The Icelandic Canadian - 01.04.2007, Page 18

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 61 #1
ducing country due to the climate, and the
breed has survived through its thousand
year history on pasture and hay. The ewes
are supplemented with fish meal when
pregnant and most ewe lambs here in
North America are supplemented with
some protein especially when pregnant.
On good grass, meat lambs can be slaugh-
tered directly off the pasture at 5-6
months of age. The most eye-catching
aspect of the breed is the variation of
colours and patterns. Genetically,
Icelandics have one of two base colours
either black or moorit (brown). They
exhibit 5 pattern combinations, white,
gray, badgerface, mouflon and solid.
Individual sheep may also display various
shades of these colours/patterns, ranging
from white, cream, light gray, tan,
caramel, milk chocolate, silver, dark
chocolate, dark gray, to jet black. A spot-
ting gene adds even more combinations
with many recognized and named pat-
terns of white markings.
Ewes and lambs. Note the variety of colours
and patterns
Meat production
Though famous throughout the
world for wool production, the Icelandic
breed is predominately grown for meat in
Iceland. Since the cool and wet climate
precludes the production of most grains in
Iceland, the breed has been selected to
bring the meat lambs to slaughter weight,
off the summer and fall pastures.
Icelandics are very adaptable, and can be
handled in a variety of management plans.
In Iceland, they are free ranging in the
mountains with no intervention by shep-
herds for several months in the summer.
In spring and fall they graze the home
fields of the farms, and in winter are
housed in sheep barns. In North America,
most Icelandics are kept as farm flocks.
This has positioned the Icelandic breed to
fit well in the move towards grass-based
farming, enabling “natural” and organic
farmers to utilize the Icelandic breed. As
meat consumers increasingly recognize
the health benefits of grass fed meats, and
as economic pressures drive our farmers
toward grass-based businesses, the genet-
ics of the Icelandic breed become increas-
ingly valuable to our sheep industry. The
Icelandic breed is considered a mountain
breed, and historically mountain breeds
have been milder in flavour, and leaner
than the lowland breeds. The meat is
indeed very tender with a mild flavour,
and is generally described as gourmet
meat. With the leaner, European style car-
cass, and the mild flavour, Icelandic lamb
can appeal to the palate of even those con-
sumers who avow they "just don't like
lamb." With the combination of the eco-
nomic and market advantages of grass fed
farming, and with the appeal of the deli-
cious flavor, the Icelandic breed is a natur-
al for direct-to-consumer marketing.
Fiber
The Icelandic sheep produces a pre-
mium fleece. The fleece is dual coated,
with a fine, soft undercoat called thel and
a longer, coarser outer coat called tog. The
tog fiber grows to a length of 6-8" in six
months. It is lustrous, strong, water- and
wear-resistant, and sheds off the rain and
weather. Thel is the soft downy undercoat
growing to a length of 2-4". The thel pro-
vides the loft for the outer coat and insu-
lation for the sheep. Tog grows from the
primary hair follicles and the thel from the
secondary follicles. The combination of
the two fibers on the sheep gives superb
protection from the cold and wet.
Icelandic fleeces are open and low in lano-
lin. The weight loss when washed is sig-
nificantly less than many other breeds.
The average adult yearly fleece total
weighs 4-7 lbs. Producers often shear their