Reindeer Production

The best livestock to raise in the northern artic regions is the “reindeer” which have been raised centuries to supply meat for indigenous peoples. The reindeer can live even in subzero temperatures and can find food and thrive in a place where other domesticated farm animals would perish from cold and hunger. With the current environmental changes, the reindeer ranges have often become icy by partially melting and refreezing of snow pack. This situation makes it difficult for reindeer to obtain food. Under normal artic conditions reindeer can paw through powdery snow to reach feed but when the snow becomes “dense-packed” and “icy” then this poses a big problem for them to find food.

What we propose is that we can produce the specific fodder utilized by reindeer by using our aquaponic production system. Our FPU system can also be build upon concrete pillars leaving space underneath for reindeer feeding. Livestock (like reindeer) can also produce body heat and their manure can be utilized as a heat source (thus keeping temperatures above freezing under the FPU structure).

We also have some technology called a livestock treadmill which can be used to operate air-compressors and hydraulic pumps and water pumps. See the link “Livestock Treadmill” for more details. This same innovation can be “scaled-up” so that an entire herd of reindeer can be placed on a wide conveyor belt under our FPU structure. This large treadmill can be surrounded by big-screen monitors which have videos playing that depict reindeer migration. The audio of the migration (capturing the sounds the reindeer make when migrating) can also be played on audio speakers. In front of the real herd, a big screen monitor will show the “video-view” as seen from behind some migrating reindeer. Thus those “real” reindeer will be led to follow the lead of the “video reindeer” that they see on the monitor in front of them. The floor of the conveyor can the be elevated in front (using hydraulics) thus causing the reindeer to “climb” as they run on this treadmill conveyor. A large herd moving forward in unison on this big treadmill will result in the production of powerful torque forces which can be utilized for operating air compressors or water pumps or hydraulic pumps and other “energy-producing” devices. At the same time, this “herd-treadmill” will provide the actual reindeer with the exercise they need to keep them healthy. The reindeer will not have to migrate looking for food because we can produce the exact type of fodder (on location) which is best suited for their diet. However, we will only use this “herd treadmill” machine for providing exercise for the reindeer, while at the same time we can operate mechanical energy-producing devices with this treadmill power.

Keeping the reindeer within the confines of our system keeps them safe from predators such as wolves and also eagles (which prey on newborn calves). With an advanced feeding program we can cause our domesticated reindeer to achieve great weight gain within perfect engineered growing conditions.

Livestock Selection and Breeding Programs

There are seven different subspecies of reindeer (called caribou in North America) found within cold regions of the earth. These include:

Barren-ground Reindeer

Svalbard Reindeer

European Reindeer

Finnish Forest Reindeer

Greenland Reindeer

Woodland Reindeer

Peary Reindeer

See the link “Caribou VS Reindeer” for more details.

Various species of reindeer do better in certain environments and there is also a difference in size and characteristics among the various reindeer species. Some reindeer bull (males) species average from 350-450 lbs. (158KG-204KG) with some reaching the massive size of 700lbs. (317KG). Females reindeer generally range in weight from about 175-220 lbs. (79KG-100KG). We can select the best breed of reindeer that will thrive under our reindeer management program. At times desired traits such as rapid weight gain and large size can be selected by interbreeding the subspecies to gain the best desired traits.