Hi --
I'm a new member and breeder of Icleandic sheep (OK, owner of icelandic sheep -- not ready to sell yet). I just posted a long message about the breed on the February discussion on Icealndics as the sheep of the month -- and then I realized it said FEBRUARY not JUNE. Did I mention that one of the advantages of Icelandics is that they are very forgiving for scatterbrained shepherds like myself. In any case, I want to repeat the post here just because I do love this breed and I wanted, with my lmited knowledge, to clear up a couple of questions that were raised in February. Sorry to be in the wrong month -- but I just found this site and who knows when it will be the Icelandics turn again!
Original post: Hi all --
I'm new to this site, but have Icelandics and love them. What a surprise that they are sheep of the montht he month I joined! I definitely would recommend checking out the ISBONA site if you are interested, they are beautiful. The tongue river site is really good (someone else mentioned that) as is
http://www.mainesheepfarm.com/. This site has some good pictures and a series of articles on raising Icelandics for first time shepherds.
My husband and I are first time shepherds -- we have a herd of 18 now hoping to build it to about 35. These have been wonderful sheep fo us, very hardy, forgiving of our rookie mistakes, great mothers who lambed for us this year unaided, and yielding fabulous wool (I am a spinner). They also have really great personalities -- very funny and clever (watch your fences, sometimes a little too clever).
I want to take exception to a couple things on this thread -- though I am hoping a more experienced breeder might weigh in too. I had not experienced -- nor have I heard in my many conversations with Icleandic breeders (we did a lot of researcher before we started our flock) that Icelandics are more susceptible to worms than other breeds. I think they are about the same: you worm them regularly and you'll be fine -- and I believe, being a primative breed -- they are generally more hardy than most sheep breeds.
Second, someone said the breed suffers from a no cull problem, and I definitely don't think that is true. The breed group, ISBONA, spends a lot of time talking about and encouraging good culling practices, and most of the breeders I know through ISBONA do cull heavily. It is in the interest of all the breeders for the Icelandic breed to be a strong all purpose breed -- and that means culling.
Something I haven't seen mentioned about Icelandics is that they can be artificially inseminated in a much simplier way than most other breeds (for lack of a better word, a turkey baster approach rather than full surgery). This approach works only on Icleandics and some Norweigen breed I've never seen. It has allowed the North American Icleandic stock to be "Refreshed" every year with the absolute best genetics from Icelandic rams. The technique must be learned in a day long seminar (there may be one offered at Rheinbeck this year) and some investment in equipment is needed, but it has meant that the breed in North America is very strong.
Finally, I've never seen a $1000 ewe -- maybe a foundation ram with incredible AI genetics. I haven't even seen a $500 ewe. There's no monetary magic in Icelandics -- the magic is in their great fleeces, meat, and personalities.
For the Western VA potential shepherd, we're in Greenville VA and there is another breeder I know well in Montpelier. If you do get Icelandics, let me know. We have an informal midatlantic branch of ISBONA you might want to get involved with.
Cheers!
Kate and Nick
Green Fence Farm
Greenville, VA
One is half, the other purebred. The owner is a bit concened that the half breed won't have the best wool, but I can always use another felting sheep. Plus I like her build a bit more than the other lamb, she's a bit stouter, got a better leg under her.
