New Baby reindeer to my herd

Come on little stump...you can do it...grow, grow, grow!
Belle's white mark on her face is distinctive! She is beautiful!!!

 

Bless her, will be wishing her little stump well and hoping it grows into a big fine antler!

 

Belle has such a beautiful face! Blessings to the growing antler. Frodo is magnificent! His color looks like one of my favorite chocolates - the girls will definitely be impressed. Is there a possibility you could get stud fees? I would think other reindeer owners would love to have his genes. Won't be surprised to see Herman become as impressive shortly.

 

Deers will be always cute and amazing creatures, in both nature and farms!

 

Willow, to be honest I have been asked in the past if I would accommodate other females to join a bull during rut as a lot of people cannot cope with a killing machine on their premises. If the request came from someone I knew and respected their reindeer management (but they have their own bulls) then I would be more than happy but I am not prepared to risk unknown animals coming onto my land.... Frodo was a major gamble... that paid off BUT he may have had a disease that would have wiped out all of my herd.

 

Very wise to limit what comes in! Actually, I was remembering the bull you "hired" some time back and was thinking you might be able to do the same with a suitable person. Although moving a bull around would not be for the faint of heart.

 

You are absolutely right - they have to moved within 48 hours of stripping velvet - before they start to really get angry!

It would be rather a worry as if they didn't take sufficient precautions, a bull in Rut can kill. At times they still seem pretty cute (even in rut) but they can never be trusted when their hormones rage and we all know what the legal system is like these days. I am sure it would be me being sued for letting a dangerous animal off my premises..
I will see how this rut goes with two bulls in separate paddocks (without a shared fence line). If I turn grey overnight then Frodo will be castrated next Spring and become a "working" boy. That's my plan for now anyway.
If I can cope with two then that would help for future years as daughters of one can go in with the other..

An Edit...
In the UK we are having "silly weather". Ridiculously hot and dry for weeks and I have been noticing (non scientifically) that my reindeer that are still retaining some or even most of their very thick Winter coats are coping far better than those that have moulted out..
I had mentioned on their FB page and someone shared this image of a dog with a lion mane... and that's just a normal coat NOT the extremely well insulated reindeer coat... I may stop grooming until weather gets cooler??? Something for my thought bump!

 

It looks like the heavier/thicker coat is insulating or keeping the heat out!

 

At last a lovely cool morning today.
It was wonderful seeing my herd relaxing in their paddocks again (however scorched), instead of hiding in the field shelters.
Come back British Summers - I miss the rain, clouds and often miserable days!! Probably not a popular view!

 

Love the pictures of everyone relaxing in the cooler weather.

 

I am happy that cooler weather has arrived! I hope a little rain comes soon to help with the dry fields, I did say a little rain though!
Lovely pictures, thanks Karen!

 

Weigh in day for some...
I penned up boys for their weigh in while I weighed my main worry (Katya, Herman's mother who is losing too much at the moment - she's always a worry when she feeds boys).

No wonder Frodo has gained so well as he was punching BORIS off the grub and Boris loves food!
Boris 119kg, Frodo 101kg and BIG baby Gandalf 81 kg - very happy with them.

Mischa will wish she hadn't wandered onto scales as I'll be calling her fatty at 89kg.
Katya is only 72.4, she is lighter framed but far under what I would like. It will be the next weigh that will give me a better guide as she was wormed 2 weeks ago. I think it is the Monster pulling her down but I don't want to wean him yet.

 

Karen, it can happily rain on your side of the country, just keep it there! Although my menagerie would probably like some rain too! Frodo looks magnificent, a testament to your skills.

 

Lol... It doesn't look like Boris is moving very quickly. His feet stayed planted in the same spot in both pictures!
He won't be bothered by a 'Cheeky Upstart'.

 

Yes you are right joan 123. The punches where not really punches but mild warnings, several of them which Boris ignored. When Frodo means it, then it bruises.

Educational post..
Yesterday Lexi caught her antler on a bramble, a small injury but it looked like a blood bath!
When antlers are in velvet (growing) they are very fragile and have a profuse blood supply. They are always a worry at this time of year due to possible fly strike/breaks. Today all fine. The surprising thing to me was that she was licking up the blood from where she had laid... Vampire reindeer.


Trying to be Rudolf???

 

Oh my....it's Rudolph Lexi!!! Do you bandage it? Or put a salve on it?

 

Bless her heart I hope it doesn't cause her any problems. As for 'piggy' Frodo I hope that Boris puts him in his place, cheeky young thing!

 

Whenever an antler bleed happens, I check out how much damage done to velvet or bone break... A break is a major problem and in which case I try to stabilize break to get it to heal (it is usually unsuccessful as they shake their heads), so the break needs removing and no further growth that year as antlers grow from tips not base (big problem).
Velvet damage only, as in Lexi's case, it bleeds a lot but I look at damage on an individual basis... If it is severe I have a aluminium spray which is a virtual bandage (they look like Metal Mickey if it is needed) but her damage was actually very mild despite all the blood so I have left her untreated but checking for fly eggs as that is the only worry, bleeding stops quickly.

 

I imagine the flies are less problem in cooler weather. Poor baby (I know she is not a baby), mean ole bramble, I hope she stamped it to bits...
How can you see a fly egg? Stick her under a microscope?

 

So glad that it wasn't a major issue; it did look worrisome with all that bleeding! I'm also interested in how you check for fly eggs. Are they in a large clump that makes them more visible?