Abstract
A total of 22 dairy dromedary camels under intensive conditions in late lactation (275±24 days) were used to study the relationship between external and internal udder morphology and machine milking performances. Measurements of udder and teat morphology were obtained immediately before milking and in duplicate. Individual milk yield, lag time and total milking time were recorded during milking, and milk samples were collected and analyzed for milk composition thereafter. Cisternal and alveolar milk volumes and composition were evaluated at 9 h milking interval. Results revealed that dairy camels had well developed udders and milk veins, with medium sized teats. On average, milk yield as well as milk fat and protein contents were 4.80±0.50 L d-1, 2.61±0.16% and 3.08±0.05%, respectively. The low fat values observed indicated incomplete milk letdown during machine milking. Lag time, and total milking time were 3.0±0.3, and 120.0±8.9s, on average, respectively. Positive correlations (p<0.05) were observed between milk yield and udder depth (r=0.37), distance between teats (r=0.57) and milk vein diameter (r=0.28), while a negative correlation was found with udder height (r=-0.25, p<0.05). Cisternal milk accounted for 11% of the total udder milk. Positive correlations were observed between total milk yield and volume of alveolar milk (r=0.98; p<0.001) as well as with volume of cisternal milk (r=0.63, p<0.05). Despite the low udder milk storage capacity observed in dairy camels, our study concluded that the evaluated dromedary sample had adequate udder morphology for machine milking. Finally, positive relationships were detected between milk yield and udder morphology traits of dairy camels.
Highlights
Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) population in Saudi Arabia is estimated at 830,000 heads (Agriculture Statistical Year Book, 2010) distributed in different parts of the country
Average values of lag time and milking time were 3.0 ± 0.3 s and 120.0±8.9 s, respectively (Table 1), for the milk yield obtained at the evening milking (1.99 ± 0.39 L)
Results revealed that dairy camels had a developed udder and milk vein, with medium size teats (Table 2)
Summary
Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) population in Saudi Arabia is estimated at 830,000 heads (Agriculture Statistical Year Book, 2010) distributed in different parts of the country. Despite the severe conditions confronted in their natural environmental habitat, dairy camels are capable —in comparison to other farm animals— of taking the advantages of the Abbreviations used: BW (body weight); CMT (California mastitis test); EC (electrical conductivity); LSD (least significant difference); SCC (somatic cell count). Despite the considerable number of studies that have been conducted on milking management of dairy cattle, sheep and goats, little information is available on lactation biology of dairy camels. As a result of the market demand, machine milking have recently been adopted in intensive camel dairy farms for commercial milk production (Wernery et al, 2004; Faye, 2005; Hammadi et al, 2010)
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