BREEDS AND TYPES OF REINDEER In the Alaska herds there are two general types of reindeer-a long, rangy, big-framed animal and a short, stocky one (pl. 4). The longer, rangy type has finer, longer, more symmetrically branched and harder horns; the shorter has stockier, broader horns, wide at the base and often irregularly branched at the tips. The rangy type of reindeer usually averages heavier and is therefore better for the production of meat. The average full-grown reindeer in Alaska stands 102 to 11 hands high, and measures 52 to 6 feet from nose to tip of tail. The maximum measurements are 12 hands high and 7 feet long. The average dressed weight is about 150 pounds and the maximum 300 pounds. The offal averages 35.1 per cent and the skin 6.4 per cent of the dressed weight, a total of about 41.5 per cent; and the meat or dressed carcass averages 58.5 per cent of the live weight. With a view to the production of a heavier type of reindeer than at present in the herds, experiments in crossing with the large native caribou are being begun on Nunivak Island, where 10 bull caribou have been introduced into the herd of about 500 reindeer held there. Similar experiments will later be carried on at the reindeer station at Fairbanks. The 10 caribou for the Nunivak experiment were captured in the fall of 1924 at Kokrines, on the upper Yukon, where they were staked out for the winter, and the following spring were transported after many hazardous experiences by barge down the Yukon and transshipped to a schooner for the trip to Nunivak. The numerous measurements and weights of reindeer indicate that the animals may be most profitably slaughtered at 3 years of age. The big gains in growth are made from the time of birth to this age, particularly as fawns and yearlings. A fair gain is made between the ages of 2 and 3 years, but while some is made between 3 and 4 it is so slight as to be negligible. Consequently, though not considered fully mature until the age of 4 or 5, reindeer are so nearly full-grown at 3 years that they should be slaughtered for marketing at this age rather than held for a longer period. Observations and measurements also show a color difference depending upon the size of reindeer. The dark colors are superior to the lighter ones, and even in spotted animals reindeer of predominantly darker spots show a superiority over those of lighter shades. White animals are clearly inferior and should be promptly disposed of. The distinctly steel-gray animals, however, seem to be fully as large and strong as the dark-colored ones. Use of the standard of excellence in Table 1 (p. 6), tentatively adopted by the Bureau of Animal Industry and the Bureau of Biological Survey, will, it is believed, be of value to reindeer breeders in the improvement of their herds. SLED REINDEER In Department Bulletin 1089, "Reindeer in Alaska," the present method of handling sled reindeer was described and the suggestion made that if the animals were given some form of grain with the lichens, they would endure more hardships without losing so much 97189-26- -2 TABLE 1.-Standard of excellence for reindeer Points considered I. Weight and size, according to age (15 per cent)-- Standard 15 Representative type dark brown in summer, lighter in winter------ 10 III. Form, deep, broad throughout (50 per cent): (a) Head and neck (10 per cent) — 1. Masculinity in male and femininity in female_.. 2. Antlers flattened and triangular, curving upward and forward_. 3. Muzzle wide; nostrils large, wide, and open. 4. Eyes clear and bright, indicative of quiet temperament and docile disposition__. 5. Face short; jaws strong-. 6. Forehead broad__ 7. Ears small, well covered with hair_ 8. Neck short, full, blending smoothly into shoulder__. (b) Fore quarters (10 per cent) 1. Shoulders smooth, thickly fleshed, compact 2. Brisket wide and full, trim___ 3. Legs wide apart, straight, medium short; dewclaws large; toes spreading; hoofs large___ (c) Body (15 per cent) — 1. Chest full, deep, wide, large girth_--- 2. Ribs long and well arched, smoothly covered__ 3. Back and loin broad, straight, deeply covered_ 4. Flank full, underline straight--‒‒‒ (d) Hind quarters (15 per cent) — 1. Hips and rump full, broad, and smooth.. 2. Thighs deep, full, muscular__. 3. Legs strong, dense, smooth boned; hoofs large; toes well spread__. IV. Quality (15 per cent): 1. Pelage heavy, fine texture__. 2. Hide pliable, medium thickness__. 3. Bone dense, smooth, strong--- V. Condition (10 per cent): Sufficient natural flesh to indicate vigor‒‒‒‒‒‒ Total_ 2 12 1 flesh and strength. Under the crude handling now practiced the animals are neither trained nor cared for properly and the usual procedure is to drive them until they show signs of exhaustion and then to turn them loose and take fresh ones. TYPE OF ANIMAL In selecting reindeer to be broken to harness, attention must first be paid to type. An animal showing a docile nature, as indicated by a wide muzzle and clear, bright eyes, large, wide, and open nostrils, and a broad forehead, is the type that may be easily trained and will make the best sled reindeer. BREAKING The Lapps state that with a few tame animals to lead they can sufficiently break a string of 10 or 15 reindeer in two or three days to make a trip with each animal pulling 100 pounds on a sled. But great care and patience must be taken in the process not to frighten or injure the animals. With gentle handling, they learn quickly and are easily broken to drive. On a trip, the Lapps drive a double team ahead and lead a long string of single reindeer behind, each pulling a sled. (Pl. 3, fig. 1.) Ordinarily reindeer work better in company, and double driving is preferable to single. In experiments with a sled reindeer conducted while the reindeer experiment station was at Nome, training was begun by haltering the animal and permitting it to drag a rope about the barn inclosure for a couple of days. Then each day for three or four days the haltered animal was coaxed to lead a little. Finally it was harnessed, gently but firmly, and hitched with a second trained reindeer to a sled and driven 2 or 3 miles. It was then returned to the barn, with the harness left on over night. The next morning the harness was removed; two days later the animal was again harnessed, hitched to a sled, and driven behind a trained sled reindeer about 4 miles. To make the start, the animal had to be led by the halter a short distance until it would follow the other sled reindeer, and then it was off at a run. After a few sudden stops and starts, it finally settled down and pulled its sled willingly. The next day it was hitched to a loaded sled and successfully driven double for while, and then single for about 10 miles; thereafter the reindeer was steadily worked for a period with entire satisfaction. HARNESS Two types of harness are used in driving sled reindeer, one with a single pulling tug fastened under the chest and running between the hind legs, and the other with two tugs and a singletree, as used with a horse or dog (pl. 3, figs. 2 and 3). In the first case the tug is usually made of a strip of reindeer skin, since this is less apt to chafe the legs of the animal. Both kinds of harness are satisfactory. A wooden collar is used, made in two pieces to fit around the neck, the ends fastened together by thongs. To this collar are fastened the side-straps leading to a body-band, which encircles the animal just back of the forelegs. When the singletree is used, the tugs, one on each side, are fastened to the body-band and are continuations of the straps leading from the collar. In the single-tug type, the tug is fastened to the harness and to the sled by means of a wooden toggle inserted into a loop. For guiding sled reindeer two driving lines attached to the halter are used. The animal is started by flipping one of the lines across the back and over the root of the tail, and is guided to the right or left by jerking one line or the other. WORK ABILITY To determine the value of feeding grain in the use of sled reindeer, a cross-country trip of 527 miles was made over a period of 42 days, 23 of which were spent in actual travel. In addition to the lichen roughage, grain was fed regularly during the entire period. For comparison, a dog team also was driven on the trip, and it was found that as a draft animal a reindeer performs the work of about three dogs. The sled reindeer made the trip very successfully, and demonstrated that when fed grain to keep up strength, they may be worked steadily and driven over long distances. The average distance covered was 23 miles a day, and the maximum, on a fair trail with a load, was 35 miles, whereas on a poor trail it was 20. With an empty sled and carrying only the driver, the daily average would undoubtedly be greater. The maximum load for a sled reindeer for continuous travel and on grain was 250 to 300 pounds on a good trail and 100 to 150 pounds on a poor one. With the driver riding half the time, on an average trail a full load for each sled reindeer was 100 to 150 pounds, aside from the driver. FEEDING During the 42-day experiment the sled reindeer was fed 170 pounds of grain at the rate of 4 pounds a day. Rolled oats were fed morning, noon, and night, the main feeding being at night. Lichens were gathered each day en route just before going into camp, a simple matter toward the end of the day, so that the animal could be fed in camp rather than staked out. By keeping the animal in camp, it could be cared for more conveniently. The practice was also followed, when passing through sections of little moss, of carrying half a sack of it on the sled for occasional feeding en route, especially at noon. On the trail it was necessary to stop the animal three or four times during the day, including the noon stop, to give it a bite of reindeer moss. When passing through country of good lichen growth the animal would pick its own food along the trail, so that it was unnecessary to carry a supply. The reindeer consumed two sacks of the lichens (reindeer moss) daily-about 20 to 30 pounds, air-dry weight. (The wet weight is usually three times the air-dry weight.) It displayed an enormous appetite and consumed about twice as much roughage a day as one would when fed in a barn and not worked. When hungry, the sled reindeer ate all the lichens offered, irrespective of species, and took also some of the sedge and browse forage, especially Labrador tea, cranberry, and willows. When the first sharp edge of hunger had been allayed, it fed choicely on the lichens only, seeking as much variety as possible. It seemed especially fond of Cetraria cucullata and of all light-colored forms of Cladonia. When fed grain at night or noon, the reindeer would eat first a few oats and then abandon these for lichens. When fully satisfied on the lichen roughage, it would return and eat a full ration of oats. Use of Sled REINDEER The use of sled reindeer is not so common in Alaska as it should be under proper handling of the herds. The dog team is better suited for main trails and coast travel, but for cross-country travel and for use with the herd, the sled reindeer is cheaper and more practical. For each thousand animals in the herd there should be at least 10 well-trained sled reindeer. They can be used effectively in traveling over the range, hauling supplies to camps, following up the herd or making drives, and in corralling. As they feed on the open range, it is not necessary to carry feed for them, except a small quantity of grain when on long trips or when used continuously. Aside from this, the presence of several tame sled reindeer in the herd is of greater value in the better domestication of the herd than is commonly supposed. REINDEER MEAT Many persons still seem to be under the impression that the reindeer is a game animal and that the meat is venison. This is not the case. The reindeer has been developed from the wild caribou of northern Europe and Asia through countless generations of breeding, and as the breeding up has been without particular direction, the present type is perhaps not far removed from the original. There is some difference, however, in conformation and general coloration between reindeer of Siberian descent and the caribou of Alaska and Canada, and considerable difference in the temperament of the animals and in range habits. 2 Reindeer meat, when properly produced and handled, compares favorably with beef. It is fine grained, contains a good, palatable fat, and when fresh is exceptionally juicy and tender. C. F. Langworthy, of the Bureau of Home Economics, comments upon reindeer meat as a food, in a memorandum to the Biological Survey, as follows: Many studies have been made of the composition of different sorts of meat, of cooking qualities, and of thoroughness of digestion. Judging by available data, meat from different animals used as food is very similar in its general composition. Besides the considerable amount of water present, meats contain protein or nitrogenous material, fats in varying amounts, minute proportions of glycogen or animal sugar, and some ash constituents. The percentage of fat varies very greatly with feed and other matters. Some cuts are considered better flavored and some more tender than others, but, generally speaking, meats of different kinds and cuts are very similar in their food value and digestibility, meat protein like other complete protein being used for the building and repair of body tissue, and the fat of meat, like other fats, as body fuel. This applies in a general way to game also. To understand the place of meats (including reindeer meat) and other foods in the diet, one should remember that in order to be well balanced the diet, week in and week out, should provide: (1) Vegetables and fruit, valuable for ash and vitamin constituents; (2) meat, milk, eggs, fish, and other foods that supply "complete" protein; (3) cereal grains and their products, as sources of carbohydrate for energy or body fuel; (4) sugar and other sweets, as flavor foods and sources of body fuel; and (5) fat, as a source of body fuel, which in some cases, as in butter and cream, is accompanied by vitamin. Reindeer meat is well fitted to take its place with other meats, Reindeer have been bred for food purposes for centuries in northern Asia. which is clear indication of their fitness for food. The flavor is excellent, the food value compares well with other meats, and the meat is wholesome and can be prepared for the table in a variety of ways. FEEDING EXPERIMENTS FEEDING PREFERENCES OF REINDEER Reindeer are herbivorous and ruminant animals, feeding chiefly on sedges, grasses, and browse plants in summer and on lichens in winter. They are known at times also to eat mice, dried fish, and ptarmigans and their eggs, a habit that probably may be attributed to a craving for certain mineral substances. The value of the differ 2 U. S. Dept. Agr. Bul. 1089, pp. 9 and 10. |