The reindeer herd of Yamal continues growing with young reindeer

On the Yamal Peninsula about ten percent of she-reindeers have already produced offspring, it is about 12 500 animals.

The so-called “business” output of reindeer fawns in the amount of about 70 percent is a norm for the region. After completion of calving the experts will assess how the herd grew. Today, according to assessments of the experts from the regional department of agriculture, trade and foodstuff, state of pastures and fatness of the animals is satisfactory. The mass calving is expected in late May, when tundra becomes warmer and snow melts completely. The largest livestock of domesticated reindeer - more than 700 thousand animals is pastured on 49 million hectares of pastures in Yamal. It is more than 50 percent of Russia’s population of domesticated reindeer and 35 percent of the world’s livestock. This is a unique renewable biological resource capable during many decades to provide economy of the region and the country as a whole with ecologically pure raw material for food, light and pharmaceutical industries. In recent years the strategy of quantitative growth of livestock and areas busy for pasturing was replaced with the strategy focused on deeper non-waste processing of products of reindeer husbandry, creation of new commodity chains based on it, improvement of productive qualities of the reindeer. Food industry is being developed. New sales markets are being studied and developed. Demand on ecologically pure products of reindeer husbandry is being increased. Due to measures taken in the region, amounts of production of reindeer meat more than 2 times increased, including, through active involvement of private households of reindeer herders and national communities into the production process. All this allows annually processing over 70 thousand reindeer, what gives about 2500 tons of ecologically pure meat products, as the press-service of the governor of Yamal informs.