Physiological Responses of Kachchhi Camel during Exercise

Abstract

The study was conducted on five adult clinically healthy Kachchhi camels (B.W. 450-550kg) to assess the effect of different payloads (L1-1500kg, L2-2000kg and L3-2500kg), seasons (S1- summer, S2-Hot humid and S3- winter) and work rest cycles (WR1:2h (W) - 1h (R) + 2h (W) - 1h (R) + 2h (W) - 1h (R) and WR2: 1h (W) - 15 min (R) - 1h (W) - 15 min (R) - 1h (W) - 1h (R) - 1h (W) - 15 min (R) - 1h (W) - 15 min (R) - 1h (W)) on physiological responses like Rectal temperature (℉) Respiration rate (No./min), Pulse rate (No./min). The rectal temperature (℉) increased by 3.00 (3.04%) and 3.24 (3.30%), 7.64 (7.88%) and 6.50 (7.88%), 4.24 (4.37%) and 3.52 (3.60%) during S1, S2 and S3, respectively in WR1 and WR2 at end of work. The percentage rise in respiration rate (No. /min) in WR1 and WR2 was 58.71 and 59.03, 122.37 and 89.12 and 43.71 and 48.70 during S1, S2 and S3, respectively. The percentage rise in pulse rate was the lowest in S3 season (43.60 and 50.34) followed by S1 (47.53 and 50.47) and S2 season (64.22 and 76.9) respectively in WR1 and WR2. This indicated that camel can work comfortably under WR1 compared to WR2.