Tropentag, September 10 - 12, 2025, Bonn "Reconciling land system changes with planetary health"

Management- and resource-based factors with potential influence on dromedary camel milk production and health

¹University of Kassel, Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, Germany
²Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Dept. of Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health, Ethiopia

Abstract

Nowadays, camels are a significant source of income besides to their common subsistence uses in pastoral societies. Despite the significance of camel milk to the livelihoods of millions of pastoralists, the potential of camel milk has not yet been fully explored by the government and private sectors in Ethiopia, and camels are one of the least researched domestic animal species. In 2024, we examined the management and resource-based factors that potentially influence dromedary camel milk production and health in Borana and East Shewa zones of Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia within the SUSCAMI project. Survey data were collected from 386 randomly selected participants (n=192 from Borana and n=194 from East Shewa) using a probability proportional to size procedure. We found significant differences in camel herd size, with mean values of 12.0 in Borana compared to 27.1 in East Shewa, and in the share of lactating camels of the total camel herd, which stood at 3.2 in Borana and 6.4 in East Shewa. Additionally, we noted that the total tropical livestock unit averaged 22.8 in Borana and 48.0 in East Shewa. Tree and shrub foliage was the most accessible feed resource of camels during both, dry and wet seasons, irrespective of the study zone. The frequency of treating she-camels with antimicrobial agents by camel herders revealed a significant difference between the study zones, with 21% of herders treating their she-camel on a monthly basis in Borana, while the treatment frequency of she-camels in East Shewa was 1-3 times per year (36.5% of the interviewed herders). The focal constraints affecting camel milk production were diseases and parasites in the Borana zone, and a shortage of land for browsing in the East Shewa zone. The government and stakeholders must provide comprehensive support and attention to tackle these problems. Further research is ongoing to explore the impact of resource-based factors on she-camel production and reproduction performance, as well as health, including an in-depth study of nutritional qualities of camel feeds in the current study areas.

Keywords: Dromedary camel, health, milk production, resource-based factors

Contact Address: Hassanuur Hassan Kalla, University of Kassel, Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, Witzenhausen, Germany, e-mail: uk100869uni-kassel.de