Reproductive performance of reindeer fed all-grain and hay-grain rations

• Published in: Rangifer
• Main Authors: Blanchard, J. M., Hauer, W. E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Septentrio Academic Publishing 1986
• Subjects: all-grain rations; reindeer; dystocia; stillborn; Rangifer; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/580; https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.2.580

Reproductive performance of grain-fed reindeer {Rangifer tarandus) was evaluated over a 2-year period. Groups of pregnant reindeer were fed one of three rations, (1) 100% whole-grain barley, (2) 98.9% whole-grain barley and 1.2% mineral and trace element supplement, and (3) 70% whole-grain barley and 30% finely-chopped bluegrass hay. Reindeer fed unsupplemented whole-barley failed to produce a single live calf. The addition of mineral and trace element supplement to the ration did not result in any significant improvement in reproductive performance. Eighty-five percent of the reindeer consuming unsupplemented and supplemented all-barley rations became pregnant; however, 76% of the pregnancies resulted in stillborn calves. One-hundred percent of the cows maintained on the grain/hay ration produced live calves. We speculate that reproductive failure in reindeer cows maintained on all-grain rations is most likely a result of a diet induced disfunction in maternal rumen and/or carbohydrate metabolism rather than a micro-nutrient deficiency. More research is neeeded to determine which metabolic pathways are affected.