YOUR
ANIMALS COMPARE?
The "Icelandic Breed Standard" we have all seen in the ISBONA newsletter and the canadian registry newsletter gives what are acceptable attributes in the Icelandic sheep, but how do you translate that into evaluating just how good the animal is that is standing in front of you? You can't. There is a huge difference between that which is merely acceptible, that which is excellent, and that which is superb. It seems to me that most of us in America are content to merely have these sheep, or sell them and make money, but are not making it a priority to develop the finest specimens genetically possible. (That is the goal of Northern Maine Icelandics, by the way!) The Icelander's breeding goals are to develop the musculature of their breed, while selecting animals that are genetically lean, (not lean because they have been fed less food!) In the American domestic lamb market the flavor of the meat ranges from decent to outright objectionable, you have to cut through lots of fat to get to the meat, and it's usually the imported lamb that tastes good! I'm sure at the grocery store you have looked the cuts of beef steak over, picked the one with less fat on it and when your child who was shopping with you asked "why did you pick that one?" You probably said "because there is less fat on it...I'll get more for my money!" We as Icelandic sheep breeders have a superb, light-flavored and tender sheep, and we have a highly organized and very scientifically oriented support crew in Iceland ready and eager to help us improve our animals and encourage us to promote them, but first we need to be made aware of just what "excellent" is, and how to evaluate our own animals. With this article I hope to provide those who are interested with a way to compare their own animals with what we saw and learned in Iceland. Maybe these pictures can serve until more of you have actually travelled to Iceland and learned how to select for the attributes most needed to improve your own flock.
If we are to succeed with this breed, we need to do more than propagandize it's considerable merits, we need to think and act more like a team. A team, or a group of any kind needs to have it's own standard which it uses for it's members to be able to evaluate and critique one another to promote improvement. The Icelandic scoring system should be that standard. If we can all get "on the same page" with regard to our standard of quality and our goals, we will go far in establishing the Icelandic in the premium breed status that it rightfully should enjoy.
Right after shearing this spring, while they are still clean, take pictures of your own animals trying to duplicate the positions and distances of these pictures, and compare to see how they measure up. You will probably be surprised...we all tend to think more highly of our own animals than may be warranted!!
