The influence of weather conditions on body temperature, milk composition and yields of the free-ranging dromedary camels in Southeastern rangelands of Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of heat stress and seasons on diurnal body temperature, milk yield, and physicochemical properties of dromedary camel in southeastern rangelands Ethiopia. Twenty lactating camels with 2-3 months postmortem and 3-4 parities were selected for evaluation of milk yield, physicochemical properties, and body temperature measurements. The current finding shows diurnal body temperature was significantly higher in hot weather conditions (dry season). Temperature-humidity index (THImax) showed a strong positive correlation to rectal body temperatures (r = 0.72) and daily milk yield (r = 0.6) of a camel. The mean daily milk yield observed in this study was 6.02, 4.99, 2.38, and 2.57 Liters (L) during autumn, spring, summer, and winter, respectively, and showed higher (P < 0.001) milk yield in rainy season. Mean percentage of protein (3.1%), casein (1.9%), lactose (4.9%), solid-not-fat (SNF) (8.53%), and total solids (TS) (12.7%) was greater (P < 0.001) in wet season. Milk fat and energy-Matiwos Habte ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matiwos Habte is an academic staff of Dilla University. He is a PhD candidate of Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation in the Africa Center of Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation at Haramaya University. He has several publications on livestock production. Dr Mitiku Eshetu is an academic staff of the Haramaya University. He has demonstrated high expertise and interest in dairy science with a bias for camel production. Dr Abiyot Legesse is an academic staff of Dilla University. He has demonstrated high interest in climate and land use/land cover change-related impacts on food security. Dr Dereje Andualem is an academic staff of Dilla University. He has demonstrated his expertise in the impacts of microclimatic condition on livestock production for food security. Dr Melesse Maryo is a National Director of the Ethiopian biodiversity institute. He has demonstrated a high interest in biodiversity conservation and climate-smart agriculture and food security.

Clinical and Correlated Responses among Steroid Hormones and Oxidant/Antioxidant Biomarkers in Pregnant, Non-Pregnant and Lactating CIDR-Pre-Synchronized Dromedaries (Camelus dromedarius)

“…Alexandria weather data (December to May) including maximum temperature (T, • C), and relative humidity (RH, %) were used to determine the temperature-humidity index (THI) (Figure 2) using the following equation [37]:…”

“…The threshold value of heat stress in she-camels was set as 72-points THI, where the stress was categorized into mild (72-79 THI), moderate (80-89 THI) and severe stress (≥90 THI) [37].…”

Genetic characterization of the prion protein gene in camels (Camelus) with comments on the evolutionary history of prion disease in Cetartiodactyla

“…In Ethiopia, populations of Dromedary camels ( Camelus dromedarius ) are mostly restricted to the Ethiopian regional states of Afar, Oromia, and Somali ( Abebe, 2001 ). Although Dromedary camels are, in some instances, free-ranging, these populations and those under captive operations are actively maintained and used for pastoralism, including the production of milk and the sales for pack animals or slaughter ( Habte et al, 2021 ; Kena, 2022 ; Mirkena et al, 2018 ).…”