1 research outputs found
Circular 86
Reindeer in western Alaska have been described as a free-ranging,
semi-domesticated animal. Herd management is minimal and animals are
less tractable when compared to domestic livestock. Consequently, when
reindeer are moved through a corral system they are more susceptible to
stress. Stress can occur as a result of circumstances that are related to
nutritional, social (crowding), induced psychological or physiological
trauma, and parasitic problems, all of which can be interrelated. Excessive
stress can reduce herd productivity by lowering reproductive rates, weight
gains, survivorship, and immune response. Stress during corralling can
result in trauma from overcrowding and trampling, inadequate food and
water, disturbance of normal behavioral patterns, and exhaustion. Proper
corral design and its operation play a vital role in both prevention of injury
and the level of stress the reindeer experience