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Functional Anatomy of the Omasum in High Arctic Svalbard Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) and Norwegian Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus)

Bladmagens funksjonelle anatomi i Svalbardrein (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) og fastlandsrein i Nord-Norge (Rangifer tarandus tarandus).

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 41, pages 25–40 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

The structure and fill of the omasum was investigated in summer and in winter in adult female reindeer living on the polar desert and tundra of the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and in sub-Arctic mountain habitats in northern Norway The mean total mass of the omasum in non-lactating adult female Svalbard reindeer was 467 g (0.65 g per 100 g live body mass (BM)) in September and 477 g (1.03 g per 100 g BM) in April. By contrast, the mean mass of the omasum in non-lactating adult reindeer in northern Norway was 534 g (0.83 g per 100 g BM) in September but only 205 g (0.35 g per 100 g BM p<0.05) in late March, owing to a decrease in both tissue mass and the wet mass of the contents of the organ. The mean absorptive surface of the omasum in Svalbard reindeer was 2300 cm2 in September and 2023 cm2 in April. In Norwegian reindeer, by contrast, the absorptive surface area decreased from 2201 cm2 in September to 1181 cm2 (p<0.05) in late March. The marked seasonal decline of omasal tissue and contents in Norwegian reindeer probably results from intake of highly digestible forage plants, including lichens, in winter. Svalbard reindeer, a non-migratory sub-species, survive eating poor quality fibrous vascular plants in winter. The absence of any marked seasonal change in the mass, total absorptive surface area or filling of the omasum in Svalbard reindeer in winter despite a substantial decline in body mass presumably reflects their need to maintain maximum absorption of nutrients, including volatile fatty acids, when feeding on such poorly fermentable forage.

Sammendrag

Bladmagens struktur og fyllingsgrad ble undersøkt i Svalbardrein som lever på den hoy arktiske øygruppen Svalbard og i fastlandsrein fra Nord-Norge fra både sommer- og vinterbeite. Bladmagens gjennomsnittlig størrelse (mean) i ikke lakterende simler var 467 g (0.65 g pr 100g levende vekt) i September og 477g (1.03 g pr 100 g levende vekt) i april på Svalbard. I ikke lakterende simler på fastlandet veide bladmagen 534g (0.83 g pr 100 g levende vekt) i September, men bare 205 g (0.35 g pr 100 g levende vekt, p< 0.05) i mars. Både vevsmasse og innholdet i bladmagen var redusert i fastlandsreinen om vinteren. Gjennomsnittlig (mean) overflateareal av Svalbardreinens bladmager var 2300 cm2 i September og 2023 cm2 i april. I fastlandsreinen var overflatearealet av bladmagene 2201 cm2 i September, men redusert til bare 1181 cm2 i mars (p<0.05). Den reduserte bladmagen i fastlandsreinen skyldes antagelig inntak av høyt fordøyelige beiteplanter som reinlav på vinteren. Svalbardreinen trekker ikke mellom sesongbeiter, men overlever ved å spise fiberrike beiteplanter om vinteren. At Svalbardreinen opprettholder sine store bladmager om vinteren, kan reflektere disse dyrenes behov for å opprettholde en effektiv absorpsjon av næringsstoffer, som flyktige fettsyrer, når beiteplantene er av dårlig kvalitet.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Arctic Veterinary Medicine, The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, N-92 92 Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway

    S. D. Mathiesen, M. A. Vader & V. B. Rœdergård

  2. Department of Arctic Biology, Institute of Medical Biology, Tromsø, Norway

    S. D. Mathiesen, W. Sørmo & Ø.E. Haga

  3. Department of Biology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway

    N. J. C. Tyler

  4. Institute for Zoo Biology, Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany

    R. R. Hofmann

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  1. S. D. Mathiesen
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  2. M. A. Vader
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  3. V. B. Rœdergård
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  4. W. Sørmo
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  5. Ø.E. Haga
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  6. N. J. C. Tyler
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  7. R. R. Hofmann
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Correspondence to S. D. Mathiesen.

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Mathiesen, S.D., Vader, M.A., Rœdergård, V.B. et al. Functional Anatomy of the Omasum in High Arctic Svalbard Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) and Norwegian Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). Acta Vet Scand 41, 25–40 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03549653

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147