Camel a potential dairy animal in difficult environments

Abstract

Camels were originally domesticated for their milk. Following the move to use the camel as a beast of burden especially for armies, there has been a return to its original task. Camel is no more the animal of the old world, but an animal which may be use to combat the growing desertification and to feed millions of people living in those areas. There are many scientific data concerning the anatomy, physiology and endocrinology of lactation in camels. It has been shown that camels can provide 15-20 liters of milk per day for a lactation period of up to 18 months, ma'K.ingi\ a very good farm animal. The camel produces in harsh and hostile conditions where other animal may not survive. Studies conducted in the horn of Africa revealed that the camel produced more milk than the other types of tropical animals compared on the basis of kgfTLU/year. Camel milk is now used in the modern urban masses and found in the shelf of the super markets and shopping malls in the form of plain and flavored milk, cheese and chocolate. Globally camel produces about 2 % of the world total milk and that milk is mostly produced by pastoral people and consumed locally. Some attempts have been made to market such camel milk after collection and pasteurization in central processing unit/factory (India, Kenya, Mauritania and now in U.A.E.). There is a weak knowledge about the true potential of the camel and very rare references are available in the scientific database especially on various quantitative traits like daily and lactation yields and the factors affecting on it. In Pakistan camel population attain one million head with almost 20% of lactating camel produces around 0.6 million ton of milk annually, but had never documented as independent entity in the grey records of the country. Per head basis camel in the country produces far better than the indigenous milch breeds of cattle and buffalo, Friesian and their crosses. The camel sustain its productivity in difficult conditions and comparatively lesser affected by the adverse factors like lack of feed, water, season and length of lactation. There is a wide
diversity of breeds in the camel found in the arid and semiarid lands (ASAL) of the world. An enormous production variation has been observed in the different individuals of the same breeds, between the breeds and areas to area. This variation can be use successfully in the future strategies of the milk improvement. The time has reached to know and exploit the true potential of camel and to find the ways to sustain this old industry for the
cause of the conservation of important animal genetic resource and transform it in a modern entrepreneur in the near future.

Full text

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Pak. J. Agri. Sci., Vol. 45(2),2008
CAMEl-A POTENTIAL DAIRY ANIMAL IN DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENTS
A. Raziq, M. Younas and M.A. Kakar*
Department of Livestock Management, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
*Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Balochistan
Camels were originally domesticated for their milk. Following the move to use the camel as a beast of burden
especially for armies, there has been a return to its original task. Camel is no more the animal of the old world, but
an animal which may be use to combat the growing desertification and to feed millions of people living in those
areas. There are many scientific data concerning the anatomy, physiology and endocrinology of lactation in
camels. It has been shown that camels can provide 15-20 liters of milk per day for a lactation period of up to 18
months, ma'K.ingi\ a very good farm animal. The camel produces in harsh and hostile conditions where other
animal may not survive. Studies conducted in the horn of Africa revealed that the camel produced more milk than
the other types of tropical animals compared on the basis of kgfTLU/year. Camel milk is now used in the modern
urban masses and found in the shelf of the super markets and shopping malls in the form of plain and flavored
milk, cheese and chocolate. Globally camel produces about 2 %of the world total milk and that milk is mostly
produced by pastoral people and consumed locally. Some attempts have been made to market such camel milk
after collection and pasteurization in central processing unit/factory (India, Kenya, Mauritania and now in U.A.E.).
There is a weak knowledge about the true potential of the camel and very rare references are available in the
scientific database especially on various quantitative traits like daily and lactation yields and the factors affecting
on it. In Pakistan camel population attain one million head with almost 20@ of lactating camel produces around
0.6 million ton of milk annually, but had never documented as independent entity in the grey records of the
country. Per head basis camel in the country produces far better than the indigenous milch breeds of cattle and
buffalo, Friesian and their crosses. The camel sustain its productivity in difficult conditions and comparatively
lesser affected by the adverse factors like lack of feed, water, season and length of lactation. There is a wide
diversity of breeds in the camel found in the arid and semiarid lands (ASAL) of the world. An enormous production
variation has been observed in the different individuals of the same breeds, between the breeds and areas to
area. This variation can be use successfully in the future strategies of the milk improvement. The time has
reached to know and exploit the true potential of camel and to find the ways to sustain this old industry for the
cause of the conservation of important animal genetic resource and transform it in a modern entrepreneur in the
near future.
Keywords: Camel, milk yield, environment, breeds and Pakistan
INTRODUCTION
r,
"
The camel has been serving milli9ns of people living in
the arid, semi arid and desert areas of world. It
provides food, fiber, transportation and social status to
the herders. A few attempts have been done in health,
nutrition,physiology and reproduction, camel
productivity per se is still relatively untouched. A lesser
and even neglected amount of milk is published in the
gray records,of the country. The camel milk has never
been appreciated, valued and estimated properly
(Younas and Iqbal, 2001). Importance of this specie
demands that separate estimates should be collected
to fully realize the exact potentials of camel as milch
animal and to place camel where it needs to be. This
will further help the scientists to suggest the
significance of camel in the changing global scenario
and to proper develop and manage the niche that
harbor this specie.
Camel possesses certain physiological features that
enable him to thrive in extremely arid environment.
Dromedaries use water economically in almost all
metabolic functions. The body temperature of the
animal can fluctuate between 93Qand 105QF;
therefore, sweating is reduced. They don't over heat,
can withstand water loss, and store fats in the hump for
use in times of food and water deprivation
Camel is a quality and variety browser. If the good
quality forage is not available, the camel then can
efficiently utilize poor quality forage with higher crude
fiber, more than the other herbivores, by increasing the
retention time of the fiber in the fore stomach for longer
time up to 74 hours. On the other hand, if feeding on
low-protein forages can recycle and utilize body urea
for microbial protein synthesis much more efficiently
than the true ruminant (Schwartz and Dioli, 1992). By
virtue of these attributes and potentials, the role' of
camel as food animal is being accepted globally and
the camel scientists (Faye and Esenov, 2005) state
that camel has unfathomed potential for satisfying
human's future dietary and medical needs.
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Raziq, Younas and Kakar
Camel milk production is stable in almost all seasons,
which is very important for the pastoralist, when the
milk of other animals is seized in the dry period. As
camel intake per kg of milk produced is very less, it will
be suitable specie to be maintained even on marginal
and poor grazing lands. According to some reports,
camels need only 1.9 kg of dry matter to produce a liter
of milk, compared with 9.1 kg for cows (Stiles, 1983).
Therefore a review study of the available information
on the ability of camel as milch animal was conducted
to know the actual worth and future role of camel as
dairy animal.
CAMEL GENETIC BIODIVERSITY
Camel posses vide genetic biodiversity and there are
many breeds of camel in the arid and semi-arid areas
of the world. Each breed has been developed by their
own perspective pastoralist community for their own
breeding goals. Some camel breeds were developed
for the work hence they are good draught animals. The
camel evolved for the long traveling in the desert in
caravans are now good race animals. Some other
breeds were developed for the food production
especially milk in the harsh environment and now
these breeds are good milch animals
Table 1. Production potential of Pakistani camel
have been reported first time by Raziq and Younas
(2006).
MILK PRODUCTION
Camel was originally domesticated for milk. God gifted
cow camel to Prophet Saleh some 3500 Be back to
drink the milk only. The camel's milk was a gift from
God for the Arab Bedouins. In the Holy Quraan the true
worth of the camel has been described. According to
Khan (1974), the desert dwellers when turned to God
in complaint about the climate and lack of food, God
heard their pleas and came to their aid; "He sent them
the she camel to drink her milk and they became well".
Pakistani camel has excellent potential as milch animal
including, Marecha, which is probably the best milk
yielder in the world with an average milk yield of 4,179
liters per year (Sial, 1950). On average daily milk yield
is from 8 to 10 liters but under intensive management
conditions milk yield is from 15 to 20 liters daily.
However, some specimens have been reported to yield
as high as 40 liters per day (Qureshi, 1986).
Experimental studies carried out in Pakistan on its
different aspects of milk and its products are scarce.
However, results of some studies are given in the
Table 1. The scientists from Sindh, Baloch, (2001)
Source Average daily yield (Itr) Lactation length (mo) Lactation yield (Itr)
Sial (1950)
--
6688
Yasin and Wahid (1957) 10-15 16-18 2721-3629
Leopold (1978) 8.3 (6.7-10.0) 9-18 2700-3600
Knoess et al. (1986) 18.7
-
6688
Qureshi (1986) 8-10
-
-
Schwartz (1992)
--
9~18 12000
/
Jasra and Aujla (1998) 4-12 9-18 1250-3650
Iqbal et al. (1999) (11.66) 12 4260
Baloch (2001) 4.25 15 1894.93
Earlier workers (Qureshi, 1986) narrated 4 breeds
(Bagri, Brela, Marecha and Mountain camels) in
Pakistan, stating that Marecha was the best milk
producer. Isani and Baloch (2000) have listed about 21
breeds of camels in the country. They have classified
them according to their habitats, production pattern,
body measurements, physiological norms and their
particular characteristics. An update of the breeds of
camel has also been mentioned. White camels (Kohi)
reported that the average milk production of Pakistani
camel was 1894.93 liters per lactation, with the daily
yield of 4.25 liter. This figure indicates the variability in
the production potential of different camel breeds.
Different breeds having different vigor, under different
ecological conditions for different traits provide plenty
of scope of improvement in camel potentials.
Camel milk is an essential diet of nomads in the desert
areas. Camel milk is sold in the nearby cities. Some
herders sell camel milk as pure, while others mix with
milk of cattle and buttalo, especially in the peak
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Camel: apotential dairy animal in difficult environments
season, when the milk production of other animals go
down. The milk yield although varies under different
production systems and nutritional management
regimes, an elite female camel may yield up to 10-15
liters daily on an average and thus may do extremely
well than exotic cow in tropical environment in its
Recent studies conducted on the milk production
potential on Kohi camel of northeastern Balochistan
proved that the mountainous camel produces an
appreciable amount of milk. Table 2 indicates the
potential of Kohi camel under the ordinary grazing
system on the rangelands.
Table 2. Milk yield and lactation length in different parities of Kohi camel
Parity No. of camels Mean age Daily milk yield Lact. length Lactation yield
(years
±
SE) (kg
±
SE) (days
±
SE) (kg)
13 (7.5%) 4.5
d
± 0.32 6.0b ± 0.38 259 ±8.08 1566
29 (22.5%) 7.3c± 0.88 8.8
8b
± 0.68 231 ± 24.64 2029
36 (15.0%) 8.8c±0.17 11.1
8
± 1.21 275 ± 2.34 3051
410 (25.0%) 11.4
bC
± 0.76 11.0
8
± 0.69 273 ± 4.58 3010
54 (10.0%) 13.5
b
± 0.29 11.7
8
± 1.79 270 ±4.06 3168
6-8 8 (20 0%) 17.4a± 0.50 11.0
8
± 0.79 248 ± 18.62 2719
Total/Mean 40 (100%) 10.5± 0.34 10.2± 0.43 259 ± 7.02 2590.5
Means sharing different superscripts in a column are statistically significant (p<O.05)
I
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performance as dairy animal. When the camels were
well fed, there was an average milk yield of 10-15 kg
per day (Yasin and Wahid, 1957). In the areas with
poor feeding and under desert conditions, the daily
average was 4 kg. Contrary to cattle, average daily
yield maintains up to at least 1 year provided fodder
andfeed are adequate.
According to some researchers (Knoess et ai, 1986),
camels produced more milk per kg body weight than
Sahiwal cattle, FriesianxSahiwal cattle and buffaloes.
Also in a similar environment, camels produce more
milk for a longer period of time than any other species,
while their requirement for feed is modest (Wilson,
1998). It was further reported by Knoess and his co-
workers (1986) that in Punjab, well-fed dromedary
camels produced more milk than even high-merit
exotic cattle and their crosses. They thrive in areas
where green fodder is only seasonally available as a
result of erratic rainfall,and can survive on feeds left by
other animals (Knoess, 1977 and Yagil, 1994). The
efficiency of the camel should be appreciated in terms
of its productivity parameter as well as with respect to
its superb adaptation to a harsh environment,
sustainability of production across seasons, and
accessibility to people living on marginal lands. The
milk production and the economic benefits of camel
milk were explored by (Jasra and Aujla, 1998). They
reportedthat the economic benefits of camel products
(milk, meat, etc.) are not apparently visible. However,
the domestic value is considerable. As high as 22 liters
of milk were daily obtained from a few she camels in
Balochistan. They reported that the daily milk yields
varied from 4 to 12 liters, the lower milk yields
attributedto poor feed supplies.
LACT ATION LENGTH
Lactation.length of she camel depends upon various
factors and varies from 9 to 18 months (Qureshi,
1986). The mainly available food item for the
pastoralists is the milk of she-camel; therefore, they do
not dry the animal, which results in the lengthy
lactation period, even higher than 18 months. However
according to some researchers, the milk yield and
lactation length of Pakistani camel averaged 1894.93
liters and 445.58 days (15 months), respectively
(Baloch, 2001). Farmers reported a lactation length of
270 to 525 days (9-18 months) with a the total milk
yield ranging in between 1,250 to 3,650 liters with an
average of 1,800 liters per lactation (Jasra and Aujla,
1998). The authors (Raziq, 2004) have observed that
the causes for different length of lactation probably are
due to the breeders control, fluctuations in vegetation,
long prevailed drought in the last decade (1996-2002)
and poor managemental practices of different areas. In
northeastern Balochistan the lactation length is bein~
controlled by the herders and dries the cow at the 8-9
month of lactation. This practice is done to harvest
more calves in the life span of the cow. The lactation
length of Kohi camel is presented in Table 2.
MILKING PATTERN
The mainstay of a nomad's food is camel milk. It is
consumed fresh or soured. In the northeastern
mountainous area of Balochistan, both regular milking
of two times daily and milking when needed, both
265

Raziq, Younas and Kakar
systems are practiced simultaneously (Raziq, 2004).
According to Jasra and AUjla, (1998), she camel was
milkedtwicea day,while young calves were weaned at
an age of 9 to
11
months. The camels are milked twice
in 24 hrs but 4 times milking is also not uncommon.
The camelhasa uniquecapability that it can be milked
any time during 24 hrs and six times milking has also
been noticed in some animals (Qureshi, 1986), that
excited many workers to initiate some studies on the
hormonal profile of this specie and the letdown
mechanism.
CAMELS MILK PRODUCTS
A wide range of products are made from camel's milk
such as various sour milks, cheese (kurth), khoa,
butter and ghee, etc. Despite common belief in south
Asia that camel milk cannot be used to prepare butter
and ghee due to the small diameter of fat globules,
some local and foreign workers have devised methods
to make butter and ghee successfully (Sial, 1950;
Qureshi, 1986and Knoess et al. 1986). Most common
milk productsmade from camel milk are dahi (yoghurt),
lassi (sour milk) and kurth (cheese) in northeastern
Balochistanhabitats.
There was a general belief that butter couldn't be made
out of camel's milk. But for the first time in the history
of Livestock and Dairy Development Department
Punjab, 175 gm of butter out of 4 liters of milk was
obtained (Qureshi, 1986). The detailed procedure has
been detailed out and further narrated by the authors
(Younas and Raziq, 2005). The Kurth is a name given
to local cheese,white in color, which is a hard rounded
piece of the dry matter of whey. Camel lassi is sieved
through muslin cloth, total solids are filtered and some
salt is added for taste development and further
preservation. It is further dried in the sun to make hard
balls. It is used as such or again changed into lassi
when needed. The lassi of kutrh is also used for
making a dish (The Kurtho Marrie). The pieces of
bread are soaked with kurth solution and then eaten
after pouring the desi ghee on it (Raziq, 2004).
EPILOGUE
The camel could not get much desired attention due to
many reasons and lack of awareness about its
attributes relating to its milk production and its
products. Due to prevailing droughts and decreasing
production trend of other animals, the camel has
gained much attention to abridge the gap of demand
and supply. The decreasing population of the camel
demands that factors contributing towards its decline
need to be taken care of. The recent studies have
shown that the camel is a big candidate, which can
meet the milk requirements of the pastoral people and
as well as other population if managed, bred and fed
properly. Furthermore in the changing and global
warming scenario, under-exploited species like camel
will find a better place to thrive and produce even
under harsh climatic conditions. A lot of virgin areas of
research and development in this specie demand, that
proper milk recording, selection and breeding practices
are to be taken to exploit its genetic potentials to its
maximum. Some planned and integrated efforts are
needed in camel concentration areas of Cholistan and
Balochistan to undertake research and auxiliary
developments on this specie and its allied disciplines. It
is expected to bring revolutionary changes and further
improvements in enhanced milk production to put smile
on the faces of the camel herders by improving their
pastoral economy.
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