Production potential of camels (Camelus dromedarius) under pastoral and agro-pastoral systems in north Afar, Ethiopia

摘要

Milkandmeatproductionpotentialoftheonehumpedcamelkeptunderpastoralandagro-pastoralproductionsystemsofAb#8217;Alaworeda,northAfarwasassessedduringtheperiodAugust2008toJanuary2009.Randomlyselectedeighteenagro-pastoralandtwentypastoralhouseholdswereinvolvedinthestudyrepresentedbytwokebelesfromeachproductionsystem.Dailymilkofftakeof296camelsandlinearbodymeasurementon173camelswererecordedusingsixtoninerandomlyselectedcamelsbelongingtotheselectedhouseholds.Averagedailymilkofftakefromcamelsintheworedawas6liters.Dailymilkofftakevariedwithproductionsystemandseason.Themeandailymilkofftakewas5.8litersand6.2litersinagro-pastoralandpastoralsystemrespectively.Theestimatedmeanbodyweightwas292kginmaleand320kginfemales.Maleandfemalecamelsbelongingtotheagro-pastoralareawereheavierthancamelsinthepastoralsystem.Themeatproductionpotentialwasestimatedtobe149-155kgand154-178kgforadultfemaleandmalecamels,respectively.Meatproductionwasbetterincamelsfromagro-pastoraloriginthanpastoralcamels.Itisconcludedthatthecamelremainstobeagoodsourceofmilkunderpastoralconditionwhilethebettermeatproductionpotentialunderagro-pastoralsystemcanbeagoodopportunityforfatteningofcamelswhichwillhelptogeneratecashwhichwillincreasethecontributionofcamelstothelivelihoodofcamelherders.