Behaviour of reindeer as an indicator of an adaptation to feeding

摘要

Abstract: We assessed behaviour of reindeer affected by nutritional deprivation and how they adapted to various feeding strategies. The activity pattern of 61 penned eight month old female reindeer calves was observed during 20 of a total of 42 experimental days in winter 1997. The dominant activities were lying, ruminating, intake of feed and water, and standing. Few recordings of agonistic behaviour or snow intake occured. Restricted feed intake, half the ad lib. ration of a lichen-based diet, affected the eating behaviour of the reindeer, and more animals were standing and fewer lying compared to reindeer fed ad lib. Lack of energy in the diet correlated with animals lying curled up (lying with the muzzle close to the hind legs). This behaviour could be a useful complement to other measurements and registrations when studying adaptations to various feeding regimens. Abstract in Swedish/Sammanfattning: Syftet med studien var att unders?ka om, och i s? fall hur renars beteende p?verkades av otillr?ckligt n?ringsintag och vid anpassning till olika utfodringsstrategier. Aktivitetsm?nstret hos 61 inh?gnade ?tta m?nader gamla honrenkalvar studerades under 20 av totalt 42 f?rs?ksdagar. De vanligaste beteendekategorierna genom hela f?rs?ket var ligga, idissla, intag av foder och vatten samt st? passivt. Endast ett f?tal observationer av aggressivt beteende och sn??tande registrerades. En begr?nsad giva dvs. halva m?ngden av fodergivan vid fri tillg?ng av en lavbaserad diet p?verkade djuren ?tbeteende. Dessutom observerades fler djur st? passivt medan f?rre l?g j?mf?rt med kontrollgruppen. Under f?rsta fasen av utfodring efter restriktionsperioden l?g fler djur l?g ihoprullade (med mulen t?tt intill bakbenet) j?mf?rt med kontrollgruppen, vilket tolkades som ett tecken p? energibrist. Beteendestudierna visade sig vara ett v?rdefullt komplement till ?vriga m?tningar och provtagningar vid studier av renars anpassning till olika utfodringsregimer.