Bird Creek Ranch Icelandic Sheep
History / Physical Characteristics / Temperament / Meat Production / Wool Production /
Other Products

Why did we choose Icelandic Sheep for Bird Creek Ranch?

In the 1920's and 30's, Suffolks grazed here. However, when we began looking at sheep or goats to help us with weed control, we discovered Icelandics. We liked the range of advantages they offered.

These sheep are are a triple-purpose breed that can be used for meat, fiber, as well as milk -- all high value products for speciality markets.

History Icelandic Sheep may be the oldest and purest domesticated sheep breed still alive today. They are related to North European Short Tailed sheep such as the Finnsheep, Gotland, Shetlands, Romanovs, and Swedish Landrace breeds.  All are descendents of the sheep that dominated the British Isles in the 8th and 9th centuries. Early Viking settlers between 874-1100 a.d. brought the breed to Iceland.  The breed has remainedrelatively unchanged through the centuries. Early cross-breeding attempts  eventually were culled subsequently culled, and it became illegal to import sheep into Iceland. Breed improvement has been accomplished through selective breeding within the breed itself. Icelandic sheep were brought to North America in the late 1980s. Further information about the breed is available form the Icelandic Sheep Breeders of America. Return to Top

Temperament

• Do not flock, instead trailing one behind the other. 
• Tend to spread out when grazing, making them good users of  pasture.
• Are good browsers and seem to enjoy eating brush and native grasses.
• Rams can be aggressive, usually during the breeding season. 
• Are alert and fast, but when they get to know their owner, they are quite friendly. In fact, they can be called home with a whistle.
• Are excellent mothers, lambing in the pastures and producing active lambs. 

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Physical Characteristics  Are medium-sized, with ewes weighing 135 to 160 pounds and the rams weighing from 200 to 220 pounds.  Have open faces, legs, and udders, and can be either polled or horned. Have naturally short tails, eliminating the need for docking.  Have excellent conformation as a meat breed.  Have a high lambing rate, being reliable twinners and sometimes having triplets. Mature early with ewes lambing at 12 months of age, and ram lambs able to breed around 7 months old. Lambs are born small, making lambing easy. Long life expectancy, with some ewes lambing until they are 12 to 14 years old in Iceland. Have "grass-based" genetics and are thrifty. Since Iceland is not a grain-producing area, The sheep have survived and thrived through the centuries on grass alone. Return to the Top

Meat Production

• Famous for gourmet meat. In Iceland, more than 80% of the income from these sheep can be credited to meat production.
• Fast-maturing lambs. On pasture, they will reach 80 to 90 pounds in 4 to 5 months, when they are weaned.
• Bird Creek Ranch slaughter lambs are not creep fed, but come straight off of pasture.
• Dressing percentage is about 45%.
• Meat has an excellent flavor. 

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Wool Production

• Have soft, dual-coated fleeces. 
• Fine inner coat called Thel that provides loft and warmth, is downy and lustrously soft.
• Long, coarser outercoat called Tog (sometimes as long as 12 to 16 inches) sheds rain and dirt and is similar to mohair (wavy rather than crimpy). 
• Fleeces are not very greasy and weigh 4 to 5 pounds.
• Long fiber and the openness of the wool make it a favorite of handspinners.
• Many natural colors and patterns make dying unecessary. Wool varies in color from snowy white through shades of gray and brown to pitch black with mouflon and badgerface patterns also available.
• Wool is a delight to hand spin, and the two coats can be separated easily. The two coats can be spun separately or together (which makes a beautiful worsted). The famous "Lopi" yarn is made of 100% Icelandic wool, and the wool is also one of the best wools for felting. 

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Other Products 

• Pelts make beautifully soft rugs and throws.
• Pelts have relatively few hair follicles and can be used by the fashion clothing industry because they look and feel like luxurious fur.
• Have gracefully shaped curved horns, which can be used for jewelry, buttons, or horns for historical reenactments.

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