International Scientific Conference of Camel Research and Production (ISCCRP), Khartoum-Sudan, 17th-18th April 2013

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1 Camel production system, herds structure and breeds in Gedarif State, eastern Sudan Y. M. Abdalatif 1 *; M. O. Eisa 2 ; S.A.B. Freigoun³ and A.M Salih 4 1 Manager of camels project, Alturth company Saudi Arabia 2 Dept. of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Omdurman Islamic University ³ Institute for Studies and Promotion of Animal Exports, University of Khartoum 4 Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, yousifnama@yahoo.com ABSTRACT This study was carried out in Gedarif State eastern Sudan. The aim of the study was to investigate camel production system, herds structure and breeds in the study area. 30 herds of camel were closely surveyed for 18 months and a well designed questionnaire was prepared; one hundred and fifty were filled by camel herders and owners. The results showed that the herd structure is composed of 73.3% females and 26.7% males of all ages. Generally, there were three types of camel production systems 58.8%, 30.9%, and 10, 3% for nomadic, semi-nomadic and sedentary, respectively. Nomads stay for 8 months in the southern part of Gedarif State and 4 months in the northern part. The movement is usually from south to north in the rainy season to avoid flies, mud and insects and from north to south during the dry season. According to the survey and questionnaire, five camel types exist and some are named according to their coat-color, and tribe: Al-Arabi, Al-Anafi, Al-Bishari, Al-Bashandi and Kenana types. The 5 breeds were also compared according to their mean of body measurements. Keywords: herd Structure, production system, camel breeds. Introduction: Animal herders in Sudan are agro-pastoralists, leading a nomadic life combined with minor crop production activities for about four months of the year. The camel pastoralists are always moving over large areas in search of food and water for the camels. During their continuous transhumance, camels are affected by many production limiting factors such as diseases, range and pasture limitations, water scarcity, high calf mortality, and recently, security problems (Ali,et al 2006). Wardeh (2004) classified dromedary camels into four major classes: beef, dairy, dual purpose and race camel. This classification is based on the fact that the camel is a major component of the agro-pastoral systems in the Asia and Africa The objective of this study to identify herds structure and camel breeds in the Gedarif State by recording the body measurement, tribes and colors MATERIALS AND METHODS Gedarif state is situated between long: and East and lat and North and have borders with Sinar, Aljezera Kassala, Khartoum and Nile state. With Ethiopia in frontiers.gedarif state is an area of 71,621 km square.. The study also included part of Butana area which is one of the most important grazing areas and is situated in the north part of Gedarif state the study was based on well designed questionnaire to cover different major breeds or nondescript types and camel herd structure. 104

2 Body measurement: Those parameters were taken directly form herds.2-3 adult for each type from the studied 5 breeds randomly selected.using the formula adopted by (Doili et al., 1992): Y = 5.07 x-457 Where: Y = Live weight in (Kg) X = Thoracic girth (cm.) Two types of questionnaires were designed. One was answered by camel owners and the second by camels herders. Hundred and fifty three group of herders and owners were interviewed. The required data was collected during several field trips in different season of the year. The study carried out covering a period of three years from Oct 2005 to 2008.The collected data were analyzed using the descriptive statistic of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 14. RESULTS: Camel herd structure in the Gedarif State: The survey was carried on 30 herds in the area and the result of the survey is shown in table (1) from the number (%) of females and males it s clear that there is good replacement in the camel herd population in the study area This is represented graphically in Figure (1) As far as the size of herds it can be said that the size ranges from 50 to 100 camels in each herd. Table 1: Herd structure of camels Age group Sex Males Females Total Less than 2year 230(10%) 268(11%) years 151(6%) 220(9%) years 103(4%) 320(13.3%) 423 More than 4 years 160(6.7%) 962(40%) 1122 Total 644 (26.7%) 1770(73.3%) 2414 Camel Types in Gedarif State (Study area): According to conventional categorization, camels are placed in five classes such as beef, dairy, dual purpose and racing. Many camel types exist and some are named according to their coat-color, and tribe. There are five basic types and sub types available in Gedarif area:- Al-Bishari: ( Plate. 1 ) Found in Al -showak& Butana locality its color White to yellow Famous for short distance racing it has short, wide concave for head, Roman nose; short and strong legs,the mean of live weight of adult males is 303(Kg) Kenana type: (Plate. 2) Found in Alrahad locality its color Reddish, Yellowish to Dark It has long and big size its beautiful with fine skeleton owned by kenana and Rofaa tribes since the year 1800, good milk producer, the mean of live weight of adult male is 480 kg and females is 460(Kg). Al-Anafi: (Plate. 3) Found in Butana locality Whitish & blondish Fast racing camel used for long distance, with long head, erect vertically ears,the mean of live weight of adult males is 315(Kg) 105

3 Al- Arabi: (Plate. 4) Found in all locality of the state color whitish-yellowish &sand grey it has a high and heavy body. Roman nose with big hump, long neck, big head,the mean of live weight of adult males is 540 and females is 510(Kg) Al-Bashandi (Almegens): (Plate. 5) Found in Alshowak, Butana & Alrahad locality its color white Known as good racing camel It is believed that this group is a cross of, Alrabi type female with Anafi male it has fine skeleton with fine legs, have a medium body size, the mean of live weight of adult males is 350 (Kg). Camels are principally produced in traditional rain fed grazing areas in Gedarif State, (Study area) There are three main types of production systems: (1) Nomadic: Nomadic populations rely totally on camels and continuous movement with their camels from north to south looking for better grazing areas and the camel rearing represent the main source of their livehood. In Gedarif State (study area) they travel along traditionally defined migration eight routes usually from south to north in the rainy season to avoid flies and insects and from north to south during the dry season looking for grazing areas and water. They usually stay for 8 months in the South and 4 months in Northern of the State (Butana area). There are 8 eight traditional migration routes in Gedarif State with varying length the longest is (Abusabica Alfazara) migration route which is 330kilometers in length. Hence area covered by nomadic camels owners range between kiliomterers one way. (2) Semi - Nomads: They are camel herders and their movement is mainly confined within Gedarif state (Study area).usually their ways of living is mixed between nomadic and sedentary types of living. They depend on natural grazing areas and also on the remains of crops in the mechanized farming agricultural areas During the dry season after the harvest usually the men of the tribe travel with the camels for grazing and the women and children stay at home where they practice small scale agricultural activities (growing dura) in small plots during the rainy season. Their migration is limited and is approximately kilomiters. (3) Sedentary: They are the mechanized agricultural farm owners who live either in the cities or villages and the resident rural population in the villages in Gedarif State. The main economic activity of these people is agricultural and trading in crops and other commodities but because of recent developments that led to the deteriorations of rain fall, relying on crop production becomes risky.now most of the farmers added livestock rearing to camels, sheep, goats to their activities to compensate for their losses in crops during drought years. DISCUSSION The camels in Gedarif State similar to other Sudanese camels are classified according to their use as packing (Arabi) and riding camels. The mean linear body measurement for Gedarif male packing and female camels give a mean weight of 540 kg and 510 kg for Arabi male and female respectively. This result is in agreement with (Khouri, 2000) who stated that adult live weight reaches approximately (over 500 kg). Also Gebrehiwet (1998) reported that mature body weight average as 410kg. The Camels herd structure in the present study, the females represents 73.3% and the male represents 26.7% This is in line with observation of Gebrehiwet (1998) in Eritrea who reported that male calf percentage is 12.4% females calves percentage is 11.6%, immature males percentage is 5.6%immature females percentage is 15.8% mature males percentage is 9.5 %and 106

4 mature females percentage is 45.1%, generally this is in disagreement with that of Djellouli and Saint Martin (1992) in Tunisia who studied the herd structure and size and found that the average herds size is 102 heads, the males represent 9% and females 91%. CONCLUSION The need to determine the minimum herd structure, Pastoralists in the current study mainly differentiate their camel ecotypes based on coat colour and body measurements. In the study area identifying camel breeds should be used variety of approaches. Plate 1: Al-Bashari type (Butana) Plate 2: Kenana type (Elrahd) Plate 3: Anafi type ( Elshowak) Plate 4: Arabi type ( Butana ) Plate 5: Bashandi type (Butana ) Plate 6: body measuring 107

5 REFERENCES Ali, M.S. and Majid, A.A. (2006). Productive and reproductive characters of camels raised in Butana area in eastern Sudan. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference on camels May, Qassim, Saudi Arabia. pp Djellouli M, Saint-Martin G. (1992). Productivity and economy of camel breeding in Tunisia. In: Allen WR, Higgins AJ, Mayhew IG, Snow DH, Wade JF. (Ed.). Proceedings of the 1st International Camel Conference. Dioli M., Schwartz H.J. and Stimmelmaryr R., (1992). Management and Handling of the Camel. In: The One-Humped Camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Eastern Africa: a pictorial guide to diseases, health care, and management. Verlag Josef, Scientific Books D Weikersheim Federal Republic of Germany. pp Gebrehiwet, T. (1998). The Camel in Eritrea: an all- purpose animal. World Animal Review. 9 RMZ9: Khouri, F. (2000). Camels in Sudan: Ecology, Production Systems, Characterization and Herd Dynamics. The Camel Applied Research and Development Network (CARDN). The Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD). CARDN/ACSAD/ Camel/ P 96/ pp. Sakr, I., H and Majid, A.A. (2002). The socioeconomic of camel herders in Sudan. CARDN/ACSAD/camel/P120/2002 Wardeh, M.F. (2004). Classification of the dromedary Camels. J. Camel Science. 1:1-7. The Arab center for studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands, ACSAD, Damascus. 108