Breeds of Eyjafjörður
Iceland's main dairy valley, home of a cattle breed kept isolated since the Norse settlers brought it more than a thousand years ago.
Breeds of this place
Best time: June to August, the short summer.
Eyjafjörður is a long fjord in the north of Iceland, with Akureyri at its head and farms along its green shores. It is one of Iceland's main dairy regions. Icelandic cattle came with the Norse settlers in the ninth and tenth centuries and have been kept almost entirely apart from other cattle ever since, making them one of the most isolated breeds in Europe.
Icelandic cattle
Icelandic cattle are small and come in many colours and patterns, from red and black to brindle and spotted. Most are hornless. They are kept for milk, which becomes skyr, butter and cheese. Strict rules on imports have long protected them from outside diseases, and the breed's closest relatives are old Norwegian breeds.
Farming in the north
Cattle are kept indoors through the long winter, eating hay cut in the short summer. In summer they graze the home fields. Farms around Eyjafjörður supply milk to the dairy at Akureyri. Visitors can stay on working farms and see the cows close up.
A trail idea for Eyjafjörður
- Akureyri The town at the head of the fjord.
- Eyjafjörður farms Dairy farms along the fjord's shores.
- Goðafoss A great waterfall east of Akureyri.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Akureyri" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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