Reindeer Reproduction and Breeding
During the rutting period, the male reindeers usually form a harem and produce grunting sounds. The prenuptial play of the male reindeers show trait of stiff-legged gait and will lays back his antlers. They also tend to raise their muzzle, curl up their nose and sniff the female reindeer. Gestation period of reindeers is about seven to eight months. The calves are usually born single but there times that a twin calves may come out. The reindeer calves are usually born in the last week of April until the mid month of June.
At birth, the calf usually weight around four to eight kilograms and can walk immediately after two hours. Reindeer calves have an even brown color and do not have any spots. The young calf nurses to her mother for five months and then will commonly join the rest of the herds in the fall migration. But there are some calves that preferred to be with their mother for more than one year or until three years.
The sexual maturities of calf are usually attained in the autumn season of their second year. In the country of origin of reindeers their reproduction rate is quite high and the absence of slaughtering could increase faster their reproduction. The milk produce by reindeer has similarity of those produce by seals and whales because the growth of their young is mostly done in cold climates. The normal reindeer can live up to 15 years. But according to research, a domesticated reindeer can live up to 25 to 28 years old. Likewise, domesticated reindeers are relatively smaller than those reindeers found in the wild.
The domesticated male reindeers in northern Europe are commonly castrated when they reach the age of four or older because they tend to cause disturbance in the herd when rutting. For over some decades, reindeer breeding programs were initiated. There are some programs that have tried to cross breed the reindeer with red deer using artificial inseminations which were adapted to two female reindeer with red deer semen. The result of the crossbreed test is unsuccessful. European reindeer have been also hybridized with wood land caribou subspecies but the offspring is generally larger and bulky self-reliant animal that do not possessed prominent look of reindeer. However, researchers continue to crossbreed reindeers with caribou. This was done for the purpose of improving the commercial and economic potential of the deer as well as to extend reindeer farming.
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06.06.2006.