seen such beautiful animals? Icelandics come in so
many colors, with so many patterns, with so many
variations within those patterns - each animal is a
work of art created by The Master; each an
individual in both form and personality. Sound a
bit fanatical? Well, I don't recall ever standing
entranced by my Commercial flock, except when
the lambs were playing. BE WARNED! The sunlight
will strike the profile of a ram, highlighting the
graceful curvature of the horns, or the breeze will
gently ripple the fleece on a ewe, a silken fiber
waterfall, and the magic will catch you. I don't
know of anyone who can walk by a flock of
Icelandics without pausing to admire them.
Around here they can stop traffic! There is
something about these creatures that speaks to the
heart of Man; it is part of our nature to be drawn to
beautiful things.
Okay, so they're nice to look at, but only models
get paid for looks. What's the bottom line?
The Icelandic breed is descended from primitive
short-tailed sheep that were selectively improved
by the Vikings over generations until they became a
true triple-purpose animal, providing meat, milk,
and fleece. Unlike more modern breeds, Icelandic
lamb has none of the "gamey" aftertaste that
discourages some people from eating lamb chops.
Because of this, Icelandic lamb is considered a
gourmet meat by Five Star chefs. The carcass from
an Icelandic dresses out at a higher percentage
than other types of sheep, which makes them very
desirable across the scale. Milk from the breed is
rich and plentiful, lending itself equally well to
designer cheeses or scented complexion bars. The
fleece of an Icelandic is dual-coated, with a fine
soft underlayer called thel, and a longer, relatively
coarser overlayer called tog. These fibers can be
processed together to create a Lopi yarn, or
separated - spinning the thel for fine baby clothes
and laceworks, the tog for embroidery yarn or
basketry. Icelandic fleece is known for its ease of
felting, which makes it sought after by 3-D fiber
artists. The pelts from Icelandic sheep are lustrous
and warm, perfect for shearling garments. As an
added bonus, the horns can be marketed "as is", or
crafted into buttons, flasks, and sculpture. The
only limit on what can be done to profit from these
animals is the imagination - Icelandics can easily
provide the raw materials and the inspiration for
any type of marketing program.
There are many other things about Icelandics
that make them the ideal homestead animals. They
lamb in the early Spring, instead of in the heart of
Winter. They typically give birth to twins,
sometimes triplets and quads. Due to a shorter
gestation period, the lambs are small and easily
delivered (provided you don't over-feed the ewes!).
In spite of their petite size, Icelandic lambs are
extremely vigorous, up and nursing within minutes
of birth. Lambs are naturally short-tailed, so no
docking is necessary. Since they usually mature
after reaching market weight, ram lambs don't need
to be castrated, unless a wether is desired. Wethers
make excellent fleece animals, producing
wonderful soft coats without the interference (or
unpredictability) of hormones. For those who can't
bear to think of their lambs being eaten, this aspect
of Icelandics is perfect. The breed comes with or
without horns (polled), for those who prefer a less
aggressive-looking animal.
They each have their own personality; some
genetic lines, called Leadersheep, are more
individual than the rest. Even more intelligent
than the run-of-the-mill Icelandic, Leadersheep
will guide the flock away from physical dangers and
severe weather - often alerting the shepherd to ill or
injured flockmates. For these reasons, Leadersheep
have a role to play in any flock, even a commercial
one.
One more great thing about Icelandics: They
have an extremely efficient rumen, developed
through centuries of sparse grazing in mountainous
terrain. This makes them prime candidates for a
grass-based feeding program, and saves the
shepherd a lot of money in "finishing" grain. They
graze in a goat-like manner, seeming to prefer
tough weed and "trash tree" saplings to ordinary
grass. Even if you have marginal pastures, you can
reap great harvests with this breed.
What it all boils down to is this -an Icelandic
sheep is not just another pretty face. With these
beautiful animals, you can have it all!
FOR MORE EXCELLENT INFO ON ICELANDIC
SHEEP AND THEIR HUSBANDRY, CHECK WITH :
The Lavender Fleece - Laurie Ball-Gisch
shepherd
www.lavenderfleece.com
Tongue River Farms - Susan Mongold,
shepherd
www.icelandicsheep.com
Southram AI Station in Iceland. Exacting standards and precise measurements
guarantee that future generations of North American Icelandic sheep will have
the infusion of quality bloodlines to meet or exceed that of their predecessors.
Pictured are those rams whose genetics either have or will be contributing to
the makeup of the HolliBerri flock. Look for complete records on the
"Influential Icelandics" page.