agriculture purposes was adopted
when the Pechora-llych Nature
Reserve started a moose
domestication program. The
program has changed and evolved
until 1963 when it became the
Kostroma Moose Farm. Today the
moose is bred in Russia, as a source
of milk. The milk is often sued as a
treatment for peptic ulcers and is
rich in vitamins. The moose are not
raised for meat as the cost to raise
the moose far exceeds the payback
for their meat.
The farmed moose however is not
raised as any typical farm animal.
The moose is given free reign of the
forest for three seasons of the
year. They use the farms to birth
their young as well as a feeding
location. The moose are quite tame
and often used in petting zoo
scenarios. They come when called
and can even be ridden as one
would mount a horse.
Moose Domestication:
People have been trying to domesticate the moose for centuries. The moose above has been trained by a man who raised a wild moose with horses and trained it to pull sleds and do work around his homestead in Alaska.
In the early 1900’s attempts by the Swedish army and Russian army were made to domesticate the moose. The idea was that moose could trek better through deep snow than any other domestic animal of the time. The moose however proved to be more of a hazard than help in battle. As the moose’s natural instinct to hide overpowered their training to stay. Domestication of the moose was pursued by the Swedish Army until the Soviet-Finnish war in 1939. The Russian military abandoned the idea when World War II began as the moose were still not prepared.
Athabasca Landing, Alberta 1898.
A pair of moose, hand-raised by owner Peachy Prouden.
Skagway, Alaska.
Ben Moore's moose in harness.
Lorrainville Canada, 1930
