Icelandic sheep
The history of Icelandic sheep
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Icelandic sheep belong to the Northern Short-Tailed group of sheep. They were taken to Iceland by the Vikings, who colonised the island between 870 and 930 AD. Genetically they are the same today as they were 1100 years ago, and are one of the oldest and purest domesticated breeds of sheep in the world today.
They are a primitive breed, and still show many of the characteristics of wild sheep, with their dual coat that is moulted and often coloured. They differ from British primitive sheep in that over the centuries they have become larger, and can be more docile. Icelandic sheep have remained rare in the UK since being imported here for breeding purposes in 1979.
The uses for Icelandic sheep
Icelandic sheep can provide meat, milk, coloured wool and skins. They will happily clear rough grazing land. In the UK they are kept mainly for the coloured wool, meat, and for the sale of pure breeding stock.
The fleece of Icelandic sheep
The fleece of Icelandic sheep has two distinct layers that can be separated. There is a soft undercoat (thel) with long outer hairs (tog) growing through. The thel can be spun into soft yarn and made into garments. The tog can then be worsted spun and used effectively for weaving.
The fleece is excellent for felting. There is a considerable range of fleece colours. Patterns include
- spectacles
- large patches of colour
- darker dorsal stripes
- mouflon
- badgerface
Technical information about the fleece
- Staple length: Undercoat 6 cms. Outercoat 21 cms.
- Bradford count 46–70
- Micron measurement 80–12
- Weight 2-3 Kgs
Breed Society