Response of camels and cow calves to 100% and 50% roughage rations fed consequently

Abstract

Background Dromedary camels could be a successful and economic meat provider in poor greenery lands where feeds and water are scarcely available. Moreover, camels need lower amounts of protein in their rations than other ruminants, since they have an exceptional ability to recycle urea as a source of nitrogen when dietary protein is unavailable. The present preliminary study aimed to detect influence of feeding all roughage ration on growth performance of growing camels in comparison with cow calves and their response to the abrupt change into 50% roughage ration fed in the fed-lot condition. Results The results illustrated that with feeding 100% R ration camels could utilize available nutrients better than calves, and although the maintenance level of CP was not met for both species, camels exert higher resistance in losing weight than calves (− 93.7 vs. − 160.7 g/d). Shifting camels and calves on 50% R ration showed nearly similar nutritive values and comparable daily weight gain (942.75 g for camels and 968.50 g for calves). Feed conversion efficiency as Mcal ME and g DCP/kg gain was, respectively, 18.39 and 527 for camels and 18.42 and 555 for calves. Blood serum biochemical constituents were improved with 50% R than 100% R ration particularly for calves. Blood protein of camels was not influenced by changing ration. Urea concentration was higher in camel’s blood than calves with either 100% or 50% R rations. Camels clearly had lower contents of cholesterol and triglycerides than calves under the two feeding regimes. Conclusion The results revealed that growing camels could utilize the 100% R ration of very low protein content more efficiently than cow calves and had similar growth rate as that of calves with the 50% R ration.

Nutrición animal: Texto de formación universitaria

“…El camello es el animal rumiante con la mayor capacidad de reciclaje de urea (94-97%), sin cambiar su balance de nitrógeno con la privación de agua, incluso pueden mantener un nivel constante de nitrógeno mediante el reciclaje de urea en la inanición (Mousa et al, 1983), abasteciendo carne en forma exitosa y económica en las tierras pobres donde los alimentos y el agua apenas están disponibles, porque sobreviven con dietas de las más bajas en proteínas que otros rumiantes, dada su excepcional capacidad para reciclar urea como fuente de nitrógeno cuando la proteína dietética no está disponible (El-Badawi et al, 2021).…”