Icelandic cattle (Icelandic: íslenskur nautgripur [ˈistlɛnskʏr ˈnœiːtˌkrɪːpʏr̥]) are a breed of cattle native to Iceland. Cattle were first brought to the island during the Settlement of Iceland a thousand years ago. Icelandic cows are an especially colorful breed with a wide variety of colours and markings.

Wild mammals in Iceland include the Arctic Fox, mink, mice, rats, rabbits and reindeer. Polar bears occasionally visit the island, traveling on icebergs from Greenland. Icelandic waters are rich with marine life, including seals, whales, dolphins and over three hundred species of fish.

The principal crops have been hay, potatoes and other root vegetables. Cultivation of other crops, such as barley and oats, has increased rapidly in the last 10 years and they are now becoming one of the staples. Vegetables and flowers are mainly cultivated in greenhouses heated with geothermal water and steam (1).

The Icelandic cattle are found on the island of Iceland in the North Atlantic Ocean. They originated from cattle brought from Norway during the settlement of Iceland in the 10th century. It´s a dual-purpose breed and a very small one, total Icelandic cattle stock counts only 75,000 including 30,000 lactating cows.

The Vikings kept many of the domestic animals that we are familiar with today. A typical Viking household in an agricultural area possessed cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats. In addition, there were hens, geese and ducks. The Vikings got the most out of their domestic animals.

Icelandic cattle

Yes, traditional Icelandic Skyr is made from skimmed cow’s milk – so that’s exactly how we make Arla Skyr, staying true to the traditions that have given Skyr its reputation over the years.

Icelanders will tell you that true, Icelandic skyr is not actually yogurt at all but instead, it’s categorized as a cheese. Traditionally, skyr involves heating skim milk and then adding old skyr cultures. Curds will form and then the whey is drained for many hours until there’s a thick, sour skyr.

Skyr is the traditional yogurt of Iceland that has been made for over 1,000 years. It is a strained non-fat yogurt. It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures. Then the whey, the water naturally found in milk, is strained away to make for a much thicker, creamier and concentrated yogurt.

Skyr’s live and active cultures may help maintain digestive health, boost the immune system, prevent yeast infections and lower bad cholesterol. Since it’s made from skim milk, it’s always nonfat. Skyr is frequently compared to Greek yogurt, but it’s thicker, creamier and boasts more protein and less sugar.

skim milk

Skyr is a naturally fat-free product, although sometimes cream is added during processing, which can increase its fat content. It also contains more protein than many other types of dairy, with about 11 grams of protein per 3.6 ounces (100 grams) (1).

Like other dairy products Ísey skyr is good for pregnant women, similar as for the general population. In most national recommendations it is advised to consume 2-3 portions of dairy products daily. It could be considered suitable that one of these portions is skyr.

Though phosphorus is a natural part of aquatic ecosystems, too much of it can be damaging. Large-scale contamination can decrease the oxygen in a body of water, killing marine life and allowing algae and bacteria to proliferate. In Iceland there are three dairy manufacturers that produce skyr.

The amount of sugar in plain skyr ranges by brand, but is still comparatively low next to leading yogurts, varying from three grams of sugar to six grams of sugar per six ounce container. That’s more than half the amount of sugar compared to other plain yogurts.

Which is better? While the two are very similar nutritionally speaking, skyr is usually more suited to those who find Greek yoghurt a little too tangy, and for those watching fat content skyr is the better option.

Skyr is rich in probiotic cultures, which may promote gut health by boosting the healthy bacterial flora that help your body battle illness and absorb nutrients. Our Skyr contains between 15 and 17 grams of protein and only 1.5% fat per serving.