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Welfare Aspects of Reproductive Care and Management of Dromedary Camels

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Dromedary Camel Behavior and Welfare

Part of the book series: Animal Welfare ((AWNS,volume 24))

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Abstract

For efficient reproduction, camels have to be healthy, well-housed and well-fed. Under natural conditions, camels tend to roam freely but to improve reproductive efficiency they need to be kept under more intensive systems where breeding practices are closely monitored and controlled. Currently, ultrasound of the reproductive tract is considered the most reliable method to monitor follicular development and decide the correct time to mate. This requires some form of restraint, and padded stocks are the safest method for camel and operator. As genetically superior males are in higher demand, this leads to overuse of the male camels resulting in lower than optimum fertility and females requiring several matings for successful conception. This led to the development of embryo transfer and artificial insemination to reduce the number of matings required and thereby improve the welfare of both male and female camels. Good management of the perinatal and early post-partum period is critical for the success of any breeding programme. This chapter describes reproductive management from a welfare aspect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Camel Reproduction Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    J. A. (Lulu) Skidmore

  2. Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Products, Farm and Veterinary Department, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Judit Juhasz & Peter Nagy

Authors
  1. J. A. (Lulu) Skidmore
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  2. Judit Juhasz
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  3. Peter Nagy
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Barbara Padalino

  2. Campus International de Baillarguet, CIRAD-ES, Montpellier, France

    Bernard Faye

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(Lulu) Skidmore, J.A., Juhasz, J., Nagy, P. (2024). Welfare Aspects of Reproductive Care and Management of Dromedary Camels. In: Padalino, B., Faye, B. (eds) Dromedary Camel Behavior and Welfare. Animal Welfare, vol 24. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48600-5_9

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