1909 and 1918, Anglo was dropped from the name and forty were registered as Purebred Nubians in the United States. In 1917, Major C. C. Mowat brought in five Anglo-Nubians into British Columbia, Canada. The bucks he had were Harborough Volunteer and Edenbrook Cyrus, a pure white hornless sire of many Nubians including Spring Beauty AR#7, the first Nubian to qualify for an AR.

Nubians are the most popular breed in the United States and continue to outnumber all the currently recognized breeds.

Source: http://www.i-n-b-a.org/history.htm

Oberhasli

The Oberhasli (also known as the Oberhasli Brienzer or Swiss Alpine in America) is a dairy breed developed in the mountainous cantons of Bern, Freiburg, Glarus, and Graubunden in Switzerland.

Oberhasli goats were first imported to the United States in the early 1900s, though it was not until 1936 that purebred herds were established and maintained. The breed was initially called the Swiss Alpine. Its registrations were included in the Alpine studbook, and its genetics contributed to the Alpine breed. In 1977, the breed name Oberhasli was adopted, and registration records were separated from the Alpines. This evolution of the breed’s name and identification has been one reason that its population in the United States has remained fairly small.

The Oberhasli is alert in appearance with a friendly, gentle disposition. Mature goats are medium in size. Bucks range in height from 30–34″, and does 28–32″, with weights of 100–150 pounds. While the does are a dependable source of milk, bucks and wethers are also useful as pack animals because of their strength and calm demeanor. Some goat packers prefer Oberhaslis because they are said to be less fearful of water and other trail obstacles than are other breeds.

The breed’s color pattern is called chamoisee. Goats are brown, with hues between light tan and deep reddish brown, and have black points. Two black stripes from the eyes to the black muzzle give a distinctive facial appearance. The forehead is nearly all black, and black stripes run from the base of each ear to a point just behind the poll and continue along the neck and back to the tail as a dorsal stripe. The Oberhasli has a black belly and light gray to black udder. The legs are black below the knees and hocks and the ears are black on the inside. The Oberhasli face is straight or dished with no evidence of a Roman nose. The breed is well known internationally, and it is relatively numerous in Switzerland.

Source: https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/oberhasli