Reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern Finland
The increase in the Finnish semidomesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) stock and the high level of meat production during the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s were mainly due to reindeer-management practices. However, the continuing deterioration of winter-range quality has now force...
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1998
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z97-191 2023-12-17T10:47:26+01:00 Reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern Finland Kumpula, Jouko Colpaert, Alfred Nieminen, Mauri 1998 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z97-191 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z97-191 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 76, issue 2, page 269-277 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1998 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z97-191 2023-11-19T13:38:36Z The increase in the Finnish semidomesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) stock and the high level of meat production during the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s were mainly due to reindeer-management practices. However, the continuing deterioration of winter-range quality has now forced reindeer managers to invest increasingly in supplementary feeding. At the same time, carrying-capacity models for semidomesticated- reindeer ranges have proved difficult to develop. This study deals with reproduction and productivity of the reindeer stock in northern Finland during the period 1987-1995. The results reveal that reproduction and productivity of reindeer in the study area are largely regulated by density-dependent factors related to the quantity and quality of winter ranges. Reindeer densities on total rangeland had the strongest effect on the slaughter body masses of reindeer, which indicates the special importance of summer and autumn pastures for growth and autumn condition of reindeer. Through intensive calf slaughtering, the natural mortality rate was minimised and reproduction rates and reindeer meat production were increased, although winter ranges were heavy grazed. Developing semidomesticated-reindeer husbandry to be more economical in the future by keeping sustainable meat production at a sufficiently high level while maintaining reindeer rangeland in adequate condition and supplementary feeding quite marginal in Finland involves consideration of both ecological and management factors. One way of looking at the economic carrying capacity of Finnish semidomesticated-reindeer ranges is to develop a model based on dependence among the factors presented in this study. Sustainable net incomes from reindeer husbandry could then be optimised by studying and modelling the economy of reindeer management itself with respect to stock density. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Finland Rangifer tarandus reindeer husbandry Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Slaughter ENVELOPE(-85.633,-85.633,-78.617,-78.617) Canadian Journal of Zoology 76 2 269 277 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Kumpula, Jouko Colpaert, Alfred Nieminen, Mauri Reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern Finland |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
The increase in the Finnish semidomesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) stock and the high level of meat production during the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s were mainly due to reindeer-management practices. However, the continuing deterioration of winter-range quality has now forced reindeer managers to invest increasingly in supplementary feeding. At the same time, carrying-capacity models for semidomesticated- reindeer ranges have proved difficult to develop. This study deals with reproduction and productivity of the reindeer stock in northern Finland during the period 1987-1995. The results reveal that reproduction and productivity of reindeer in the study area are largely regulated by density-dependent factors related to the quantity and quality of winter ranges. Reindeer densities on total rangeland had the strongest effect on the slaughter body masses of reindeer, which indicates the special importance of summer and autumn pastures for growth and autumn condition of reindeer. Through intensive calf slaughtering, the natural mortality rate was minimised and reproduction rates and reindeer meat production were increased, although winter ranges were heavy grazed. Developing semidomesticated-reindeer husbandry to be more economical in the future by keeping sustainable meat production at a sufficiently high level while maintaining reindeer rangeland in adequate condition and supplementary feeding quite marginal in Finland involves consideration of both ecological and management factors. One way of looking at the economic carrying capacity of Finnish semidomesticated-reindeer ranges is to develop a model based on dependence among the factors presented in this study. Sustainable net incomes from reindeer husbandry could then be optimised by studying and modelling the economy of reindeer management itself with respect to stock density. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kumpula, Jouko Colpaert, Alfred Nieminen, Mauri |
author_facet |
Kumpula, Jouko Colpaert, Alfred Nieminen, Mauri |
author_sort |
Kumpula, Jouko |
title |
Reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern Finland |
title_short |
Reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern Finland |
title_full |
Reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern Finland |
title_fullStr |
Reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern Finland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern Finland |
title_sort |
reproduction and productivity of semidomesticated reindeer in northern finland |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1998 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z97-191 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z97-191 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-85.633,-85.633,-78.617,-78.617) |
geographic |
Slaughter |
geographic_facet |
Slaughter |
genre |
Northern Finland Rangifer tarandus reindeer husbandry |
genre_facet |
Northern Finland Rangifer tarandus reindeer husbandry |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 76, issue 2, page 269-277 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z97-191 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
76 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
269 |
op_container_end_page |
277 |
_version_ |
1785571301021188096 |