How to Raise Reindeer

By eHow Pets Editor

Instructions

Step 1:
Provide your herd with enough space to forage in summer and winter. Reindeer are adapted to cold climates and will dig through the snow for lichen, but they need enough of it all winter to be ready to nurse in the spring. Likewise, they need enough green leaves and grasses in the summer to prepare for rutting in the fall.
Step 2:
Supplement with hay or grain if your pasture is inadequate. Reindeer require 2.1 percent of their body weight in dry matter normally and 4.7 percent during lactation or growth periods.
Step 3:
Find a veterinarian and keep up with the herd's preventative care. Vaccinating and deworming can prevent problems from developing. Also, be sure that your vet is usually within one hour's distance from your farm and that she doesn't plan her vacations during calving seasons.
Step 4:
Spend time with your animals every day. This will make them tame and easy to handle if ever an emergency arises. Make sure the calves get used to people early.
Step 5:
Consider bottle-feeding newborns after they've received colostrum from their mothers. This will ensure that you have very tame animals and is especially useful if you plan to lease them or sell them for Christmas events.
Step 6:
Separate the bulls you don't want to breed into pens before the cows begin to cycle. This will keep the females safe and the bulls' antlers injury-free if you intend to harvest them. You can keep the bulls together in the same pen as long as they are far enough away from cycling females.
Step 7:
Breed selectively. Six bulls are all you need for every 100 females, so make sure that you use the very best bulls in your herd.

Tips & Warnings

Females will cycle sooner and males will grow better antlers in a low-stress, high-nutrition environment.
You must bottle-feed calves that have been rejected by their mothers for any reason.

Resources

Resources for reindeer raisers.

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