Abstract
Effects of two different management systems on male dromedary camel hormones, behaviors, and semen parameters were documented. Camels (n=6) were tested under two management systems: (i) housed in single boxes with 1-h freedom (H23); (ii) exposed to females for 17 h (from 3.30 p.m. to 8.30 a.m.) and then housed (ConExF). Blood was collected every morning; camel behavior was recorded twice a day: (i) from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. to determine the short effects; (ii) from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. to determine the long effects. Each camel underwent a female parade and semen collection thrice a week; sexual behavior, libido, and semen parameters were assessed. Testosterone and cortisol concentrations were higher in ConExF than H23. Compared to the H23 group, ConExF group spent more time walking, standing tripods, and looking outside their pen/box but they spent less time eating, ruminating, resting, standing, and showing stereotypical behaviors. In the morning, ConExF group spent more time walking, ruminating, and showing typical sexual behaviors compared to themselves during afternoon time and the H23 group. However, in the afternoon time, ConExF camels put more time their heads outside the box through the window and showed higher frequencies of stereotypies, probably due to a higher level of frustration. While the sexual behavioral score was higher and ejaculates showed a higher fraction of milky white and white-colored semen in ConExF than H23 group, their libido was similar. Overall, 17 h of exposure led to an increase in testosterone and cortisol levels, enhancing sexual behavior and semen color, but leading to frustration.
Highlights
IntroductionCamels are often kept in individual boxes with limited opportunities for social contact and other natural behaviors (Fatnassi et al 2014b; Padalino et al 2014)
The camel population is growing and more intensive camel farms are opening
Each group was tested under two different management systems: (i) H23 group, each male was housed in a single box (5 ×3 m with 3-m-high solid walls), far away out of sight and smell of the females, for the whole day with 1-h freedom in a paddock and (ii) ConExF, each male was housed in a separate little pen (150 m2) adjacent to the other males and next to the female herd’s pen for 17 h
Summary
Camels are often kept in individual boxes with limited opportunities for social contact and other natural behaviors (Fatnassi et al 2014b; Padalino et al 2014). The daily exposure of male camels to females for 30 min led to an increase in hormonal levels (testosterone and cortisol), frequency of typical rutting behavior, enhancing their welfare status (Padalino et al 2014). The effects of sexual arousal on cortisol are still unclear
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