ASSESSMENT OF CAMEL PRODUCTION PRACTICE IN ELIDA'AR DISTRICT, AWSI RASU ZONE, AFAR REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The study was conducted in Elida'ar district, Afar National Regional State, to assess the overall camel production practice (husbandry practices, production, product utilization, product handling practice, marketing and reproduction) and constraints that influence camel production in the study area. The study was undertaken in seven selected pastoral area of Elida'ar district. According to the formula a total of 196 households (HH) were selected from the study areas. The household heads were selected based on camel possessions and willingness to be part of the survey. Primary data was collected from key informants during guided interviews and group discussion in the respective selected kebeles by using questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. On average, there were about 15.28±5.96 camels, 37.11±12.28 goats, 1.10±3.29 sheep, 1.38±4.09 cattle and 1.20±1.22 donkeys per household in the study area. Female camel was the most dominant in the herd structure. The average milking frequency in the dry season was 1.98 while 2.94 during the wet season. The average mean lactation length was 12.31±0.97 months. The estimated mean daily milk yield during early, mid and late stages of lactations were 6.21, 4.03 and 1.06 liters, respectively. About 93.4 and 6.6% of the camel herders prefer to consume fresh milk and fermented milk, respectively. The mean average shelf life of fresh milk and sour milk was 25.47hr and 9.9 days, respectively. The camel owners believe that milk remains always safe and can be consumed up to 2-3 days and fermented milk can stay for 30 days without harm for human consumption. About 95.9 and 4.1% of the pastoralists believe that camel meat preserve for 1 and 2 months, respectively. However, mostly camel meat consumed or utilized within short period of time. The Average price per head of Adult male and Adult female camels was 10,000 and 12,000 birr, respectively. The average price of camel milk per liters in the study area was 20-30 birr. Mean of male and female camel sexual maturity and peak rutting vigor was 5.30, 4.94 and 7.06 years, respectively. Most of the respondents said that male camels show mating desire around the age of 5 years. However, most of them cannot be successful at this early age and are not xviii successful until 6 years. The lifetime reproduction of females is estimated to be from 5 up to 15 calves. The average mean calving interval reported was 24.87±1.2 months and it extends up to 28 months. The average mean age at first calving of camels was 5.11±0.42. The average mean gestation period of Afar camel in the study site was about 12.07 months, with a range of 12-14 months. All of the herders in the study areas keep one bull in the herd. An outstanding male and female camel has a breeding lifetime of 15-24 and 12-34 years, respectively. The average weaning age is 12.11 months for both female and male calves. According to the respondents, 92.9% of camel owners do not allow calves to suckle colostrums. The major camel production constrains in the study district were drought (feed and water shortage) and diseases in their order of importance. In conclusion, camel is source of livelihood for the pastoralists, which means they are source of food, means of transport, income source, as health service provider (coverage and also medicine/milk and meat/). Camels are also needed during wedding (mostly sacrifice camel), death ceremony (Sedoka), when expressing their love and respect (when they become honored person) and when injuring someone or other clan member (as insurance/compensation or blood payments) in the study district. Therefore, attention should be given to camel production by addressing the constraints(drought and disease).