Breed Stock, Dairy, Meat and Fiber
Icelandic sheep are a true triple purpose breed. They are prolific milk producers and grow wonderful fiber for hand spinning, felting, knitting, and weaving. These sheep are among the most gourmet of all breeds with a lean, mildly flavored meat. Icelandic sheep are proficient foragers and do well on spring/summer/fall pasture with hay fed during the winter. They require little to no grain and are cold climate hardy making them very well suited to our long winters here in the Gallatin Valley. I shear twice a year, once in the spring before lambing and once in the fall before the weather changes.
Routine Care of Icelandic Sheep
Icelandic sheep are hardy and fun to raise. They require strong fencing, a reliable shelter or wind break, protection from predators, quality forage, and a variety of minerals and salt to maintain maximum health. My flock's diet consists of grass/alfalfa hay and pasture grass when available. I offer my sheep a free choice mineral mix formulated for goats in Montana (because I have found my sheep need the higher copper content in this mix although most commercial breeds of sheep are very susceptible to copper toxicity), iodized salt, dicalcium phosphorous, and organic kelp. I vaccinate the lambs at 4-8 weeks of age for tetanus and clostridium types C and D. Each lamb receives a booster one month later. The rest of the flock receives a C, D and T booster four weeks before lambing. Because we are so selenium deficient in the Gallatin Valley I give the lambs a dose of Bo-Se when born and the adults a dose each fall. Hooves need to be trimmed every few months to ensure proper growth and to promote structural soundness.
I test all new sheep new to Hyalite farm for OPP, CL, and B. abortus (rams). I test animals over 2 years of age for Johnne's disease and Hazel was negative in the fall of 2010. The others are too young to test. I use the FAMACHA system to estimate the degree of anemia possibly caused by the barber pole (haemonchus) worm and track worm burdens through fecal tests. Haemonchus is one of the most common causes of anemia (leading to death) in sheep and goats around the world. I copper bolus with Copasure copper oxide rods to deter this parasite and my sheep are dewormed if their parasite load is unacceptably heavy. One of my priorities breeding these Icelandic sheep is to select replacement ewes and rams that carry natural resistance to parasites. As with my goat program, I strive to maintain optimal herd health through balancing natural management techniques with the occasional need for appropriate pharmaceutical intervention.
I test all new sheep new to Hyalite farm for OPP, CL, and B. abortus (rams). I test animals over 2 years of age for Johnne's disease and Hazel was negative in the fall of 2010. The others are too young to test. I use the FAMACHA system to estimate the degree of anemia possibly caused by the barber pole (haemonchus) worm and track worm burdens through fecal tests. Haemonchus is one of the most common causes of anemia (leading to death) in sheep and goats around the world. I copper bolus with Copasure copper oxide rods to deter this parasite and my sheep are dewormed if their parasite load is unacceptably heavy. One of my priorities breeding these Icelandic sheep is to select replacement ewes and rams that carry natural resistance to parasites. As with my goat program, I strive to maintain optimal herd health through balancing natural management techniques with the occasional need for appropriate pharmaceutical intervention.
Disclaimer
**Please note that my thoughts on maintaining flock health pertain only to my own flock. My comments are not general medical advice. Please consult your own veterinarian when making decisions regarding your flock's unique health requirements!