In this blog, I will tell you about the three breeds of sheep we raise here on our farm. Ask me about my sheep. I won’t stop talking and you will be forced to run away from me to avoid my chatter. Just kidding, but I do love my sheep! They are beautiful, fascinating, lovely animals that sometimes can drive you crazy!

I raise three breeds of sheep: Icelandic, Gotland, and Katahdin. Our Icelandics and Gotlands are fleece producing sheep and need to be sheared twice a year, in the spring and fall. The third breed is the Katahdin, a hair sheep, which is self-shedding and needs no shearing, somewhat like a big furry dog. All three have their own special qualities and characteristics. Having three breed groups takes a bit of juggling, however.

Icelandic Sheep

Icelandic sheep were the first breed of sheep we chose to raise when we started our farm. They are a very hearty and versatile breed, with a history dating back to over a thousand years ago. They were brought to Iceland in the 9th century and still carry some of those ancient qualities that were bred out of other domestic sheep. They are a short tail breed, with wool free faces and legs and are considered a mid sized breed They are beautiful sheep with barrel bellies and slender, short legs that makes them look like they have just finished Thanksgiving dinner. Ours are horned but they can also be found as polled (no horns). I find the horns make good handles when you need to catch them, however.

Icelandic Fleece

Icelandic fleece is an amazing product that we harvest at the end of the grazing season and again in the spring before going back on pasture. We shear our Icelandics both for their comfort, as well as the beautiful yarns, rovings and other products that we make from their fiber. It is truly a premium fiber consisting of two distinct coats. The inner coat, called thel, is downy soft, and is great for use in baby garments or other close-to-the skin projects. It has a micron count (the measurement used to express the diameter of wool fiber) of 19-22 and a growing length of 2-4 inches. The outer fiber is call the tog and is similar to a mohair, with a micron count of 27-30 and a growing length of 6-8 inches. It is strong and water resistant.

The two coats can be hand separated or processed together. The traditional lopi yarn is made by lightly spinning the two blended together.( Lopi is the yarn used in making the traditional Icelandic sweaters.)The wool is so versatile! It is a dream to spin, easy to felt, and just plain warm and wonderful! It also comes in many beautiful, natural colors; shades of brown, white, and gray, but can also be dyed to any color.

Gotland Sheep

My Gotland sheep are a relatively new endeavor for me. I became enamored by them when I saw an article in Sheep magazine about Anette Skoogs and her Gotland sheep (Sheep! Magazine March/April 2018). Her sheep skin engravings are done in the traditional Swedish style and are just amazing! Who knew that the Gotlands also have a personality more like your pet dog, than a sheep! Such a find!

Gotlands are another short tailed Northern European sheep breed, like the Icelandics. They originated on the Swedish island of Gotland. The Vikings brought Karakul and Romanov sheep back from Russia to the island and crossed them with the landrace sheep. They took them on their long voyages and made good use of the meat and pelts. The Gotland is also distantly related to the Icelandic breed. In Sweden the breed is referred to as the Gotland Peltsheep and their pelts have long been prized for their softness, long wool,warmth & suppleness.

Gotland Fleece

Gotland sheep produce a fleece very unlike the Icelandic sheep fleece. It has a long staple and is lustrous with very little of an undercoat. Considered a fine wool, typically being between 29-34 microns, it has as a silky texture to it. The wool from the lambs can be even finer, having a micron diameter in the low to mid 20’s. The feel is very light when just off the sheep, but when it is spun, it is dense, and heavy with a “halo”, somewhat like a mohair, but softer. It is more difficult to spin than the Icelandic wool because of It’s silkiness. However, it makes a beautiful yarn and is perfect for many garments and other projects. Like the Icelandic wool, it can also be used in felting projects.

Katahdin Sheep

So now we come to the only breed of sheep that I raise that do not have a fleece, our Katahdins. I like to call them my easy care sheep. No shearing at all, just hoof trimming a couple of times a year. We raise these beautiful sheep for breed stock to go to other farms, and for meat. They are extremely parasite resistant as well as hardy in both the winter cold and the summer heat. The breed is hornless and comes in many different colors. Their coats are like a polar bear’s in the winter and then they shed out in summer. Perfect!

As you can see, all three breeds of sheep add something unique and wonderful to our farm!
To learn more,visit our website:

http://www.highridgemeadowsfarm.com//portfolio/sheep