DEC 4 1929 



T 3, .^1 I 



CIRCULAR No. 82 



NOVEMBER, 1920 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 WASHINGTON. D. C. 



w 



IMPROVED REINDEER HANDLING 



By Lawrence J. Palmer, Senior Biologist, in Charge of Reindeer Invcgtigations 

 Division of Biological Investigations, Bureau of Biological Survey 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Introduction 1 



Herding 1 



Rounding-up 3 



Corralling 4 



Corrals 4 



Driving into corral 5 



Handling in corral - 6 



Removing diseased and injured stock 7 



Pei'centage marking 7 



Brand registry 10 



Page 



Castration 10 



Feeding 11 



Breeding 11 



Butchering 12 



Marketing IS 



Reducing warble and nose flies 13 



Use of sled reindeer 15 



Range use 15 



Range fires 16 



Summary. 16 



INTRODUCTION 



The method of handling reindeer in Alaska has within recent years 

 generally changed to conform with modern practices of handling 

 livestock. Formerly, with small-sized herds, the Old-World methods 

 originally introduced b}^ the Laplanders were successfully followed, 

 but with the greatly increased numbers of reindeer, the owners are 

 now finding that the old methods no longer suffice and that new and 

 modern ones must be adopted. Close herding and roping on the 

 open range can no longer be applied, and open herding and the use 

 of improved corrals and chutes are becoming the accepted practices. 



HERDING 



The reindeer herds, while confined within specific areas, or natural 

 units of range, have definite range habits that guide them from year 

 to year, and the herders follow them as they move about over their 

 home range, or unit. The animals also have definite seasonal move- 

 ments and are influenced by weather conditions, especially winds, 

 so that by learning the habits of the animals the herders know 

 fairly well where the herd may be found at any given time and 

 under any particular condition of weather prevailing. 



Reindeer are attached to their accustomed haunts and when well 

 located on a range will return to it if moved away. This is particu- 

 larly true of the spring range, the does returning each year to the 

 same fawning grounds. With change in seasons, unless restrained, 

 they instinctively seek their favorite fall, winter, spring, or summer 



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