Prospects for the application of reproductive technologies in fence keeping of reindeer

Reindeer husbandry is the main branch of agriculture in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, and a form of traditional environmental management of the North peoples. To preserve and grow the industry, government support and the development of the principles of traditional management with the help of biotechnology are necessary. The article discusses the prospects for using reproductive technologies in fence keeping of reindeer. In reindeer breeding, none of the reproductive technologies are currently used, unlike other types of animal husbandry. The advantages of using assisted reproductive technologies in fenced reindeer herding are that reindeer herders obtain offspring of animals with favorable characteristics and manage reproduction. In addition, the development of technologies for working with sperm and embryos, the creation of cryopreserved biomaterial banks are important for the revival of endangered subspecies and intrabreed local genotypes. When keeping reindeer in a fenced area, it is possible to accustom animals to manipulations with an artificial vagina or electroejaculator. Free-range keeping of reindeer complicates the identification and fixation of individuals, observation and selection. With free-range keeping, uncontrolled mating may occur, it is impossibility of separating selected individuals, and creating harems. Fence keeping will allow to create necessary groups (recipients, synchronized females, females for artificial insemination, males for sperm extraction, etc.) and graze them separately, fix them, quickly find the necessary animals and carry out manipulations. Division into groups will also allow to carry out harem mating with selected males and females. Development and implementation of assisted reproductive technologies in northern reindeer herding will allow to intensify the selection process and improve the quality of reindeer products.

1. Kalitin R.R. Current state, problems of northern domestic reindeer husbandry and ways to solve them / Kalitin R.R. // Russian Arctic – 2021. – T. 15 – P.28–39. DOI:10.24412/2658-4255-2021-4-28-39

2. Yuzhakov A.A. Features of the organization of fence keeping of reindeer in the forest zone of the Tyumen North / Yuzhakov A.A., Zuev S.M. Elshakov V.V., Laishev K.A. // Agrarian Bulletin of the Urals - 2023. - T. 23 - No. 10 - P.103–113. DOI: 10.32417/1997-4868-2023-23-10-103-113

3. Zuev S.M. On the prospects of semi-free and fenced keeping of domestic reindeer in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug / Zuev S.M. – Omsk: printing house “Golden Edition”, 2022. – 174c.

4. Abramov I.V. Reindeer herders of the Kola tundra: Local features of the snowmobile revolution / Abramov I.V. // Ural Historical Bulletin – 2015. – T. 2 – P.26–32.

5. Laaksonen S. Tunne poro - poron sairaudet ja terveydenhuolto. (The diseases and health care of reindeer, in Finnish) / Laaksonen S. - Riga, Latvia: Wazama Media Ltd., 2016. – 367 с. ISBN: 978-952-68016-1-2

6. Tyler N.J.C. Fertility in female reindeer: the effects of nutrition and growth / Tyler N.J.C. // Rangifer – 1987. – Т. 7 – № 2 – С.37. https://doi.org/10.7557/2.7.2.714

7. Nikitkina E.V. Reproductive technologies in reindeer husbandry: problems and prospects for use. / Nikitkina E.V., Goncharov V.V., Krutikova A.A., Sergeeva O.K., Musidray A.A. Plemyashov K.V. // Genetics and animal breeding – 2017. – T. 1 – P.10–14

8. Ropstad E. Reproduction in female reindeer / Ropstad E. // Animal Reproduction Science – 2000. – Т. 60–61 – С.561–570 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4320(00)00100-7

9. Rowell, J.E., Blake J.E. Rangifer reproductive physiology / S.J. Tryland, M., Kutz. (Eds.), Reindeer and Caribou. Health and Disease (1st ed.)//, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton. - 2019. - С. 69–78.

10. Laishev K. A. Zabrodin. V. A. Problems of veterinary welfare in relation to infectious diseases in reindeer husbandry / Laishev K. A. Zabrodin V. A. // Animal husbandry – 2012. – T. 1 – P.36–40.

11. Holand O. Nordic-Russian Cooperation Program in Education and Research / Holand O. 2018. https://www.nordforsk.org/projects/reign-russia

12. Zuev S.M. Reindeer husbandry in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug: prospects and problems / Zuev S.M. // Scientific Bulletin of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug - 2015. - T. 3 - P.103–107.

13. Nikitkina E.V. G.V.V. Stimulation of sexual heat in reindeer of the Evenki and Nenets breeds / Nikitkina E.V. G.V.V. // Issues of legal regulation in veterinary medicine – 2014. – T. 3 – P.134–137.

14. Vahtiala S. Ultrasonography in early pregnancy diagnosis and measurements of fetal size in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) / Vahtiala S., Säkkinen H., Dahl E., Eloranta E., Beckers J.F., Ropstad E. // Theriogenology – 2004. – Т. 61 – № 4 – С.785–795. doi: 10.1016/s0093-691x(03)00253-x

15. Savela H. Comparison of accuracy of ultrasonography, progesterone, and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein tests for pregnancy diagnosis in semidomesticated reindeer / Savela H., Vahtiala S., Lindeberg H., Dahl E., Ropstad E., Beckers J.F., Saarela S. // Theriogenology – 2009. – Т. 72 – № 9 – С.1229–1236. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2009.07.018