Adaptive reindeer husbandry by developing feeds and feeding methods

The Arctic region's climate is warming rapidly, significantly altering northern nature and weakening the operational environment and profitability of reindeer herding. In particular, warming and unpredictable winter grazing conditions will increase both direct and indirect costs for reindeer herding due to rising feeding expenses and the declining condition, health, and productivity of reindeer. Supplementary feeding, either in enclosures or in the forest (for free-ranging reindeer), is the primary adaptation strategy used by reindeer herders to cope with changing winter conditions. Large-scale supplementary feeding has only been practiced for a relatively short time, often through trial and error. One of the biggest challenges in supplementary feeding is that the feed provided, especially concentrated feed, differs significantly in nutritional composition from the reindeer's natural winter diet. It has been suspected that supplementary feed or feeding methods contribute to many illnesses in reindeer and a decline in productivity. High-energy feeds also increase the risk of overfeeding, which raises the costs of reindeer husbandry. Developing supplementary feeding practices and feed composition based on research can help the reindeer husbandry adapt better to climate change.

The aim of this project is to improve the profitability of reindeer husbandry and the health of reindeer by developing feeding and care methods, as well as optimizing the composition of concentrated feeds to better match the reindeer's natural diet and suit various feeding and management practices. We will achieve this by: 1) Mapping reindeer herd-specific care and feeding methods, the types of feed used, and costs through interviews, and analyzing the impact of different factors on reindeer health and productivity. Based on the results, we will identify key factors affecting herd productivity and update feeding recommendations; 2) Developing the composition of concentrated feeds so that they more closely resemble the reindeer's natural winter diet while considering different enclosure and forest feeding conditions. The goal is to create feeds that contain relatively low protein levels, sufficient fiber to maintain rumen function, slowly digestible carbohydrates, and adequate energy. We will assess the suitability of these feeds for reindeer by studying gut microbiota composition and metabolic byproducts of digestion; 3) Developing calculation tools for optimizing supplementary feeding and profitability for reindeer herders across different feeding methods. We will utilize project results to create a feeding calculator tailored for enclosure and wild feeding needs and integrate it into the expanded PoroSysteemit calculation tool.

The long-term impacts of the project will be seen in feed better suited for reindeer, healthier and more productive herds, and improved adaptation of reindeer husbandry to climate change. Additionally, the project will foster development and collaboration between feed manufacturers and research institutions.