Productive performance and behaviour of calf camel (Camelus dromedarius) under semi-intensive and traditional rearing system

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Vetereinary Public Health Department

2 Animal Wealth Development Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

Abstract

A study was carried out on two different rearing systems for observation maternal behaviour during critical period (1st 20
days of life), productive performance and feeding behaviour during 3 months of age. Twenty lactating she-camels with
their calves dromedary (Camelus dromedaries) Sudani camel divided into two groups Group one (n= 10 she-camel with
their calves) managed in a semi intensive system in private farm in belbes city, all animals were herded during night in
closed pen and set free during the midday. Supplementation consists of concentrates (2kg/day) and roughages (5kg/day)
were used. Group two (n= 10 she-camel with their calves) managed in traditional system by pastoralist in met abo ali
village, in sharkia province, Egypt. All the animals were brought to grazing areas where they selected the feed by
themselves from the available plants without any supplemented feeding. The aim of the current study was to evaluate
maternal, ingestive behaviour and estimate productive performance of the camel calves under traditional system and semiintensive
system and its influence on frequency of diarrhea, mortality, morbidity and incidence of mastitis. The results
indicated that a significant increase in frequency of suckling, duration, calf camel 1st standing frequency drinking
frequency, duration and grazing duration under semi-intensive system, while calf camel teat seeking frequency, duration
and Calf camel1st standing duration with significant decrease during 1st 20 days (critical period), While there was a
significant decrease in grazing frequency in semi-intensive system. A significant increase in diarrhea frequency and
incidence of mastitis under traditional system. The body weight and the daily growth rates of the calves under semiintensive
system were higher than the calves reared in the traditional system. It concluded that, the semi intensive
production system showed some advantages for better rearing of calf camels compared with the traditional system. So,
supplementing calves by good management under semi-intensive system lead to high productivity and reduction of animal
losses

Keywords