Reindeer

I do wonder if anyone has thought of having raindeer . I discovered that there is a herd in the northeast of England .
The advantage of this animal is that there are a number of products that could generate income apart from the meat
1 horns
2 the velvet off the horns is used in Chinese medicine
3 rent them out at Christmas as aids for santas etc

David

I grew up hunting the wild version (Caribou) in Alaska and sleeping on the hides, which are covered in hollow fur and thus intensely insulating when placed between your sleeping bag and the frozen ground.  The meat is absolutely the best meat I've ever eaten.  

I'm told the domesticated ones are slightly less frisky, but the Alaskan natives who herd them in Northwest Alaska do it on four-wheelers at high speed and have enough open-range tundra that they can mostly leave them alone.  The antlers are truly impressive when they are head-down and charging you; think Texas Longhorn only worse because the antlers spread out further and they can tine you to death from many different angles with one shake of the head.   (Bad hunting trip memories, close calls, dammit Dad next time sight in the rifle first!)

Although they will eat grass, they are heavy browsers of tree limbs and tips; that could be good or bad depending on your pasture situation.  

They are commonly domesticated in their native range. I wonder if they can handle the climate outside of that. As I remember it, reindeer (or caribou) have some of the most insulating fur in the world. I suspect they easily overheat. Just looking at pictures, that looks like exceptionally fine leather and everything I've heard suggests the same of the meat.

Well Cassie they seem to do ok in the north east of England where there not much snow but l admit it does not get that hot

David