Camels can produce more milk and for a longer period of time than any other dairy animal reared under the same harsh conditions [1]. Many factors affect camel milk yield such as genetic origin, environmental conditions, feeding management conditions [2], number of lactations and stage of lactation [3]. Camel’s size helps in browsing at higher levels above the ground than cattle, sheep and goats [4]. They usually browse on multi plants by taking a few bites then move to another. Dereje and Uden [5] noted that camels do not graze for a long time from one plant, but they move continuously, taking small bites of each plant. During summer, camels feed mainly at night especially during moonlight nights, and then rest from morning until afternoon wherever they have to bed down. The highest food consumption of 30-40 kg fresh forage (8-12 kg dry matter) is found on salty pastures, and the lowest food intakes (5 kg/day) is noted from dried grass pastures [6]. During the six or seven cool months in Sahara regions camels do not drink even if water is offered to them. Where green forage is available in mid climates, the camel may go several months without drinking [7]. Camels under very hot conditions may drink only once every eight to ten days and lose up to 30 percent of body weight through dehydration [8]. The objective of this study is to assess the feeding system of camels and the uses of camel’s milk in Buttana area, Gaderif State, Sudan.

The study was conducted in different locations in Butana area (Gadarif, Showak (Sharif Hassab Allah, Um-gargoor and Alsobagh). The Butana plain is a semiarid clay region that covers most of the present Kassala and Gedaref States in Eastern Sudan. It lies between latitude 13° 40' and 17° 50’ North and longitude 32° 40’ and 36° 00' East. A set of detailed structured questionnaire was used to collect information from a total of 60 camel owners in different locations in Butana area. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information on general household information, relation with camels and life mode of camel owners, purposes of keeping and rearing camels, breeding practices, milk production and milking practices, feeding and watering, constrains of camel production and veterinary services.

The collected household data was summarized and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, (SPSS, and version 16.0). Descriptive statistics such as percentage and frequency were used to present the results.

Milk production and milking practices

The result in Table 1 (10, show that most of she-camels (60%) produced from 2 to 3 litres milk/day followed by 38.3%that produced 3-5 litres milk/day and about 2% that produced more than 5 litres milk/day.

Table 1: Camel’ milk production litre/per day.

The lactation period varied between camels of different owners. 5% of camel owners left a period of 8 months lactation for a period of 10 months was practiced by about 53% of camel owners, lactation for 14 months was practiced by 42% of the camel owners and (Table 2).

Table 2: lactation period of she-camels.

The results revealed that about 97% of the 60 camel owners used calves in milk let-down stimulation while the rest milked their animals without calves (Table 3).

Table 3: Methods of milk let down.

The majority of owners (61.7%) milked she-camels twice a day, while about 37% milked their animals three times a day and only 1.7%milked their animals once a day (Table 4).

Table 4: Milking frequency (day).

The majority of camel owners families (95%) consumed the produced milk, while 3.3%sold the produced milk and 1.7% took the milk for calves (Table 5).

Table 5: Uses of camel milk.

Feeding and watering

The results (Table 6), indicated that the main source of feeding is rangelands (85%) while rangelands combined with green fodder represent only 15%.

Table 6: Source of feed.

The majority of plant coverage in the area of the study is trees (60%), while grasses showed only (18.3%), (Table 7).

Table 7: Plant coverage in studied area.

The data in Table 8 shows that the main source of water for camels watering is river (41.7%) in addition to wells (30%) and natural water net (ponds).

Table 8: Water sources in the studied area.

Table 9 shows that the majority of camel owners (71.7 %) watered their camels in summer every three days than 20% of owners watered their camels every two days and about (8%) of owners watered their camels daily. However, in winter more than 50%of camel owners wate their camels every six days followed by 40%owners watering their camels every four days and 5% of camel owners watering their camels every three days.  

Table 9: Watering interval.

Veterinary services

Most of camel owners (70%) responded that there is no veterinary service and the majority of them (80%) mentioned that the veterinary service was provided by the private sector while 20% mentioned that the veterinary service is provided by the government (Table 10).

Table 10: Sources and availability of veterinary services according to respondents.

The study shows that there are different modes of behviour of camel owners in Butana area milking practices, lactation period, milk let-down stimulation, milking frequency The milk production is within the estimated range of east african camels. The milk yield of 2-5 litres per day increasing with one to 3 times of milking per dayis low compared to other studies Wernery reported production of 20 to 30 litres daily for good milkers while Schwartz and Walsh estimated lactation yield for East African camels at between 1,500 and 2,500 litres. The low yield can be explained by the lack of marketing (95%) is used for family consumption

Full tree grazing is the main mode of feeding. The majority of owners braught their animals to the river or the nearby wells for watering

Chalenges facing camel owners in Butana area include scarcity of veterinary services, and marketing of camel’s milk, most of the milk produced is consumed by the owners.

The data generated from the study is useful for owners, government and researchers.

The study concluded that the mean values of camel milk yield and component that were affected by feeding. Camel in the pastures and animals preferred trees and shrubs. The main constrain can face the camel production such the veterinary services.