Female Camels Research Articles

Anti-Müllerian hormone in female dromedary camel and its association with super-ovulatory response in embryo donors

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has a conserved role in regulating the reproductive cycle in several species. Its circulating concentration reflects the size of the growing primordial follicle reserve and is a reliable predictor of superovulation response in embryo/oocyte donors. This study investigated the possible application of AMH measurement in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) multiple ovulation embryo transfer programs. In experiment 1, the follicular cycle of synchronized and naturally cycling camels (n = 12) was monitored. Blood was collected at 6 timepoints in 2 consecutive cycles corresponding to emergence, mid-cycle, and dominance in both group and hormonal fluctuations were evaluated for repeatability of measurements within and between cycles. In experiment 2, the correlation between circulating AMH concentrations prior to initiation of superovulation and the outcome of superovulation was evaluated. The results were compared between donors with higher (n = 7) and lower than median (n = 8) AMH values. Mean AMH concentrations in synchronized and non-synchronized camels were 1.46 ± 0.15 and 0.95 ± 0.09, respectively. Intercycle and intracycle values of AMH showed high repeatability in camels of both groups (>96.4% and >92.74%, respectively) with significant correlations between values at different stages of the ovarian cycle (Emergence and mid-cycle: R2 = 0.82; emergence and. dominance: R2 = 0.86; Mid-cycle and dominance: R2 = 0.93, P < 0.05). Total follicles, CLs, and recovered embryos were highly correlated with AMH values prior to superovulation (R2 = 0.64, R2 = 0.77, and R2 = 0.64, respectively, P < 0.05). A greater number of developed follicles prior to mating (17.00 ± 2.09 vs. 7.62 ± 1.06), CLs (12.58 ± 1.36 vs. 5.12 ± 0.93), transferable (10.85 ± 1,31 vs. 3.37 ± 0.82), and spherical embryos (8.14 ± 1.07 vs. 2.62 ± 0.7) were observed in camels with higher than median concentrations of AMH (P < 0.05). Fluctuations in estradiol and progesterone did not affect variations in mean AMH values (r2 < 0.19 and r2 < 0.24, respectively, P > 0.05). In conclusion, highly consistent AMH values in dromedary camels are a reliable predictor of superovulation response and outcome in dromedary camels.

Genetic Parameters for Milk Production of Female Camels of the Kazakhstan Population

Genetic Parameters for Milk Production of Female Camels of the Kazakhstan Population

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Trypanosomosis in Dromedary Camels in the Pastoral Areas of the Guji Zone in Ethiopia

Camel trypanosomosis is a life-threatening disease with adverse effects on camel health, production, and working efficiency. Despite this, camel trypanosomosis has received much less attention in Ethiopia compared with the disease in cattle and other animals. This cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of camel trypanosomosis, identify the potential risk factors, and determine the importance of trypanosomosis in causing anemia in camels in the Gorodola and Liben districts in the Guji Zone of Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. To this end, blood samples were collected from randomly selected 450 camels in heparinized capillary tubes and analyzed for the presence of Trypanosoma evansi using the buffy coat technique and Giemsa-stained thin smears. T. evansi infection was detected in 24 (5.3%) of the 450 camels examined. Out of the four variables analyzed in this study, two factors, such as body condition (BC) score and age, were found to be significantly ( P &lt; 0.05 ) associated with trypanosomosis in camels. A higher prevalence of trypanosomosis was observed in camels in poor BC (13.22%) than in camels in good (4.62%) or moderate (1.01%) BC. Likewise, adult camels (8.09%) were infected more frequently than young camels (1.12%), whereas no trypanosomes were detected in camel calves under 2 years of age. No significant statistical difference was found between the two districts, and male and female camels ( P &gt; 0.05 ). Statistically, the mean packed cell volume was significantly lower ( P &lt; 0.05 ) in parasitemic camels ( 26.5 % ± 7 ) as compared with aparasitemic camels ( 33.9 % ± 9.1 ). In conclusion, the current study conducted during a dry season showed a moderate prevalence of trypanosomosis in camels. Further studies using more sensitive and specific diagnostic tests, such as miniature anion-exchange centrifugation technique, serology, or molecular tests, are needed to establish a true epidemiological dataset on the prevalence and seasonality of the disease and its vectors in the study area to recommend viable control measures.

HARD TICKS (ACARI: IXODIDAE) INFESTING ARABIAN CAMELS (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS) IN MEDINA AND QASSIM, SAUDI ARABIA.

Ixodid ticks are hematophagous obligatory ectoparasites that occur worldwide and transmit pathogens to humans and other vertebrates, causing economic livestock losses. The Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius Linnaeus, 1758) is an important livestock animal in Saudi Arabia that is vulnerable to parasitism by ticks. The diversity and intensity of ticks on Arabian camels in certain localities in the Medina and Qassim regions of Saudi Arabia were determined. One hundred forty camels were examined for ticks, and 106 were infested (98 females, 8 males). A total of 452 ixodid ticks (267 males, 185 females) were collected from the infested Arabian camels. The tick infestation prevalence was 83.1% and 36.4% in female and male camels, respectively (female camels harbored significantly more ticks than did male camels). The recorded tick species were Hyalomma dromedarii Koch, 1844 (84.5%); Hyalomma truncatum Koch, 1844 (11.1%); Hyalomma impeltatum Schulze and Schlottke, 1929 (4.2%); and Hyalomma scupense Schulze, 1919 (0.22%). Hyalomma dromedarii was the predominant tick species in most regions, with a mean intensity of 2.15 ± 0.29 ticks/camel (2.5 ± 0.53 male ticks/camel, 1.8 ± 0.21 female ticks/camel). The proportion of male ticks was higher than that of female ticks (59.1 vs. 40.9%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first survey of ixodid ticks on Arabian camels in Medina and Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Parasitological, molecular, and epidemiological investigation of Trypanosoma evansi infection among dromedary camels in Balochistan province.

Surra is a zoonotic disease caused by Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi), which affects a wide variety of animals worldwide. The disease has a severe impact on the productivity, health, and working capacity of camels and causes mortality and extensive economic losses if not diagnosed early. This is the first comprehensive report on the prevalence of T. evansi infection in dromedaries in Balochistan province. In the present study, 393 blood samples (indigenous, n = 240; imported, n=153) were collected from one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) and were tested by molecular methods to estimate the prevalence of T. evansi in three districts (Pishin, Nushki, and Lasbella) of Balochistan province. The overall prevalence of T. evansi among examined camel samples was 28.24% (95% confidence interval (CI): 24.02-32.89%). The risk of T. evansi infection in adult camels (> 10 years) is higher than that in young ones (odd-ration (OR) = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.3357-5.3164%). Moreover, male camels were six times more likely to get an infection than female camels. The detection of T. evansi infection in camels sampled in summer and spring was 3.12- and 5.10-fold higher, respectively, than in camels sampled in winter. In conclusion, our findings showed a high rate of T. evansi infection in camels from the three districts. Our study emphasizes the need for a strict surveillance program and risk assessment studies as prerequisites for control measures.

Transcriptome analysis to identify candidate genes related to mammary gland development of Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus).

The demand for camel milk, which has unique therapeutic properties, is increasing. The mammary gland is the organ in mammals responsible for the production and quality of milk. However, few studies have investigated the genes or pathways related to mammary gland growth and development in Bactrian camels. This study aimed to compare the morphological changes in mammary gland tissue and transcriptome expression profiles between young and adult female Bactrian camels and to explore the potential candidate genes and signaling pathways related to mammary gland development. Three 2 years-old female camels and three 5 years-old adult female camels were maintained in the same environment. The parenchyma of the mammary gland tissue was sampled from the camels using percutaneous needle biopsy. Morphological changes were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. High-throughput RNA sequencing was performed using the Illumina HiSeq platform to analyze changes in the transcriptome between young and adult camels. Functional enrichment, pathway enrichment, and protein-protein interaction networks were also analyzed. Gene expression was verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Histomorphological analysis showed that the mammary ducts and mammary epithelial cells in adult female camels were greatly developed and differentiated from those in young camels. Transcriptome analysis showed that 2,851 differentially expressed genes were obtained in the adult camel group compared to the young camel group, of which 1,420 were upregulated, 1,431 were downregulated, and 2,419 encoded proteins. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the upregulated genes were significantly enriched for 24 pathways, including the Hedgehog signaling pathway which is closely related to mammary gland development. The downregulated genes were significantly enriched for seven pathways, among these the Wnt signaling pathway was significantly related to mammary gland development. The protein-protein interaction network sorted the nodes according to the degree of gene interaction and identified nine candidate genes: PRKAB2, PRKAG3, PLCB4, BTRC, GLI1, WIF1, DKK2, FZD3, and WNT4. The expression of fifteen genes randomly detected by qRT-PCR showed results consistent with those of the transcriptome analysis. Preliminary findings indicate that the Hedgehog, Wnt, oxytocin, insulin, and steroid biosynthesis signaling pathways have important effects on mammary gland development in dairy camels. Given the importance of these pathways and the interconnections of the involved genes, the genes in these pathways should be considered potential candidate genes. This study provides a theoretical basis for elucidating the molecular mechanisms associated with mammary gland development and milk production in Bactrian camels.

Disseminated gamma‐delta T‐cell lymphoma in a dromedary camel

AbstractA 12‐year‐old, female dromedary camel presented with a large mass on the right eye and progressive weight loss. The animal died shortly after clinical examination, and postmortem examination revealed multiple nodules in the liver and mesenteric lymph nodes. A multicentric T‐cell lymphoma was diagnosed based on microscopic features and immunohistochemical labelling of the neoplastic cell for CD3, but not CD20. Flow cytometric analysis of collected blood showed a marked increase in the percentage of gamma‐delta (workshop cluster 1‐positive) lymphoblasts.

Seasonal variations of vitamin A, D and E levels in serum of female camels (Camelus dromedarius) and their calves raised in five geographic regions of Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study was to investigate the serum level of fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E in clinically healthy lactating female camel (Camelus dromedarius) and suckling calf > one-year-old during winter and summer seasons in five main regions of Saudi Arabia. 60 sera samples were collected and tested for vitamins A, D and E levels and the results were statistically analyzed. The statistical mean value of vitamin A was within the reported range but for D and E, there were minor variations. The effect of season was insignificant (p > 0.05) for vitamins A and E in the combined results of the dam and newborn together. This seasonal effect was highly significant in dam serum (p < 0.05). Region effect was significant for vitamin A in the northern area (p < 0.05) and for vitamin E in the southern region (p < 0.05). Correlations analysis revealed significant results in the season vs vitamin A and E p < 0.05. Mean values of vitamins A, D and E in dam and newborn did not observe significant variations however, in the season and regions there were significant variations which can be attributed to the climate difference, availability of balanced rations and camel management in each location of the five main regions of Saudi Arabia. There is a great need for further studies and the consequent development of supplementation programs and camel feed manufacturers awareness of such results is highly recommended.

Haematological and biochemical blood reference values for Canary Island camels (Camelus dromedarius), an endangered dromedary species

The purpose of this research was to develop reference values for haematological and biochemical variables in the Canary camel breed (Camelus dromedarius). 114 clinically healthy dromedary camels were assessed. Age, sex, and pregnancy status was also recorded. The reference range for red blood cells (RBCs) was 8.45 – 13.65 X106/µL, haemoglobin (HGB) was 10.61 – 15.29 g/dL, packed cell volume (PCV) was 19.93 – 32.51 %, and white blood cells (WBCs) 7.35 – 18.36 X103/µL. A correlation was established between the haemoglobin concentration (HGB) (g/dl) and packed cell volume (PCV) obtaining a linear regression (HGB = 0.31 PCV + 4.67). Young animals had higher RBC and WBC values than adult animals. Additionally, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), phosphorus, calcium, albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, and lipase were higher in young animals compared with adults. Female dromedary camels showed higher values for the three main variables: RBC, HGB and PCV, but no differences between sexes were detected in the biochemical variables results. The WBC count was higher in non-pregnant females than in pregnant animals. These results provide references values for the Canary camel breed and may contribute to the understanding of differences in 18 haematological and biochemical parameters in dromedary camels with a potential impact in health and welfare for this species.

Efficacy of different treatment protocols for endometritis in Camelus dromedarius.

Endometritis is considered a significant cause of infertility problems in dromedary camels. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of different treatment protocols for endometritis in dromedary camels under Abu Dhabi Emirates' conditions. A total of 112 dromedary she-camels with uterine infection were subjected to uterine swabbing for bacterial culture and received one of the following treatments: (i) uterine douching with lotagen every other day for three doses, (ii) single parenteral oxytetracycline injection, (iii) subcutaneous injection with ceftiofur for 5 days, or (vi) combined oxytetracycline-ceftiofur injection. The results showed that Escherichia coli was the most isolated bacteria, followed by Streptococcus species. Treatment efficacy was (P < 0.05) higher in ceftiofur and oxytetracycline-ceftiofur protocols compared with lotagen and oxytetracycline protocols. The fertility indexes, services per conception and pregnancy rate, were improved in ceftiofur and mixed oxytetracycline plus ceftiofur protocols as the pregnancy rate was (P < 0.05) higher in those protocols compared with lotagen and oxytetracycline protocols (71.4 and 67.9% vs. 39.3 and 42.9%, respectively). On the other hand, the number of services per conception was significantly lower in ceftiofur and oxytetracycline-ceftiofur protocols (1.2 for each protocol) than in lotagen and oxytetracycline protocols (1.8 and 1.7, respectively). In conclusion, subcutaneous injection of 1 ml ceftiofur per 50 kg body mass for 5 days can be used as an efficient treatment for uterine infection in female dromedary camels caused by E. coli and Streptococcus species for improving their fertility indexes.

Using the artificial bee colony technique to optimize machine learning algorithms in estimating the mature weight of camels

This paper aims to predict male and female camels' mature weight (MW) through various morphological traits using hybrid machine learning (ML) algorithms. For this aim, biometrical measurements such as birth weight (BW), length of face (FL), length of the neck (NL), a girth of the heart (HG), body length (BL), withers height (WH), and hind leg length (HLL) were used to estimate the mature weight for eight camel breeds of Pakistan. In this study, multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) were applied to develop prediction models. Furthermore, the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is employed to optimize ML models' internal parameters and improve prediction accuracy. The predictive performance of ML and hybrid models was evaluated on a testing dataset using goodness-of-fit measures such as mean absolute deviation (MAD), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), coefficient of determination (R2), and root mean square error (RMSE). The results of the study revealed the ABC-SVM model was the best predictive model. The experimental results of this study showed that the proposed ABC-SVM method could effectively improve the accuracy for MW prediction of camels, thus having a research and practical value.

Phenotypic biodiversity characterization of dromedary camels and hybrids in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan is one of the rare camel countries with rich camel biodiversity where different dromedary camels, Bactrian camels, and hybrid types are cohabiting at the same territories during centuries. Several data on phenotype biodiversity of local camels are available, mostly published during Soviet Union time using few body quantitative measurements. Unfortunately, those data are not sufficient to place the local breeds among the world camel population. The aim of this study was to describe detailed phenotype parameters of dromedary camels and hybrids in Kazakhstan and to compare our animals with the other camel populations in the world. As the whole, six camel farms were visited, located in different regions of southern Kazakhstan. In total, 185 female camels (Aruana breed camels and hybrids) were described by the phenotype questionnaire. There was a significant effect of "breed" on the different parameters except udder depth and body length. Most of the measurements were lower in Aruana compared to hybrids. The discriminating factorial analysis confirmed the clear separation between the breed based on their body measurements with a total of 95% of well-classed. The main discriminating parameters (allowing distinguishing the populations) were in the order: (i) the length of the head, (ii) the neck length, (iii) the neck circumference, (iv) the teat length, and (v) the udder length.

Oxidative Stress Biomarkers and Lipid Profile During the Periparturient Period in Dromedary Camels With Ketosis

This work measured the status of oxidative stress (OS) biomarkers during the periparturient period in dromedary camels with ketosis. The Qassim University Veterinary Hospital in Saudi Arabia registered 17 diseased female dromedary camels. They underwent examination because of the gradual decline in body condition during the first three months post-parturition. Ten clinically healthy female dromedary camels were enrolled in this study as controls. For serum harvesting, collected a 7mL blood sample in plain tubes from each camel. Malondialdehyde (MDA) as lipid peroxidation biomarker and stress indicators, including catalase (CAT), Glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were determined in the sera. In addition, lipid profiles that included cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), as well as β-hydroxybutyric acid (βHBA), were measured in the same samples. Compared to the values in the controls, the MDA was significantly higher (P&lt;0.001) in the diseased group. However, the GSH value was significantly lower in the diseased camels compared to the healthy ones (P&lt;0.01). Similarly, the SOD value was lower in the diseased animals than in the healthy camels (P&lt;0.001). The βHBA values were significantly higher in the diseased group than in healthy females (P&lt;0.01). The cholesterol, TG, and LDL values were more elevated in the diseased group than in the healthy animal group (P&lt;0.001). On the contrary, a statistically significant lower HDL value (P&lt;0.001) was found in the diseased group compared to the healthy animal group.

Impact of Intestinal and Urinary Tracts Obstruction on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Dromedary Camels

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the status of the oxidative stress biomarkers in camels with obstructions of the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. Eighteen dromedary camels were examined at the Qassim University Veterinary Hospital in Saudi Arabia because of obstructions in the gastrointestinal (n=13) or urinary tracts (n=5). Camels were referred for evaluation because of anorexia, absence of defecation, abdominal distension, anuria and urine dribbling. Ten clinically healthy female dromedary camels were enrolled in this study as controls. A 7mL blood sample was collected in plain tubes from each camel for serum harvesting. Stress biomarkers including malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), Glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in the sera. Parallel, lipid profiles including cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) were also measured. Results showed that the MDA values did not differ significantly among camels with obstructions in the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. However, the GSH value was significantly lower in camels with intestinal obstruction compared to control. In a similar manner, the SOD value was also significantly lower in animals with intestinal obstruction compared to the healthy ones, with a statistically significant difference. Both GSH and SOD values did not differ significantly between camels with urinary obstruction and control group. The value of CAT in the controls did not differ significantly from the values in both diseased groups. Data of lipid profile analysis showed that the cholesterol and TG values were higher in the diseased groups compared to the healthy group. The HDL value was lower in the group of intestinal obstruction compared to the healthy animals, with a statistically significant difference. However, on the contrary, the LDL value was higher in the group of intestinal obstruction compared to the healthy animals, with a statistically significant. Both HDL and LDL values did not differ significantly between camels with urinary obstruction and control group.

Serological identification of MERS-CoV in camels of Wasit province, Iraq.

Since the first human case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) caused by Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012, several evidence bases have shown one-humped camels as the main reservoir host, from which infection is transmitted to humans. Serological investigation of MERS in dromedary camels in Wasit province (Iraq), detection severity of infection, and association to some risk factors. A total of 455 dromedary camels were selected randomly from two main districts in Wasit province, Iraq, during January and April (2023). Sera of all study camels were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and titers of positive study animals were categorized according to their severity. Serological testing yielded 37.58% positive animals for MERS infection. According to the severity of positive ODs (titer), a total of 53.22%, 30.99%, 12.28%, and 3.51% showed mild, moderate, strong, and very strong infections, respectively. Regarding risk factors, significant elevation in seropositivity was seen in camels of >3-6 and >6 years old and reduced in camels of £3 years old with an elevated risk of MERS with increased age. Regionally, seropositivity and relative risk were increased in the camels of Shaykh Sa'd when compared with Al-Numaniyah. Regarding sex, no significant variation was detected between seropositive females and males; however, male camels appeared at higher risk than females. Association between the severity of MERS infection and risk factors revealed that there was a significant increase in mild and moderate infections in female camels of >6 years old; whereas strong and very strong infections were seen in male camels of 33-6 years old. Mild and very strong infections were recorded in Shaykh Sa'd; while moderate and strong infections in Al-Numaniyah. The study indicated a longstanding existence of MERS-CoV in camels of Wasit province; therefore, recent infections or active viral excretion are required for confirmation by molecular approaches.

Isolation of Lytic Bacteriophage against Some Pathogenic Bacteria from Camel's Urine

Background: Antibiotic resistance has been identified as a major hazard to public health in recent years. Using bacteriophages to control bacterial infections seems to be a safer alternative. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Escherichia coli (E.coli) can cause a variety of infections, ranging in severity from fairly insignificant to potentially fatal. Camels' urine has been utilized for therapeutic purposes and anecdotally hailed as a treatment for a variety of ailments for millennia. Alternative eradication strategies must be taken into consideration because of their increased antibiotic resistance, which frequently causes therapeutic failures. Potential candidates to control MRSA &amp;E.coli infections are bacteriophages and their lytic enzymes, lysins. The goal of the current study is to examine the existence of native bacteriophages in camel urine and determine whether they have any antibacterial properties against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E.coli). As well, as the impact of camel’s status on the presence of bacteriophages. Material and methods: In this study, we collected 80 camel urine samples from 6 different areas in the Taif region. The camel's urine was collected from healthy male and female (virgin, mother) camels aged 1–8 years, it has been divided into two groups with different natural feeding patterns G1:which grazes naturally on wild plants ( wild feeding)&amp;G2: which grazes naturally on wild plants, fodder, and barley(mixed feeding). Bacteriophages were isolated by spot assay Results: The phages had good lytic activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E.coli). When evaluated in vitro the greatest activity occurred 24 hours after phage infection. The highest activity of about 100% was achieved by virgin females out of eighty males and female samples. While the ratio represented in male and mother female, 70% 60% respectively. Conclusi

Sex Differences in Fecal Microbiome Composition and Function of Dromedary Camels in Saudi Arabia.

The gastrointestinal microbiome plays a significant role in diet digestion and the energy production of its host. Several factors that affect the gastrointestinal microbiota composition were studied in camels. Yet, the impact of sex on the gastrointestinal bacteriome of camels remains unexplored to date. In this perspective, the fecal microbiome community composition from dromedary camels was determined in 10 male and 10 female samples using the 16S rRNA amplicon, in order to estimate if this was influenced by sex. The core microbiome in females contained 284 bacterial OTUs and one archaeal OUT, whereas in males, it contained 279 bacterial OTUs and one archaeal OTU. In females, Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes were significantly more abundant than in male camels, whereas Lentisphaerae and Euryarchaeota were significantly abundant in males. According to Principal Coordinate Analysis and UPGMA clustering, grouping with respect to sex was observed. The functional prediction results showed differences such as energy production and conversion, and that the cell wall/membrane/envelope were enriched in female camels. The fecal microbiome of male camels was rich in amino acid, lipid transport and metabolism.

Follicular fluid and serum biochemical and hormonal profiles of normal and cystic dromedary camel breeds.

Ovarian cysts (OC) in female dromedary camels have been described as problematic because they can cause infertility. This study aimed to compare the hormone concentrations and biochemical contents present in serum and follicular fluid of normal and cystic she-dromedaries of the two most common Algerian camel breeds (Sahraoui and Targui) to gain a better understanding of biological differences that may yield insights into preventing or treating this ovarian abnormality. At an abattoir in southeastern Algeria, 100 pairs of the same females' ovaries and blood samples were taken immediately after the slaughter of clinically healthy, non-pregnant females (8-15 years old) over two consecutive breeding seasons (November 2017-April 2018 and November 2018-April 2019). The concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, protein, urea, creatinine, triglyceride, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase were determined using commercial diagnostic kits and standard analytical procedures. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was used to measure progesterone (P4) and insulin concentrations. The concentrations of glucose, insulin, cholesterol, and P4 in sera and follicular fluid (regardless of ovarian follicle diameter) were different (p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the other parameters studied. Glucose, insulin, cholesterol, urea, and P4 levels in blood serum differed significantly from pre-ovulatory follicles. None of the biochemical and hormonal components measured differed significantly between the pre-ovulatory and cystic fluids of the she-dromedaries studied. The breed did not affect the biochemical and hormonal composition of she-dromedary cystic and follicular fluids. Ovarian cysts appear to form in a metabolic milieu distinct from follicular fluid and blood serum, with no influence from camel breeds. It is suggested that further research on the blood-follicle barrier be conducted to gain a better understanding of the OC development process in she-dromedaries.

Effect of Total Mixed Ratio (TMR) Supplementation on Milk Nutritive Value and Mineral Status of Female Camels and Their Calves (Camelus dromedarius) Raised under Semi Intensive System during Winter

This study was conducted to investigate the nutritional values of female camels’ milk and the minerals status, for them and their calves, when fed a total mixed ration (TMR) beside alfalfa hay during winter. Thirty-seven lactating multiparous female camels and their calves were selected at mid-lactation in the Al-Kharj region. Group one was fed only alfalfa hay ad libitum (C) and group two was supplemented with a total mixed ratio (TMR; 4 kg/head/day), primarily containing a mix of barley grain, wheat feed, palm kernel cake, soya hulls, vitamins and minerals. Milk and blood samples were collected in the middle of the winter season and analyzed for minerals using ICP-OES. A significant (p &lt; 0.05) higher concentration was observed for protein and inorganic matter in milk from female camels supplemented with TMR in the T group. In addition, Mg, Co, Fe and Zn levels in milk significantly (p &lt; 0.05) increased compared with the control group (C). Blood serum concentrations of Ca, P, Mg, Cu, I, Se, Zn and Cd minerals in female camels were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) higher in the T group compared to the C group. Blood serum of the calves in the T group was significantly (p &lt; 0.05) at higher levels for all minerals than in the control group (C); except iodine. Furthermore, significant correlations were reported between Co and Mn elements with most other minerals under investigation. In conclusion, TMR supplementation in the T group of female camels during lactation in the winter season is highly recommended since it improves the milk composition and mineral profile.

A novel, patented method for semen collection in dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius).

In the current article, a developed, patented method denoted the 'Camel Semen Collection Kit-CSCK', was designed to solve the problem of semen collection in dromedary camels. CSCK is composed of three main parts: (1) Semen collection sac: made from supersensitive flexible low-density polyethylene- (LDPE); (2) Metal stainless steel applicator: designed to introduce the collection sac intravaginally and fixate it to the vaginal wall of a female camel through air insufflation; (3) Fixation sticker: a cushion sheet sticker is used to secure the outer portion of the collection sac to the female's perineal area. Semen was collected twice a week from eight dromedary bulls by using electroejaculation (EJ), artificial vagina (AV) and CSCK. Successful semen collections were 81.3%, 84.4% and 43.8% using EJ, CSCK and AV techniques respectively. Semen obtained by EJ technique showed lower semen volume, gross activity, sperm concentration, total sperm motility and percentage of live sperm cells compared to the other two techniques. Semen collected by CSCK showed a longer collection period and higher volume, gross activity, sperm motility and percentage of live spermatozoa and a lower rate of visible contamination compared to AV technique. The advantages and disadvantages of the three techniques were compared and discussed. In conclusion, CSCK represents a practical and easy method to reliably collect high-quality semen from any untrained male dromedary camel and may facilitate the widespread application of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) on a large scale in this species.