Infertility in Female Dromedary Camels

Abstract

This review discusses the most common infertility-related reproductive disorders in female dromedaries. Four major categories are identifed, namely, congenital, functional, pathological and management disorders. Congenital causes comprise ovarian agenesis, mesonephric duct segmental aplasia, endometrial agenesis, double cervix/vagina, imperforated hymen, vulvar atresia, and intersex. Functional causes cover ovarian inactivity, overgrown follicle, and ovulation failure. Pathological causes include ovarian hydrobursitis, hydrosalpinx and pyosalpinx, clinical and subclinical endometritis, hydrometra and pyometra, vaginal and cervical adhesions, and neoplasms. Management causes involve mating errors, use of traditional management systems, improper herder/camel ratio, and inadequate managerial experience. Pathological lesions and management errors are the main causes of female camel infertility. There are several effective protocols for the treatment of endometritis that offer a resilient prognosis. Ovarian hydrobursitis and vaginal adhesion are serious conditions and require appropriate preventive measures because treatment procedures are diffcult and the prognosis poor. Enhanced management practices are essential in order to increase the reproductive effciency of dromedary herds.