Tag: Camel sustainable

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Ecological camel farming

Ecological Camel Farming – Supporting Aravana Camel Breeders in Turkmen Region of Iran

camel and salsola bush
camels are highly resilient and very adapted

Reported by my friend Kianzad from Camel Center Iran

The native flora, especially the resilient bush verities are re-cultivated and protected to provide healthy and sufficient feed resources to the precious camel breed Aravana in Turkemen region of the country. Here is a brief example of the Salsola bush. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsola_vermiculata

  • Camel and the salsola bush
  • Camel loves the salsola bush
The camel and Salsola bush

Salsola or Saltwart bush is highly adapted to the native ecosystem and is highly liked by the camels. In native language (Turkmen), the camel breeders call it the ‘sparrow Eye’. Being rich in nutrients, this bush has very good effect on milk, i.e. viscosity of milk based on fat & protein contents. The Turkmen camel breeders in Gonbad district (centre of Turkmen area, Iran ) use it as main part of camel ration.The region is home to the precious camel breed ‘ARAVANA’ which is a promising dairy type. https://arkbiodiv.com/2016/06/19/the-camel-genetic-treasure-of-iran/

Torkumani camel breeders, raising in Gonbad and Gorlestan province in North East of Iran and the adjoining regions of Turkmenistan are herding the Aravana breed. This camel is widely used by the Turkmen nomadic people of the region. Aravana breed is specialized milk breed with short age at first calving and shorter calving interval compared to other breeds. The nomads make the specialized sour milk of this breed, called as CHAL. https://arkbiodiv.com/2020/07/23/chal-a-traditional-camel-milk-product-of-turkmens-cameleers/amp/

Aravana camel breed of Turkmen camel keepers have diversities in types. Here are some pictures.


Ministry of jihad agriculture support the cultivation and extension of the native but resilient plants which are highly liked by the camels. The ministry with the collaboration of rangeland, watershed management, and deputy of agronomy and land grant management organization has launched a unique project of its kind ‘ECOLOGICAL CAMEL FARMING. In this plan, they are using very extensive land (with salt contents) which is unable for arable farming. In the project they used mechanization for cultivation and protection with some level of irrigation to support the early growing of the halophyte bushes like Salsola and Alhagi camelarum which is also known as camel thorn. I shall share some pictures provided by Kianzad.

  • A Turkmen camel breeder is offering camel milk to the guests
  • A field of Aljagi camelarum plants
The native flora gave a very good boost the the milk yield in camels

Conclusion

The best method is the ecological farming ‘farming with zero harm to the nature’. This is the only way for a safe and zero emission farming system, especially for the camels with the native flora. Both the camels and the native bushes have the highest tolerance level and very adapted to the harsh and hostile ecosystems. Under the guidance of the COP26, we have to go for the adaptation and rely on the genetic resources which are highly resilient and sustainable with very low input system.

  • Harvesting of Alhagi camelarum
  • A hope of the Alhagi camelarum
  • The pods of seed, rushed to make TMR from the Alhagi camelarum
Different types of pictures of the Alhagi camelarum from the field work
Categories
Camel Milk and Natural Health General about camel

CAMEL IS A UNIQUE LIVESTOCK

Strong Power of Adaptation

Camel is very different from other livestock, owing very special physiological and anatomical features making it one of the most resilient creatures of the challenging climatic conditions. Camels adapt and resolve with some multidimensional features to cope with the situations where the temperatures are red hot, water and feed sources are scarce, and the conditions of life are harsh.

Insurance of Life Sustenance in Challenging Conditions

The very important feature of the camel is its potential of producing milk (for calf) to sustain its life cycle and reproduce offspring for the continuation of the camel race. The long, harsh, and challenging days of the desert do not dent the camel milk yield but slightly increase with more watery milk to fulfill the water requirements of the calves in the arid and hot conditions.

Camel is Admired from Religion to Tradition and Believes to Science

The features of the camels are well praised in the holy books, travelers’ stories, documentaries of national geographic, research articles, and the folk songs and stories of the nomads. According to a study, the camel needs 1.9 kg dry roughages to produce 1 kg of milk in the arid condition, and in the same conditions, a native cow needs 9.1 kg dry matter for the same quantity of milk.

Camel Needs Lesser Inputs to Produce

Based on my personal experience, the dairy camel needs far less water than the dairy cows in the same conditions. The drinking water requirements of dairy cows are 8-10 times more per liter milk products in extremely hot weather (>45C). The dairy cows not only require water for food but for cooling and the cooling system needs a lot of power to regulate it’s cooling and exhaust fans. Also, the camel requires a lesser quantity of crude protein in the feed as it is unique in urea recycling. A diet of 16% CP is more than enough for a camel to fulfill its basics and production requirements.

Longer and Productive Farm Life

The camel has tremendous potential as farm livestock because of its longer product life cycle (up to 10-12 parties). The high yielding dairy cow only manages 4 lactations on the farm because of high yielding, overloaded health inputs, the extra burden of feed ingredients (higher CP), and stressful conditions because of multiple factors. In the same conditions, camels take lesser water, feed (lesser CP), and absorb the higher temperatures in their hump and live a very stress-free lifestyle.

The stress-free lifestyle of camel fabricates unique milk, full of nutrients and positivity which ultimately supports our health and happiness.

Dr. Raziq

Shorter Register of Diseases

Also, the camel has a very specific and limited number of diseases, except few like Mange (skin disease) and trypanosomiases (blood parasites), other diseases do not need much human intervention. The hard and strong udder ensures it potential to be less prone to mastitis and other glandular diseases if properly milked in hygienic conditions. Such a phenomenon makes the camel the best dairy choice as it needs lesser health and comforts inputs and milk production in stress-free conditions.

The Camels love Tree Vegetation
The Camels are Happy Browsers
The Camel Sustains in Conditions where others can hardly survive

Even if kept in the same ecological zone with comfortable environmental conditions (preferred for cows), the camel is more efficient in water and feeds turnover into milk. In ideal conditions camels need 4 liters of water for one kg milk (with an average production yield of 10 kg/per day), while in the same condition dairy cows need 4 times more water for one kg milk yield.

Conclusion

Camel is fantastic livestock, designed with special DNAs to support human life in driest parts of the world. The policymakers at all levels should realize the importance of this unique creature and should give a chance to the incredible camel to perform as a food security animal in the climate change context. The WORLD CAMEL DAY is therefore celebrated each year on 22nd June to aware the people about the incredible role the camel is playing and the hopes we foresight from the camel in the challenging future. First WORLD CAMEL DAY was celebrated on the 22nd of June, 2008.

World Camel Day and Camel4Life International

The camel is rarely admired for its incredible roles and it is still hiding from the eyes of the policymakers. Me with the like-minded people, launched WORLD CAMEL DAY to advocate camels and aware the masses about the importance of the camel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDPMUKbIthU

Camel4Life international is an advocacy forum, promoting camel at all available platforms to give a proper place in the research, policy, and development. https://www.thenational.ae/uae/health/al-ain-doctor-sees-potential-in-camels-beyond-their-milk-1.51957

https://wordpress.com/block-editor/post/camel4milk.wordpress.com/1494Read more “CAMEL IS A UNIQUE LIVESTOCK”
Categories
General about camel

Camel is a Solution, Not a Problem

Camel and the Power of Adaptation

Camel is a precious animal genetic resource, highly adapted to the harsh and hostile ecosystems. Camels rely on woody and scanty vegetation and efficiently convert them into precious food (milk & meat) and other items (wool, manure, bones, etc.). The camel is composed of unique DNA, making it the most efficient biological machine both in the consumption of inputs and production of the outputs.

A Group of Brela Camels
Highly Adapted Brela Camel of Pakistan

Camel is an Efficient Biological Machine

The camel produces in harsh environments where other animals are difficult to survive. In the climate change scenario, the camel is the most suitable animal to be used as an agent of food security. Camel relies on the marginal lands which are unable to produce crops or support agrifarming. Water is the major limiting factor of drylands and camel is the most efficient animal in the water economy (lowest water footprint). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4h1E7WHKds

Camel Relies on the Woody Vegetation
Camel is the beauty of the desert

Camel is Neglected

Unfortunately, camel is always neglected while formulating policies for food security under climate change context. Recently, the Australian government decided to kill camels for water conservation. One can just realize how stupid this act is as the camel is the solution, not a problem. I hereby share the link of a film, you will weep to see the massacre of camel shoot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V61_07V1jC4

The Camels love Tree Vegetation
The Camels are Happy Browsers

Camel is under threat in its natural habitats as well and one of the best examples is the camel sinking in the Rajasthan desert. https://camel4all.blog/2017/09/25/a-beautiful-camel-heritage-is-sinking/

There are many reasons for this sad state of the situation, all are man-made. The bushfire in the Australian continent is not because of the camel but the soaring heat because of climate change.

Utilization is the Best Conservation

It is the utmost need of time to conserve camel with the perspectives of camel herders, climate scientists, and food security activists. But the top priority must go the camel keepers as they are one in all. Utilization is the best conservation. The Australian government should take the camel as an opportunity but not a threat. Camel milk (top priority) and meat can be good tools for its utilization and ultimately conservation.