The practice of marking sheep by cutting notches into their ears may soon become optional in Iceland, Bændablaðið reports. Earmarking sheep and goats is required by law in Iceland, though most Icelandic sheep are now also tagged with plastic or metal plates on their ears. The legislative change is proposed on the basis of animal […]
While social distancing prevents Icelanders from attending concerts these days, lambs born on Maria Weiss and Magnús Erlendsson’s farm in South Iceland get to hear live music every day. Maria is a violinist and plays for the newborns daily while attending to her duties in the sheepcote. “At this time of year you’re in the […]
There are fewer sheep in Iceland now than there have been for 40 years, Bændablaðið reports. At the end of 2019, there were a total of 415,949 sheep in the country and 1,471 goats. By contrast, at the end of 1980, there were 50.3% more sheep in Iceland, or 827,927. At the end of 1985, […]
Police have dropped charges against farmers in Gautavík, East Iceland who are cultivating industrial hemp, RÚV reports. The plant is derived from a strain of Cannabis sativa, which contains low concentrations of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. As such, the crops were reported to police by the Icelandic Medicines Agency as being in […]
The first shipment of Icelandic lamb was exported to China this week, RÚV reports. Björn Víkingur Björnsson, CEO of Fjallalamb Ltd, says the meat was well received, which bodes well for increased export opportunities in the near future. Icelandic lamb producer Fjallalamb is the first and, so far, only company to have been granted a […]
A herd of cows at Hvanneyri farm managed to open the door to their cowshed earlier this week, slipping out for a night-time romp in the snow. As the weather worsened, the herd returned to the shed, where they were found the morning after safe and sound. Hoofprints and tracking devices painted a clear picture […]
A poultry company and a research organisation have put forth a new use for chicken feathers: feed for pigs, domestic pets, fish, and other animals. RÚV reports that Matís, a government-owned, independent research firm, and Reykjagarður ehf., the company behind the Holta poultry product brand, have published a report which concludes that chicken feathers are […]
Technology is playing an increasingly large role in the Icelandic farming and agriculture landscape, RÚV reports. According to Sigtryggur Veigar Herbertsson, a consultant with the Icelandic Agricultural Advisory Centre (RML), farmers around the country have already started making use of such technological innovations as automated milking machines, GPS trackers on sheep, and self-driving tractors. Automated […]
The village of Bolungarvík in Northwest Iceland welcomed its two newest residents last night: a pair of piglets. Vísir reports that the animals have been brought in with the hopes that they will help to root out the glut of wild chervil that has been plaguing the local environment. This is an experimental project that […]
Iceland’s sole mushroom farmer produces 11 tonnes of mushrooms per week, but this is still not enough to meet domestic demand for the tasty fungi. Vísir reports that the popularity of keto and vegan diets among Icelanders has led to dramatic increase in the consumption of locally grown mushrooms. Flúðasveppir (‘Flúðir Mushrooms,’ named for the […]
