Semi-domesticated reindeer
Male reindeer weigh between 90 and 160 kilograms, females weigh less. The most common colour of reindeer fur is greyish brown, but the fur is lighter in wintertime. Both males and females boast antlers.
Reindeer are slaughtered in the autumn because their meat is at its prime at the time. When there is no more green grass available, reindeer begin to burn off the fat stored in their backs. During the winter months, the animals lose weight and the structure of their meat changes.

Over 70 percent of the reindeer that are slaughtered for meat are calves that have eaten only food that they have found while grazing in nature. Winter feeding is normally used only to ensure survival during the coldest part of the winter season.

Reindeer meat is the tender, tasty, and nutritional fare of the North of Scandinavia.

The Sami have survived for thousands of years in an arctic environment, which shows that their traditional food contains all the nutrients humans need. And the basis of the Sami diet is of course reindeer meat.
The traditional Sami food culture is based on what nature provides. Reindeer meat is naturally a very important element. Reindeer meat can be processed in many ways, such as stewing, frying, smoking or drying, which offers plenty of variety as regards taste.

A living larder
The reindeer alone is a living larder, with a meat that is not only tasty but also lean and rich in vitamins and minerals. The average fat content is 3%, and it is a nutritious Omega 3 type fat. The protein content is as high as 22%. Reindeer meat is also a good source of vitamins, containing A, B, C and E vitamins. As a natural grazer, the reindeer produces meat that is rich in minerals, such as iron, selenium and calcium. These are all good for people. By also using the offal, such as the blood, liver, etc., the vitamin and mineral content is further reinforced.

Natural pasture important
Reindeer meat is our own natural meat, and is a result of the interaction between the reindeer, nature and the reindeer herder. The reindeer has adapted to using the scarce natural pasture. It is therefore constantly on the move between different seasonal land, making use of a renewable natural resource that no other animal can utilise. During the summer months, when the reindeer is growing, it grazes on protein-rich food such as grass, herbs and fungi in the mountains and forest. During the winter, the reindeer moves eastwards to the forested area to graze on energy-rich lichen. In order to survive until the return of spring and fresh vegetation, it does not exert itself excessively. A new reindeer year begins in May, with the birth of the new calves.