park and hobby animals

reindeer

In the ice age there were reindeer in the Netherlands, too. Now we know these ‘cows of the North’ from Lapland. They are often kept as draught animals and for their hides, meat and milk. Reindeer are the only kind of deer where both male and female have antlers. In the wild, these animals migrate thousands of kilometers per year, searching for food. They are specialized in lichen (reindeer moss!), because this moss is available all year round and few other animals eat it, and because many plants on the tundra are poisonous. Furthermore, they eat mushrooms, herbs and twigs. As zoo animals in West Europe, reindeer are still a special sight. Besides special accommodation and care, they need very good feed. Their condition depends closely on the quality of the feed, especially when they give birth.

In parks and zoos, reindeer get soft hay and straw as basic food. Garvo has – based on a great deal of experience and expertise – a balanced pellet, especially for reindeer: 6002 reindeer pellet with just the right amount of fats and vitamins. The pellet is a core feed, a concentrate. Reindeer pellet simulates – in combination with the roughage – de nutritional values of food in the wild. The correct amount of feed contributes to lean-muscled animals with hard hooves, maximum resistance and perfect hormone housekeeping, resulting in good fertility, uncomplicated gestation, easy birth and effortless lactation.

feeding advice

• give unlimited straw (preferably rye or oat straw) and limit soft
• supplement daily with about 0.5 – 0.7 kg reindeer pellet per 100 kg bodyweight
• make sure there’s always enough water