We raise Icelandic sheep. All of our flock is registered through the Canadian Sheep Breeders' Association. Each was selected for its excellent conformation, wonderful fleece, and superb genetics. We are members of ISBONA (Icelandic Sheep Breeders Association of North America). We are enrolled in the Scrapie Flock Certification Program (enrollment date May 31, 2005).
We are approaching year 5 with our flock and it is time to assess our initial goals, as well as our goals for the future. When we decided to raise these beautiful creatures, we set a goal of 5 years to make a profit. We will achieve that goal this year. It has taken that long to get our land cleared, begin pasture improvements, set up paddock rotation, and get our equipment in place.
So what about our goals for the future? We know that heat and parasite resistance is critical. We are also very interested in breeding for the absolute best fleece quality possible. We will work toward these goals over the next 5-10 years with selective breeding and strict culling. We review our animal health records regularly and base our culling/breeding decisions on the history of the individual animal. In addition, we know that we must give great attention to pasture improvements and vitamin/mineral balance. We will begin seeding pasture again this fall to include Sericea Lespedeza and Chicory. Both are considered helpful with parasites and general animal health. We are learning all possible about more natural solutions for treating sheep and recognize the importance of reducing the use of chemical dewormers long term.
Over the past 5 years, we have come to love the fiber aspect of this breed and want to establish ourselves strongly in this segment of the Icelandic market. With our first yarn back from the woolen mill, we are realizing great potential for all we can produce. We would also like to consider possibly setting up a co-op for other Icelandic producers who do not have time/interest in the fiber.
There is much work still to be done, but oh, we’ve come a long way.
Why Icelandics?
After almost a year of research, we came full circle to the breed we were initially drawn to in the beginning. Of all the sheep breeds, Icelandics have the most striking appearance and the variety of colors intrigued us. We looked at many different breeds, talked with numerous breeders locally and around the U.S. and read all we could get our hands on. At the end of our search, we could find nothing but positives on this old breed (over 1100 years!) and felt strongly that Icelandics were the right choice for our farm. Below are the major reasons for our decision.
- 17 different color patterns (truly beautiful animals)
- Multipurpose with unlimited marketing potential (breeding stock, meat, wool, milk, horns)
- Foragers—no supplemental grain required
- Excellent fertility with multiple births (twins) common and triplets frequent
- Easy lambing (lambs are up and nursing within minutes)
- Wonderful mothering instincts
- Rapid growth rate, reaching maturity in only 4-5 months on pasture
- Beautiful multipurpose fiber
- No docking of tails
- Delicate flavored meat
With all these attributes, the choice was easy.