Early season grazing effects on birch, grass, herbs and plant litter in coastal meadows used by reindeer: a short-term case study

The effects of short-term grazing by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) on birch (Betula pubescens), grasses, herbs and plant litter in coastal meadows in spring were investigated in grazed and control plots in 1996 and 1997. The meadow contained 29 different plant species, all but one of which (Deschampsia caespitosa) were intensively grazed by reindeer. Young birch eaten by reindeer did not increase in mean height (9 cm), while birch protected from grazing grew from 9 to 22 cm (P<0.05) during the two years of the experiment. The ratio of grasses to herbs was higher (P<0.05) in the grazed plots than in the control plots, and the relative abundace of grasses increased during the summer in both years. The abundance of Rumex asetosa and Alchemilla subcrenata decreased (P<0.05) in response to grazing. From spring 1996, plant litter increased (P<0.05) on the control plots until the investigation came to an end in spring 1998, unlike grazed vegetation. Reindeer affects the coastal meadows in northern Norway in spring by browsing on birch and grazing on herbs and grass which in the long term might influence the cultural landscape in favour of the growth of grass species

Utilization of old meadow by reindeer in spring in northern Norway

Utilization of abandoned coastal meadows in northern Norway by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) were investigated for 25 days in spring 1996 (« = 12, 40-57 kg body mass (BM)) and 24 days in 1997 (» = 12, 39-61 kg BM). Grass production on grazed and ungrazed meadow was measured both years. Faecal dry matter (DM) production and ruminai in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) of selected plants were measured in the reindeer 15-22 days after the grazing experiment started each year. During the grazing period mean, standard deviation (s), temperature was 8.7, s = 2.8, °C in 1996 and 11.0, s = 3.0, °C in 1997, while temperature the first week was significantly higher in 1997 (P < 0.05). Mean herbage mass, on ungrazed meadow (control), after one week of plant growth in 1996 (408, J" = 166, kg DM ha"1) was significantly different (P < 0.05) from 1997 (576, s = 110, kg DM ha'). We believe the low temperature the first week in 1996 affected the plant production, and was the main reason for the significant (P < 0.05) difference in mean daily plant DM production on the grazed meadow between 1996 (57, s = 16, kg DM ha') and 1997 (81, s = 16, kg DM ha"1). Mean ruminai IVDMD of a mixture of meadow plants, differed (P<0.05) between 1996 (72.4, s = 1.0, %) and 1997 (83.9, s = 1.3, %), and mean daily food intake in 1996 (82, s = 13.5, g DM/kg0 75) was significantly lower than the intake in 1997 (131, s = 15.8, g DM/kg0 75). Daily digestible energy intake in reindeer was estimated to 0.96 Ml/kg07"5 X d 1 in 1996 and 1.85 Ml/kg""5 X d"1 in 1997, which was 1.3 and 2.5 times the resting metabolic rate in reindeer, respectively. We therefore assume the difference in food intake could be due to the initial difference in herbage mass

Feed intake, gastrointestinal system and body composition in reindeer calves fed early harvested first cut timothy silage (Phleum pratense)

Early harvested first cut (EFC) timothy silage was fed to five reindeer calves (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) taken from their natural summer pasture and brought to Tromsø for feeding trial. The calves were housed indoors in metabolism cages and fed EFC timothy silage ad lib. during the trial, which lasted from late November 1994 until the end of February 1995, when animals subsequently were slaughtered. Daily feed intake, gastrointestinal (GI) anatomy, body weight and body composition of the animals were examined. Timothy silage {Phleum praténse) was harvested 21 June, 1994 in Tromsø, prewilted and stored as round bales containing 97% leaves. The EFC silage contained 42.1% dry matter (DM), and 18.1% crude protein, 20.7% cellulose, 16.9% hemicellulose and 28.0% water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) of DM. Mean feed intake (DM) 24 hours after the trial started (day 1) was 9-4 g/kg body mass (BM) (S.D.+ 3-9), while the mean daily DM intake during days 15-74 comprised 24.2 g/kg BM (S.D.+ 6.1). All animals except one gained body weight during the trial. The median (range) BM at start and at slaughter was 48.5 kg (34.5¬58.0 kg) and 50.0 kg (42.0-53.5 kg), respectively. Median (range) carcass weight % of BM was 58.0% (51.2-58.7%) and muscle index value 0.0132 (0.0106-0.0176). The median reticulo-rumen (RR) content wet weight (WW) was 4601 g (range 2697-5000 g) comprising 9.3% of the BM, and 85.1% of the total gastrointestinal wet weight content. The median (range) gastrointestinal tract weight was 14.1% of BM (10.7-16.4%). Based on feed intake during the trial and body composition at slaughtet we conclude that first cut timothy silage is suitable as emergency feed to reindeer, as long as it is harvested in early growth stage with high proportion of leaves

Gross anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract in reindeer, free-living and fed baled timothy silage in summer and winter

The gross anatomy of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was investigated in reindeer calves (Rangtfer tarandus tarandus), free-living and fed two different qualities of timothy silage in September 1992 (summer) and April 1993 (winter) and related to the body condition. At both seasons nine male reindeer calves were taken from a natural pasture. Three animals were slaughtered directly (NP reindeer), three offered first cut (FC) silage and three regrowth (RG) silage ad lib., for 46 days. The FC silage contained 27% leaves and 57.8% dry matter (DM) cell wall content (CWC) and the RG silage 89 % leaves, and 38.7% DM CWC. The reticulo-rumen (RR) digesta wet weight in the NP reindeer in summer was 6.7-7.7% of body mass (BM), compared to 25.1-32.8% and 9.6-12.9% of BM, respectively, in the animals fed FC and RG silage. In winter the RR digesta wet weight relative to BM in the NP reindeer and in the animals fed FC and RG silages were 9-5-11.5%, 25.4-33.3% and 10.4-18.3%, respectively. The distal fermentation chamber (DFC) digesta wet weight in the NP animals in summer was 0.48-0.80% of BM, compared to 0.77-1.26% and 0.57¬0.65% of BM, respectively, in the animals fed FC and RG silage. In winter the DFC digesta wet weight relative to BM in the animals fed FC and RG silage did not differ significantly from the summer values (P>0.05), while in the NP reindeer it was 1.0-1.2% of BM which is significantly greater than in summer (P<0.05). The differences in relative weight of the fermentation chambers between the animals fed FC and RG silage both summer and winter were not reflected in total BM, which was similar in all groups fed silage. This is explained by a significantly lower carcass weight in the animals fed FC silage compared to the animals fed RG silage. Thus, the GI-tract gross anatomy in the silage fed animals seem to be highly affected by the plant structure and composition, and not by the season

Round baled grass silage as food for reindeer in winter

Round baled silage of mixed grasses was tested as emergency food for reindeer in winter. The silage was made of leaf rich regrowth of Phleum pratense, Agrostis tenuis and Poa spp. It contained 33-3% dry matter (DM), and 14.8 % crude protein, 24.5% cellulose and 26.7% hemicellulose on a DM basis. Palatability, food intake, digestion, rumen fermentation, body mass (BM), carcass weight and gastrointestinal (GI) anatomy were investigated. A group of adult female reindeer (n = 38), were taken from natural winter pasture and fed grass silage ad libitum. The majority (78%) of the animals were eating silage after two days and 95% of the animals ate silage after five days. Five reindeer calves were taken from natural winter pasture and fed lichens ad libitum for 14 days after which they were starved for two days before being offered silage adlibitum. The median daily DM food intake was 370 g (range 250-610 g) on the first day increasing to 810 g (range 530-1100 g) at days 16 to 20. Median apparent digestibility coefficient (DC) of DM was 64.3% (range 62.4-66.2%). The median in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) of the silage after 72 h of microbial digestion was 68.3 % (range 66.6-71.3 %) (Ws=30, n,=5, n2=4, P<0.01). Median ruminal VFA concentration and pH were 48.2 mM (range 38.4-52.5 mM) and 7.0 (range 6.95-7.17), respectively, in the reindeer calves (n=5). BM initially increased when the reindeer calves were fed silage, but stabilised after 11 days. The increased BM may have been due to an increased recticulo-rumen digesta load, which amounted to 19.6-23.7 % of BM (n=3). The carcass weight of the reindeer calves was 42.6-44.2% of the BM (n=3) after 47 days of silage feeding. The results indicate that although the round bale silage of mixed grasses of medium quality was highly palatable to reindeer it was apparantly of only limited value as an emergency food for the reindeer calves, as indicated by low DC of DM and low ruminal VFA concentration

The quality of the forage eaten by Norwegian reindeer on South Georgia in summer

The chemical composition and digestibility of plants selected by Norwegian reindeer (Rangifer t. tarandus) on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia (SG) were investigated in the austral summer and compared with two qualities of standard grasses of Phleum pratense of European origin. Paridiochola flabellata, Poa pratense, Poa annua, Deschampsia antarctka, and Phleum alpinum collected on SG contained 14.8, 17.6, 22.8, 16.1 and 10.1% respectively of crude protein of dry matter (DM). Aceana magellanica also collected on SG contained 19.8% of crude protein and 18.8% of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) of DM, while the tussock grass P. flabellata, contained as much as 29-3% of WSC of DM. Total plant cell-wall contents (CWC), including cellulose, hemi-cellulose and lignin in P. flabellata, P. pratense, P. annua and P. alpinum were 53.2, 49.6, 41.7 and 40.4% of DM respectively, while A. magellanica contained only 17.5% of DM CWC. The lignin concentrations of plants analysed varied between 1.2 and 3.2% of DM. Mean in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of selected plants ranged from 70% in P. flabellata to 83% in P. alpinum after 48 h incubation in rumen fluid from these reindeer. In contrast, the IVDMD of the poor and high quality standard grass Phleum pratense were 54% and 73% of DM, respectively. The forage eaten by reindeer on SG in summer was of high quality, with low lignin content, moderate protein concentration and high degradability in rumen fluid

A test of usefulness of a commercially available mill "waste product" (AB-84) as feed for starving reindeer

Three Norwegian reindeer were first fed lichen ad libitum for 40 days, then they were starved for 3 days, and thereafter offered a commercially available mill «waste product» (AB-84) ad libitum. One animal refused to eat AB-84 and was excluded. When eating lichen average daily dry matter intake was 1.1 ± 0.4 kg, while when eating AB-84 after the starvation period it averaged 1.1 kg at day 1, increasing to 2.5 kg at day 7. After 12 days daily dry matter intake varied between 2 and 4 kg. The rumen dry matter percentage was 16 when eating lichen, 6 after 2 days of starvation, and 17 after eating AB-84 for 5 days. Ruminal pH was 6.4 ± 0.3 when eating lichen, increasing to 7.4 after 3 days of starvation and dropping to an all time low of 6.1, 12 hours after refeeding. The viable bacterial count was 4.7 x 1010 ± 2.7, 5.5 x 108 ± 2.0 and 3.1 x 1010 ± 1.7/ml rumen fluid when the animals were eating lichen, had starved for 3 days and had been eating AB-84 for 5 days, respectively. The rumen ciliate protozoa numbered 17.1 x 105 ± 2.7/ml rumen fluid, when eating lichen, dropping to 4.3 x 105 ± 0.6./ml after 3 days of starvation. A further drop to 1.8 x 10s ± 0.5/ml was observed 1 day after refeeding, but the rumen ciliate number was normalized at 15 x 105 ± 1/ml already 8 days after refeeding. These results indicate that the mill «waste product» (AB-84) is very well tolerated even by reindeer suffering from starvation. Since it is moreover commercially available at a favourable price it could be of interest to reindeer herders. In any case, it deserves to be tested under controlled conditions on a larger number of animals.En test på anvendeligheten av kornavrens (AB-84) som for til utsultet rein.Abstract in Norwegian / Sammendrag: Tre norske rein ble gitt lav ad libitum i 40 dager, sultet i 3 dager og deretter gitt kornavrens (AB-84) ad libitum. Ett av dyrene nektet å spise AB-84 og ble satt ut av forsøket. Daglig foropptak i kg tørrstoff var gjennomsnittlig 1.1 ± 0.4 kg under lavforing, mens opptaket av AB-84 var gjennomsnittlig 1.1 kg/dag den første dagen etter sulteperioden. Den syvende dagen var opptaket 2.5 kg/dag, og varierte mellom 2 og 4 kg/dag etter 12 dager. Prosent tørrstoff i vominnholdet var 16 under lavforing, 6 etter 2 dagers sult og 17 etter 5 dagers foring med AB-84. pH i vominnholdet ble målt til gjennomsnittlig 6.4 ± 0.3 under lavforing, 7.4 etter 3 dagers sult og falt bare til 6.1, som lavest målte verdi, etter 12 timers ad lib. tilgang på AB-84. Antall levende bakterier pr. ml vomsaft var henholdsvis 4.7 x 1010 ± 2.7, 5.5 x 10" ± 2.0 og 3.1 x 1010 ± 1.7 når dyrene spiste lav, hadde sultet i tre dager og hadde spist AB-84 ad lib. i fem dager. Antall eiliater var 17.1 x 105 ± 2.7 pr. ml vomsaft når dyrene spiste lav og 4.3 x IO5 ± 0.6 etter tre dagers sult. Etter en dags ad lib. tilgang på AB-84 var antallet 1.8 x 105 ± 0.5 pr. ml og etter fem dager 7.7 x 105 ± 1.8/ml. Disse resultatene indikerer at selv sultet rein tolererer kornavrens (AB-84) meget godt, og da foret er kommersielt tilgjengelig til en rimelig pris, kan det være av interesse for reindriftsutøvere. I alle tilfeller fortjener foret å bli utprøvet på et større antall dyr under kontrollerte betingelser.Koe viljaperkeen (AB-84) käyttökelpoisuudesta rehuna nälkiintyneelle porolle.Abstract in Finnish / Yhteenveto: Kolmea norjalaista poroa ruokittiin jäkälällä ad libitum 40 päivää, annettiin nähdä nälkää 3 päivää ja sen jälkeen ruokittiin taas viljaperkeellä (AB-84) ad libitum. Yksi eläimistä kieltäytyi syömästä AB-84 ja näin ollen jouduttiin poistamaan kokeilusta. Päivittäinen rehuntarve kuiva-ainekilossa oli keskimäärin 1.1 ± 0,4 kg jäkäläruokinnassa, kun taas AB-84 ruokinta oli keskimäärin 1.1 kg/päivässä ensimmäisenä päivänä nälkäkauden jälkeen. Seitsemäntenä rehunkulunki oli 2.5 kg päivässä, vaihdellen 2-4 kg päivässä 12 päivän jälkeen. Kuiva-ainesprosentti pötsinsisällössä oli 16 jäkäläruokinnassa, 6 kahden päivän nälän jälkeen ja 17 viisipäiväisen AB-84 ruokinnan jälkeen. Pötsinsisällön happamuus, pH mitattiin keskimäärin 6.4 ± 0.3 jäkäläruokinnassa, 7.4 kolmipäiväisen nälän jälkeen ja väheni vain 6.1:een, joka on alhaisin mitattu arvo, 12 tunnin AB-84 ruokinnan ad lib. jälkeen. Elävien bakteerien lukumäärä pötsinestemillilitraa kohti oli kyseelliset 4.7 x 1010 ± 2.7, 5.5 x 10" ± 2.0, ja 3.1 x 1010 ± 1.7 kun eläimet söivät jäkälää, olivat nälkiintyneet 3 päivää ja syöneet AB-84 ad üb. viisi päivää. Ciliatmäärä oli 17.1 x 105 ± 2.7 pötsinestemillilitraa kohti eläinten syötyä jäkälää ja 4.3 x 105 ± 0.6 kolmipäiväisen nälkiintymisen jälkeen. Yhden päivän AB-84 ruokinnan ad lib. jälkeen määrä oli 1.8 x 105 ± 0.5 millilitralta ja viiden päivän jälkeen 7.7 x 105 ± 1.8 millilitralta. Nämä tulokset osoittavat, että jopa nälkiintynyt poro sietää viljaperkettä (AB-84) erittäin hyvin, ja koska rehua on saatavana kohtuulliseen hintaan se voinee kiinnostaa poromiehiä. Joka tapauksessa rehua kannattaa kokeilla tarkkailtuin edellytyksin suuremmalle eläinryhmälle

Forage chemistry and the digestive system in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in northern Norway and on South Georgia

Comparative chemical and botanical analyses of the reticulo-rumen content (RR) and the fill of the digestive system were carried out in free-living Norwegian reindeer {Rangifer t. tarandus) on South Georgia (SG) in summer (mean body mass (BM) = 74 kg, n - 10), and in northern Norway in late summer (NS) (mean BM = 77 kg, n = 6) and winter (NW) (mean BM = 60 kg, n = 11). The RR of SG reindeer contained mainly grasses, while grasses dominated in NS reindeer and woody plants and lichens in NW reindeer. Mean ruminal plant cell-wall contents (CWC) comprised 37% of organic dry matter (OM) in SG reindeer and 50 and 69% in NS and NW reindeer, respectively. The high CWC in NW reindeer was due to high intake of lichens containing as much as 45% hemi-cellulose. Mean ruminal content of lignin was as low as 5% of OM in SG reindeer, which was different (P < 0.05) from NS (14%) and NW reindeer (15%), respectively. The mean total gastro-inresrinal tract (GIT) (fill and tissue) weight was 27% of BM in SG reindeer, different (P < 0.05) from NS (18% of BM) and NW reindeer (22% of BM), respectively. Wet weight RR content was 14.5% of BM in SG reindeer, not different from NS (12.2% of BM) and NW reindeer (14.2% of BM). The ratio between the wet weight content of the distal fermentation chamber (DFC) and the RR wet weight content was 1:10 in SG reindeer, different (P < 0.05) from NS (1:14) and NW reindeer (1:14). We did not find any significant differences between the intestinal lengths of the groups investigated. It was concluded that the degree of fill of the different parts of GIT in reindeet seems to be related to the lignin content of plants eaten and not only of seasonal changes in appetite and availability of plants. Our data stress the fact that reindeer are highly adaptable to a wide range of different dietary plants, even in the southern hemisphere