Background: Biochemical and haematological parameters have not been determined in Bactrian camels kept at high altitude. Therefore, this study was undertaken to characterise different physiological, haematological, biochemical, and morphometric parameters of Bactrian camels of high altitude. For this, total fourteen high altitude healthy Bactrian camels were selected from Leh-Ladakh, India, a high altitude area, and thereafter divided into three age groups (N = 3 young; N = 6 adult; N = 5 old camels) to characterise for above parameters. All the results were compared with Lowlander Bactrian camels. Results: Morphometric measurement showed significant difference in body height, body length, front-hump height and girth, back-hump height and girth, abdomen girth, neck length, and circumference of the shank in the young age group camels as compared to other age groups of Bactrian camels (p < 0.05). Furthermore, all the physiological and haematological parameters were similar in all the age groups of camels (p < 0.05). However, the leukocyte, erythrocyte, Hb, platelets, monocyte, and ESR level were towards the higher side of the normal reference range of Lowlander Bactrian camels. Whereas, the biochemical analysis revealed a significant increase in triglycerides and decrease in protein levels in the younger age group as compared to other age groups (p < 0.05). Although, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, iron, magnesium, urea, and creatinine levels were insignificant among the different groups, but observed towards the higher side of the low altitude reference range. Interestingly, the glucose levels in all the groups were observed towards the lower side of the range, which showed metabolic adaptation to high altitude. Conclusion: These findings suggested there is morphometric and biochemical variation in Bactrian camel of high altitude. The results further helped in establishing novel reference ranges for these parameters in Highlander Bactrian camel. Hence, this study will be the basis of future research on a Bactrian camel from high-altitude cold desert and helpful for better camel husbandry and health management in high altitude.

The present study was carried out for 7 days on four adult low-lander single-humped camels to know the effectof endurance load exercise on physiological, biochemical, hormonal, and inflammatory cytokines at high altitude.A significant 1.5 to 3 fold increase was observed in physiological responses, viz. the respiration and heart rate onthe 1st and 7th day after the load endurance exercise. Further, serum triglycerides levels were significantly increased on the 7th day after the load endurance exercise, whereas other biochemical parameters were unaffected. However, hormones and inflammatory cytokines responses, viz. cortisol, cardiac-troponin (C-troponin), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tri-iodothyronine (T3), thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were significantly increased on 1st and 7th day after the endurance exercise. These physio-biochemical changes during load endurance exercise indicated that low-lander single-humped camels have low endurance and are under physiological stress in high altitude conditions. Thus, the present study has brought new primary data and information on physiobiochemical parameters of the single-humped camel at high altitude. This data may help identify suitable camels for load-carrying and other logistics at high altitude areas

The high altitude region of India is characterized by harsh climatic conditions that may have an adverse impact on growth and metabolic functions of camels. Thus, the main aim of this study was to evaluate different adaptation parameters related to morphological, physio-biochemical and haematological indices in low lander Dromedarian and high lander native Bactrian camels at high altitude. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been conducted so far to evaluate these different adaptation parameters in both breeds of camels to understand their adaptive mechanism in high altitude. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate these adaptation parameters in Dromedarian and Bactrian camels. All morphological parameters were within the normal ranges in both the breeds. However, girth of hump, and skin thickness of shank and abdomen were towards the higher side of normal range in Dromedarian camels The heart rate was significantly high and rectal temperature was low in Dromedarian camels than native Bactrian camels (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the erythrocytes sedimentation rate, lymphocytes and platelets counts were significantly high and above the reference range in Bactrian as compared to Dromedarian(p < 0.05), whereas MCV, leukocytes and neutrophils were towards higher side of normal range in Dromedary. Similarly, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were also significantly high, whereas glucose and triglycerides levels were low in native Bactrian as compared to Dromedarian(p < 0.05). These findings suggested that there is species difference in adaptation parameters in response to high altitude. Further, native high lander Bactrian camel having better metabolic adaptation and non-glucose energy substrates dependent metabolism. These parameters could be useful for evaluating their health conditions and load carrying performance for further selection of elite animals as pack animals at high altitude.