About Icelandic Sheep

Icelandic Sheep are one of the oldest and purest breeds of sheep in North America.  Brought to Iceland by early Viking settlers from Norway, modern Icelandic sheep are direct descendants of these Norse sheep. Icelandic sheep are a hardy and adaptive breed able to live in most climates and in a variety of management systems.  Here in North America they thrive on grass based farms rarely eating grain or dry lot situations where they are fed daily.  Icelandic sheep are a triple purpose sheep, bred for their meat, milk and wool.  

 

They come in many colors and are medium sized with stocky bodies and wooless legs and faces.  They can be polled or have horns.  Until 30 - 35 years ago there were very few Icelandic sheep outside of Iceland. Stefania Sveinbjarnardottir-Dignum imported the first Icelandic flock from her homeland of Iceland to Canada. Since then the breed has become popular in North America especially since she was able to import breeding stock to the United States.