Variations in Milk Yield and Composition Between Fore and Rear Udder-Halves in She-Camel (Camelus Dromedarius)

Abstract

Total number of Sixteen she-camels were chosen from a large herd of camel belonging to the Lahween tribe in Eastern Sudan. The breed is known locally as Arabi-Lahwee. The fore and rear udder- halves measurements including, depth and height of the udder, distances, diameter and length of the teats. The results revealed that the depth of fore quarters was 20.9+0.75 cm and which was significantly (p<0.01) deeper than the rear quarters (13.1+0.75 cm), the results also indicated significant differences (p<0.05) between the height of fore and rear udder halves, (110.9+0.36 versus 110.2+0.36 cm, respectively). The distance between teats in the fore quarters (13.2+0.36 cm) which was significantly (p<0.01) longer than rear quarters (9.9+ 0.36 cm), the teats diameter of the rear quarters (2.5+0.1 cm) that was significantly (p<0.01) greater than the diameter of the fore quarters (2...1+ 0.1 cm). Teat length on the other hand showed non- significant difference between the udder halves. The data pertaining to milk yield and composition of the fore and rear udder quarters indicated that rear udder half produced 57.5% of the total milk yield, whereas the fore quarters yielded only 42.5% (p<0.01). The rear quarters produced milk, which was highly sig. (p<0.01) richer in protein% (3.38+0.19) and P% (1.077+0.022) and significantly (p<0.05) richer in moisture% (90.42+0.34), K% (1.25+0.032) and pH (6.38+0.043), also scored high but non-significant values in fat% (3.31+0.18) and Ca% (7.169+0.034). While, the fore udder quarters scored highly significant (p<0.01) value in lactose % (3.25+0.3), significant (p<0.05) value in total solids% (10.44+0.312) and high and non significant, values in Na% (0.64+0.012) and ash% (0.59+0.027). The amount of nutrients contained in milk from rear quarters provided higher amount of nutrients compared to milk of fore quarters.