Climate-smart solutions from Lapland: The Sallans as pioneers in the use of reindeer husbandry side streams
Both Niina Mattila's home and company, Aihkiporo, are located in Salla - in the middle of nowhere - as the municipality's motto says. Mattila is a part-time reindeer herder, and in addition to reindeer husbandry, she is actively involved in various development projects related to the sector. In recent years, the reindeer slaughterhouse in Salla has improved the recovery and utilisation of side streams from reindeer husbandry.
In the past, before the use of slaughterhouses, all parts of the reindeer were used. In addition to meat and offal, for example blood, bone marrow and hooves were also used as food. Other parts such as hides, antlers and claws were used as raw materials for handicrafts. However, changing attitudes towards food and the introduction of modern slaughterhouses have meant that many parts of the reindeer are no longer utilised. At the same time, part of Lapland's cultural heritage has disappeared.
”Most reindeer slaughterhouses were built in the early 1990s. At that time, it was not thought that the carcasses would be used for anything other than meat. As a result, the recovery of the side streams is currently not possible in many slaughterhouses”, Niina Mattila explains.
In Salla, the reindeer husbandry side streams are used in many ways
The reindeer slaughterhouse in Salla is owned by two reindeer owners' associations with a total of 300 reindeer owners. Salla is a pioneer in the recovery of side streams. The facilities at the slaughterhouse have been improved over the years and it is now possible to collect reindeer blood for use. The blood is sold as such and it is also used to make blood sausage, which is bought by various actors, including the municipality of Salla and local restaurants.
”Foods made from blood are part of the cultural heritage of Lapland. Many consumers are not familiar with blood as a food ingredient, but blood sausages, for example, are very popular in school canteens. We send reindeer blood for processing to Meän Liha, located in Tervola, south of Rovaniemi. The sausage is seasoned with angelica and reindeer bone broth," says Niina Mattila.
In addition to blood, the Salla reindeer slaughterhouse also collects fat and tails, which are used by local restaurants, as well as reindeer hides, antlers and leg skins. The leg skins are sold to Mongolia, where they are used to make shoes. The remaining soft parts are sent to a company that produces raw animal feed in southern Finland and to a local draft dog farm.
”Our next goal is to develop the collection of shank bones at the slaughterhouse. Reindeer bone marrow has a specific fatty acid profile that is different from that of other livestock. We have also started a project to develop the composting of stomachs and intestines. Composting recovers nutrients from the waste, and reindeer owners could use the nutrients to grow grass.”, Niina Mattila explains the future plans for the slaughterhouse.
Mattila is currently involved in a development project that aims to bring all reindeer slaughterhouses up to the same level in terms of side stream recovery. The people from Salla have visited and guided other slaughterhouses, for example in Sodankylä, where the situation is already looking quite good. However, in order to use the side streams on an industrial scale, for example in the production of dry dog food, the quantities of the ingredients and materials need to be increased significantly; the side streams from only one or two slaughterhouses are not yet sufficient for industrial needs.
Towards a more sustainable energy economy
Energy consumption is another issue that needs to be addressed in reindeer slaughterhouses, which have very low-capacity utilisation outside the main slaughter season in October-December. In a previous pilot project, an energy audit was carried out at the Salla slaughterhouse to examine its energy consumption. The technology in the slaughterhouse is old-fashioned and, as was typical at the time of its construction, heating is provided by a direct electrical heating system, which results in some heat loss.
The idea is that in the future the waste heat from the freezers in the yard could be used to heat the interior of the slaughterhouse. At the Aihkiporo meat cutting plant, which was completed three years ago using a similar method, the heat generated by the freezers is largely sufficient to heat the entire building.
The network of actors in the reindeer husbandry sector is wide
A major challenge in improving the sustainability of reindeer slaughterhouses is the large number of operators using the facilities. In Finland, reindeer are slaughtered by the reindeer owners, unlike in Sweden, where the owner of the slaughterhouse is an external company that buys the animals alive. In this way, the slaughterhouse entrepreneur will directly benefit from the development of the business and the image of the company.
In Salla, the development work has been well received by the reindeer owners.
”We have been doing this development for more than ten years, and exploiting the side streams means a clear additional income for the reindeer owners. Of course, this is also important for the image of the industry as a whole", says Niina Mattila.
Although the large number of operators is a challenge for developing sustainability in the slaughterhouse, it is also a great asset. The activities are highly networked and there is extensive cooperation between the reindeer owners and also with other entrepreneurs in the area.
”For example, the idea to develop blood collection came directly from a need in a local restaurant: the restaurant had reindeer blood pancakes on their menu, and the entrepreneur wondered why they couldn't use local reindeer blood from Salla in their dishes”, Niina Mattila explains.
Bones, claws, leather and antlers are used in local handicraft enterprises. There is also an active community college in Salla, which offers courses in the traditional use of various parts of the reindeer in handicrafts. One of the courses even taught how to tan reindeer hides with a natural tanning liquor derived from reindeer brain. Thus, crafting courses at the community college support the skills of local artisans.
Tourism and travel companies are also an important part of the extensive reindeer husbandry network. The tourism companies in Salla are committed to sustainability and the use of local products. In addition to reindeer meat, reindeer skins are used for sleigh rides and fireplace seating. Tourists also like to buy souvenirs made from reindeer.
The whole network is involved in promoting the sustainability of the reindeer industry. ”Good work is being done in the business network to develop the image of reindeer husbandry. The origin of the reindeer products is traceable, and we try to be open about the ingredients and raw materials, the production chain and the conditions in which the animals have lived", says Niina Mattila.
The publication is one of the ClimateFood project's climate-smart success stories in the food chain. Case examples includes stories both from Finland and from Sweden.
