14 
Bulls and 
Cows and oxen more One year 
alved heifers than one year old olds 
2 £49 
Calves 
1871 
1880 
i830 . 5 oeg 
1900 . 6741 
1910 . . 17843 
1920 . . 16936 
928 , . 21083 
963 1987 2909 
140 2450 3238 
'188 2911 4 396 
729 2520 3312 
982 3063 4 895 
Total 
19 111% 
21 006* 
20 $47 
23569 
26338 
23497 
30 023 
The Icelandic breed of cattle is very heterogeneous, both as regards 
size, colour, and yield. From the colonization down to the present day 
little has been done to improve this stock by means of rational 
breeding. The milking capacity of the Icelandic breed is better than its 
meat-producing capacity. The average annual milk-production per cow 
is estimated at 2400 kilogrammes, while a few may vield as much as 
5000 kg per year. So far as examined the fatty contents of the milk 
have in most cases amounted to from 31/2 to 4 per cent. 
Compared with the number of population, horses are much more 
numerous in Iceland than in any other European country, or about 
one to every two persons. In the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia, 
and Esthonia) and in Russia, which come next after Iceland in this re- 
spect, the number of horses does not amount to more than one to 
every 4—5 persons. One of the reasons why horses are so numerous 
in Iceland is to be found in the fact that they have until quite lately 
been the almost only means of communication between ‘the different 
parts of the country, and are still largely employed both as saddle 
horses, and beasts of burden and draught. In some districts horses 
are also reared for export. 
The Icelandic horse is small-sized, from 130—144 cm. in height, 
and rather shaggy; they do not require much fodder, are wonder- 
fully persevering and sure-footed, and very keen-sighted. 
The number of horses has been steadily increasing during the past 
fifty vears: 
*) Calves are not included in these figures.