What is reindeer milk and where is it produced?
Reindeer milk is the milk of the reindeer, a deer species, and is very rich. A University of Helsinki study of cows at Inari, Finland, measured an average of 20.5 percent fat, 12.8 percent protein and 3.1 percent lactose. Milk yield is small, about 100 ml per milking day in that study, and the authors note the true amount was probably higher.
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In this article
- What is reindeer milk made of?
- How much milk does a reindeer give?
- When do reindeer produce milk?
- Where is reindeer milk produced, and what is it used for?
- Reindeer milk facts: do reindeer give milk, and how do people get it?
- Do Sami people use reindeer milk? What cultures produce reindeer milk?
- What part of the world still uses reindeer milk?
What is reindeer milk made of?
Varo and Varo (University of Helsinki, 1971) studied reindeer cows at the Kaamanen research region in Inari, Finland, in summer 1967. Their analysis of the milk gave:
| Component | Average (%) | Range (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 20.53 | 12.68 to 30.03 |
| Protein | 12.78 | 6.88 to 15.46 |
| Lactose | 3.08 | 2.77 to 3.23 |
| Solids | 39.09 | 30.20 to 49.74 |
A later Finnish study (Eloranta and others, 1990) described the milk as high in fat (about 20%) and protein (about 10%), but lower in lactose. Its own measurements were lower, about 9 to 10% fat and 7% protein, in hinds milked 5 to 12 days after calving. Values differ by study, feed and lactation stage.
How much milk does a reindeer give?
Small amounts. In the 1971 study, yield was 47 to 206 ml per milking day, averaging about 100 ml, and the authors say the real amounts were probably higher because milking was hard. The 1990 paper cites a range of 47 ml to 1,590 ml per day and an average of 720 ml per day in its own study.
When do reindeer produce milk?
The 1990 paper says lactation starts at or just before snow melt and usually ends in autumn, with peak yield early after calving. It notes that yield falls while fat and protein rise as lactation goes on.
Where is reindeer milk produced, and what is it used for?
Both studies we read are from Finland. We found no official source on current production areas, Sami milking traditions, products, cheese, or taste, so we make no claims on them. We also found no official nutrition entry for it.
Reindeer milk facts: do reindeer give milk, and how do people get it?
Yes, and people have milked them. A 2004 paper in the journal Rangifer by researchers at the University of Helsinki, the Finnish food research institute EELA and the Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute says a reindeer would yield about a coffee cup of milk per milking. Its own study milked two groups of 4 female reindeer on alternate days for six weeks. We found no official step-by-step guide on how to get milk from a reindeer.
Do Sami people use reindeer milk? What cultures produce reindeer milk?
Historically, yes. The paper says milking was widespread in the Sami areas of Finland, Norway and Sweden and on the Kola peninsula. In Finnish Lapland reindeer were milked until the Second World War, and in parts of Enontekio municipality as late as the 1960s. Reindeer milk and its products were a significant part of the Sami summer and autumn diet. Calves were born in May and milking often started around midsummer.
What part of the world still uses reindeer milk?
The paper says reindeer are still milked in parts of Siberia. It also says interest in reindeer milk products had recently arisen in Finland, Norway and Sweden, with work on cheese, ice cream, soaps and lotions, and that commercial milking was being set up in a Norwegian reindeer district (as of 2004). We found no newer official source on where milking is done today.
People also ask
What is reindeer milk?
The milk of the reindeer. A Helsinki study measured about 20.5% fat, 12.8% protein and 3.1% lactose on average.
How much milk does a reindeer give?
Studies report about 100 ml to 720 ml a day on average, with a very wide range; the true amount may be higher.
Can you milk reindeer?
Yes, researchers in Finland milked reindeer cows in these studies, but they said milking was difficult and took time.
Do reindeer provide milk?
Yes. A 2004 Rangifer paper says a reindeer would yield about a coffee cup of milk per milking, and that reindeer milk was a significant part of the Sami summer and autumn diet.
Where are reindeer still milked?
The same paper says reindeer are still milked in parts of Siberia. We found no newer official source for other regions.
Do Sami people use reindeer milk?
Historically, yes. The paper says milking was widespread in the Sami areas of Finland, Norway and Sweden and on the Kola peninsula, and the milk was a significant part of their summer and autumn diet.
How do they get milk from reindeer?
In the 2004 study, researchers milked two groups of 4 female reindeer on alternate days for six weeks. We found no official step-by-step guide to milking.
Sources
- Journal of the Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland (University of Helsinki): Varo and Varo, The milk production of reindeer cows and the share of milk in the growth of reindeer calves, read 5 Nov 2026
- Rangifer Special Issue No. 4: Eloranta, Nieminen and Soppela, Reindeer milk (poster abstract, 1990), read 5 Nov 2026
- Rangifer (Kurki, Pitkala and Nieminen): The hygienic quality of raw reindeer milk, 2004, read 5 Nov 2026
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