Excellent Fertility - 180-220% lambing rate:
A mature Icelandic flock will have a lambing rate of 180 to 200% or above. A ewe will probably single as a lamb, and then produce twins regularly, with an occasional single, or set of triplets or quads. Icelandic ewes are known to have the least variability in the number of eggs dropped; it is almost always twins. There is a multiple birth gene in the breed, named the "Thoka gene" that increases the number of eggs a ewe will drop. If she has one copy of the gene, she will probably alternate between twins and triplets, and with two copies of the gene, she will regularly have triplets and quads, with the occasional set of quintuplets or even sextuplets.
Large Capacity Rumen - Leads to high feed efficiency.
1,000 years of lean feed has winnowed out the wasteful ewes; the remaining stock have round bellies full of rumen to make the most of even the poorest quality forage. Given access to good or high quality pasture, the oversize rumen gives the Icelandic a competitive edge. An Icelandic ewe can triplet and then raise all three lambs off pasture alone. Yearlings can wean a lamb seemingly as big as themselves. Over the last millennium, the breed has fine-tuned its adaptation to Icelandic conditions of just hay and pasture, and has now what we have come to treasure in the modern farming world; true "Grass Based Genetics". This is the breed for homesteaders, natural or organic farmers, and any one else who wants to raise healthy, natural meat for the modern consumer.
Superior Maternal Traits - Attentive, protective, heavy milking.
The Icelandic breed really shines during lambing season. The Icelandic ewe is all that you would want to mother and raise your lambs. She claims her lambs, helps them to find the udder, milks generously, and keeps the lambs out of the weather and out of harms way. She can tend triplets without intervention. An experienced mother can have her lambs nursing even before they are up on all four feet.
Lambing season is busy enough without the added burden of ewes who won't do their job, but you won't find that a problem with Icelandic ewes!
Fast Growing Lambs - Reach market weight off of pasture.
Lambs reach a slaughter weight of 70-100 lbs. right off of fall pasture, without fall grain to "finish"; nor is creep feed required. With continued access to quality pasture, market lambs can be slaughtered off the field all fall. Rams and ewes reach sexual maturity quickly; rams can breed starting at five months, ewe lambs may breed at six or seven months.
Premium Spinner's Fleece - Soft, lustrous, multi-colored.
Source of the world famous lopi yam, the Icelandic fleece is dual-coated and comes in a rich variety of colors, from snow white to a rich tan often called "Antique Linen", ranging the full spectrum of grays from soft pearly gray, through a lovely silver-blue, medium gray, slate, and nearly black, to a true jet black that is hard to find in other breeds. And of course the beautiful moorits; taupe, smoky brown, chestnut and brownish-black.
The dual nature of the Icelandic fleece lends it to a rich variety of fiber arts. Depending on the fleece chosen, and the method of its preparation, the end result can be a baby's sweater, mittens, socks, warp yarn, sweaters, fine purses, embroidery thread, horse blankets or lace-work shawls.
Excellent Foraging Abilities - Browsers as well as grazers.
Goat-like in their ability to eat almost anything green, Icelandics will spread out and utilize even marginal pastures efficiently. They are excellent at clearing brush and overgrown pastures. While they can subsist on marginal pasture, given good or excellent graze, the Icelandic will truly excel.
Naturally Short Tails - No docking required. No danger of prolapse due to over-short tails.
Crossbred lambs will have a tail intermediate in length between the two parents; some shepherds will find this short enough to leave undocked.
Grass-based Genetics - 1,000 years in Iceland without grain.
Iceland's growing season is too short and too cool to allow the cultivation of grains. Historically, Icelandic shepherds flushed their breeding ewes on only hay or stockpiled pasture, and the lambs grew to market weight over the short Icelandic summer on pasture alone. Over a millennium's time, ewes who couldn't lactate twins off the mountain pastures, or who were susceptible to pregnancy disease during the winter, were either culled, or died out. As a response to their harsh environment, Icelandic sheep have developed a large and extremely efficient rumen. Modern farming in Iceland has added fish meal to their diet, allowing for multiple births and easy lambing.
Lean Carcass - Light tasting meat, tender, fine-grained carcass.
Icelandic lamb is light and delicious - recognized throughout the world as a gourmet meat. With their ability to reach market weight on pasture alone, Icelandic lamb is "a natural" for organic or naturally-raised farm operations. Recent research is showing that meat produced off of hay and pasture - no grain - is rich in the healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Educated consumers are increasingly searching out grass-fed meats.
Manageable Medium Size - Ewes 120 to 160 lbs., Rams 150 to 200 lbs.
An easy size to work, the Icelandic sheep can be handled by a single shepherd. Ewes and market lambs will not "eat you out of house and home".
Hardy, Long-lived - Ewes can live and be productive into their teens.
Again, due to the intense selective pressure over the last century in Iceland, the Icelandic ewe is hardy, healthy and built to last. The dual-coated fleece is the ideal protection from all sorts of weather; the long outer coat sloughs off the wind, rain or snow, and the soft inner coat serves as insulation. Icelandics also have a well developed weather sense. There is anecdotal evidence that the Icelandic ewe is resistant to pregnancy disease. The Icelandic has a strong and reactive immune system and a strong will to live. They will truly be your partner is maintaining a healthy, strong flock.
Strong Lively Lambs - Newborns nurse unassisted within minutes of birth.
Icelandic lambs are born small and lively. Their smaller size and narrow, triangular head, results in an easier birth than in many breeds. The lambs are sturdy and are usually nursing before the birth of the next lamb. Crossbred lambs will show the vigor of their Icelandic blood and are up and nursing before the rest of the field. An experienced mother can have her lamb nursing before he is even up on all four feet.
Horned or Polled - Ewes or rams are either horned or polled.
Horns are not a sex-linked trait in the Icelandic breed. Horns have an economic value for buttons, knife handles, or masks, or left on the skull, are sought after as collector's pieces.
High Value Pelts - Soft, silky, beautiful, colorful and rare, Icelandic pelts sell well and demand a premium value. The pelt from a meat lamb can return as much income to the farmer as will the carcass.
AI Sire Descriptions || Breeding Ewe Flock
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