Icelandic Sheep Color Genetics

Learn how the basic color, pattern and spotting genes determine the fleece color of Icelandic sheep. See pictures and explanations of the six patterns and how they combine with the base color of black or brown. Learn how the basic color, pattern and spotting genes determine the fleece color of Icelandic sheep.

See examples of different combinations of genes and how they affect the appearance of the sheep. There are three factors that influence the fleece color in Icelandic Sheep. They are (B) The Basic Color gene, (A) The Pattern Gene and (S) The Spotting Gene.

All Icelandic sheep inherit 1 gene for each factor from each parent, receiving 6 in total. Learn how to identify and record the appearance of Icelandic sheep using a code based on color, pattern, and spotting traits. Understand the inheritance of these traits using high school genetics and Punnett squares.

Learn how the Icelandic sheep breed has six patterns, two colours and two spotting factors that determine its wonderful variations of appearance. See examples of different combinations of genes and how they affect the sheep's appearance. Learn about the rare and elusive Grey-Mouflon single gene pattern in Icelandic sheep, discovered by Stefán Aðalsteinsson in 1970.

See photos of the unusual markings and characteristics of the lambs sired by Hnykill, a white ram with grey. Since the focus of the AI station is meat production, color genetics is of less importance and errors were sometimes made in in describing the color genetics of a ram as in "carries all colors" or "produces lambs of all colors" (the AI station SOUTHRAM now accurately describes the color genetics of their rams) Hnykill's color genetics. The colors of Icelandic sheep are inherited in a similar way to those of other sheep, but they display more variety in color and pattern than most other breeds, and there are some variations not seen in other sheep.

Each sheep carries three genes that affect the color of the sheep, and for each gene, there are dominant and recessive alleles. Each lamb will receive one allele from each parent. Although you can look over a field of Icelandic sheep and see an apparently infinite range of colours, the genetics which determine which colour a sheep will be are quite straightforward.

There are only two colours, black or moorit (brown). Black is the dominant colour, so a black sheep may carry two black genes, or one black and one moorit. At Sunrise Sheep & Wool we have been studying the genetics of colors and patterns in Icelandic sheep for the past few years.

To aid us in our breeding program, we have prepared the following keys to the sometimes confusing world of genetic codes. Brent Nelson is the genetic specialist on our farm, who prepared these keys, and who finds the world of Icelandic genetics to be fascinating. In.