Milk Composition, Body Conformation & Mangement Practices of Camel ( Camelus dromadariu) in Butana area

Abstract

The study was conducted in different locations in Butana area (Gadarif, Showak, Sharif Hassab Allah , um-gargoor, Alsobagh). The study aim to determine the effect of breed types, sex and age group on somebody measurements of some Sudanese breed type's camel, also to assess some field management practices adopted by herder men and camel owners. Milk samples from 60 she-camels (Camelus dromedaries) in different parity numbers (one to fifth) and in different breed types (Anafi n=10, Kenana n=20, Daili n=12 and Arabi n=18) were randomly collected in June 2013 to investigate the effect of parity and breed types on some physicochemical components of camels milk. The effect of parity and breed types on milk yield and components were investigated by ANOVA test followed by multiple comparisons using (LSD) test and the relation of difference components of camel milk were calculated using Pearson correlation. The data of present study was analyzed by using SPSS. Milk yield, fat, SNF and protein were affected by parity number (P<0.05). Significant differences (P<0.05) of breed types were recorded in freezing point, conductivity, milk yield, fat, lactose, ash, SNF and protein. The results showed strong positive correlation (P<0.01) in density, freezing point, Fat, SNF, lactose, ash and protein. But between fat and lactose, fat and ash were positively correlated (P<0.05). The correlation of each parameter with the added water and conductivity was negatively highly significant (P<0.01). Also the study was used two hundred and eighty head were to five breed types of Sudanese camel (Bishari, Arabi, Daili, Anafi and Kenani) were randomly selected from Gadarif state. The purpose of this part of the study was to determine the effect of breed types, sex and age group on some body measurements of the five Sudanese breed types camel. Body measurements were taken using metric tape (height at wither, heart girth, barrel girth, neck length, face length, tail length, IV and body weight). Complete Randomized Design was used to analyze the results obtained from this part of study and subjected to General Linear model (GLM) followed by Least significant difference test (LSD) using the SPSS 20.0 computer program, as 5 X 2 X 4 factorial design averages of height at wither, heart girth, barrel girth, neck length, face length, tail length and body weight were 1.85±0.02 m, 2.02±0.02 m, 2.52±0.02 m, 1.13±0.01 m, 58.84±0.28 cm, 68.60±0.42 cm and 512.30±7.84 kg respectively. The results also revealed that body measurements were significantly affected by type of camel and age group. The Kenani camel showed the highest values in all studied body measurements followed by other breed types. Regarding to the age groups the camels in the fourth age group (8 to 9 years) had significantly high values in all body measurements followed by those of the third group 10 to 12 years, while the animals in the first group ≤ 4 years recorded the lowest values. Furthermore, the results showed that the sex of camel significantly affected the heart girth, face length and body weight; and the males had significantly higher (P< 0.05) values than those of females. Also a set of detailed structured questionnaires were used to collect information from a total of sixty camel owners in different locations in Butana area in interview conducted over single visit. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information on general household information, relation with camel and life mode of camel owners, purposes of keeping and rearing camels, breeding practices, milk production and milking practices, feeding and watering and constrains of camel production and veterinary services. This part of study was revealed that most of camel owners was illiterate, practiced both rearing camels and agriculture and had experience more than 20 years in camel rearing as professions also they bred camel as life manner the results showed that camel owners select their animals according to breeding history, followed by productivity and morphological features moreover they focused on milk and meat improvement purposes and the majority of them kept the male from the same herd and prefer to V bred Arabi, Daili, and Anafi breed type. More than half percent of camel owners select their male at 6 years age and keep it until 15 years. The results showed that most of she-camel produced from 2 to 3 kg milk/day in lactation period of 10 months, the majority of camel owners used calve in milk let down and they milked she-camels twice a day, also the majority consumed the produced milk, while view of them 3 sold the produced milk and took the milk for calve. The study showed that the main source of camels feed was the pastures and the camels preferred to eat trees, bushes and grasses. Also the result showed that the main source of water is river, wells 3and natural water net . The results showed that the majority of camel owners watering their camels in summer every three, while in winter more than half percent of camel owners watering their camels every six days. The main constrain of camel production was diseases, followed by the lack of feed, water.