Finding Lost Farm Animals

David Trammel's picture

Here's an out of the paint box idea, perhaps you could use it on animals on your farm to help locate them in the dark. Would have to be ones with horns. Or just use reflective collars if they would keep them on.


"To avoid deer strikes, Finland is painting deer antlers with reflective paint. Every year, about 4,000 reindeer lose their lives on Finnish roads in car accidents, causing 15 million Euros of damage every year. And now, the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association is testing out a new way to make the large mammals more visible to drivers: reflective paint."

Interesting. I wonder what impact it has on the horns. I imagine that reindeer horn is one of the saleable products they produce.

ClareBroommaker's picture

When I was having back pain that prevented me from standing or even shifting my weight in bed, my friend who is a medical researcher from China gave me some of her precious meds that she had brought from China. They included large adhesive patches infused with deer antler. It smelled wonderful, though I don't know whether antler was the cause.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23246455/

This is a home-based business idea:

Reflective dog-walking accessories. Leashes, collars, bandanas. You'd be surprised how hard they are to find.
When I'm at local craft events, I always check for reflective collars and leashes. There's very little to choose from.

I always ask and the answer is "I don't make them". Maybe the material is hard to find.

I found a site that sells reflective fabric made with a cotton back. Could make a great bandana. It is rather expensive at $25 a yard, so I think it would have to be used as a trim to get the best bang for your buck. I will keep looking for reflective ribbon.

Ken's picture

I had a friend from Vermont who claimed that each year he painted COW in white paint on both sides of his Jersey milk cow after having his previous milker shot by a deer hunter from the city...