Reindeer husbandry is a traditional and vital occupation for some peoples of Siberia and the Far North. The ability to graze deer does not come by itself; children learn from their parents' experience. It is important to properly manage the herd, control the birth rate of reindeer, find the best pastures for the animals - the shepherd has many responsibilities, on the correct implementation of which the well-being of his family will largely depend.
It is necessary
- - trained dog of breed Laika;
- - leather lasso (chaan);
- - riding horse.
Instructions
Step 1
Before you start herding reindeer, learn as much as you can about them. For example, of great importance is the fact that the food habits of deer have been refined for thousands of years and it is impossible to change them overnight. In this regard, the routes of the deer are predictable: in summer, fleeing the midges, they go to the ocean coast and eat mushrooms, berries, alpine grasses, and in winter they return to the northern forests, to pastures of lichen and moss. Such a migration circle is sometimes more than 500 km, and the grazing of reindeer in different seasons has its own differences.
Step 2
First, learn how to manage one deer, you will need this in order to be able to return an escaped animal to the herd. Next, observe the behavior of the deer in a small group and try to overtake them from one place to another.
Step 3
Monitor the behavior of the deer depending on which part of the herd they are located in. When turning or moving the herd to an adjacent pasture, try not to interrupt the feeding process, you do not need to knock them into a dense mass. A dog will be a good helper in this.
Step 4
Find cooler spots during hot seasons and high hills during spring floods. To keep the deer from scattering, you need to master the art of "twisting" the herd. It is also important to distribute the reindeer evenly across the pasture so that everyone can find enough food for themselves.
Step 5
In your free time, find a level place and practice the art of leather lasso. You must be able to catch the most obstinate deer at any time. Try to remember each deer "in the face". You need to be able to accurately count the number of deer, and without improvised devices - right in the field.
Step 6
In early spring, take the flock with other shepherds for sorting (coralization). Here the reindeer will be vaccinated, taken for blood tests, measurements will be taken, the young will be branded, some of the males will be castrated, weak animals will be slaughtered for meat. To protect newborn fawns, it is necessary to separate them immediately and keep them separately in the future.
