Camel milk’s demand is ever increasing among the nontraditional consumers, mostly on health ground. The camel milk is rich with certain molecules which are health promising, therefore, camel milk is known as natural pharmacy. New camel dairies are emerging and the already established firms are increasing their camel number and buying elite camel genetics for milk. The are some very important camel milk contests in different parts of the UAE in different time periods. Alwathba camel festival with the milk competition is one of them. I attended the contest of Alwathba and compiled some important information. I share it in the this blog with the camel lover people.
Each year there are many camel milk contests in different parts of the camel habitats but the most prominent and unique one is Alwathab, AbuDhabi, UAE.
There are mainly 3 groups of camels in contest
Majaheem or Hazmi: Found in KSA, UAE and Oman and extends up to the Yemen.
Mahajen (Cross of Arabi and Majaheem): Mainly found in the adjoining areas of Hazmi and Arabi
Arabi: Mainly found in UAE and Oman
Arabi Camels, having good milking ability and are calm milking animal (Fashoosh in Arabic)
Camel is milk by a group of people to harvest maximum for the contest. Camel milk letdown is for a shorter period
Majheem camel, the highest yielding camel
The interest in milking camels is ever increasing. Camel is a real treasure, whatever you want to search you will find. The people are treasuring the milk of the camel.
Mixed camels’ group. Mahajen or Mixed Camels
The white and tasty milk of camel, we all love the magic milk of camel
I’m PhD in Animal Agriculture, currently working as a Technical Manager at Al Ain Farms for Livestock Production, Camel dairying, Alain, UAE. I had performed as a Professor and Dean, at the Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences Pakistan (LUAWMS). I work on and write for the subjects of ‘turning camel from a beast of burden to a sustainable farm animal’, agricultural research policies, extensive livestock production systems, food security under climate change context, and sustainable use of traditional genetic resources for food and agriculture.
Iim advocating camel under the theme of CAMEL4LIFE and believe in camel potential. I’m the founder and head of the Society of Animal, Veterinary and Animal Scientists (SAVES), and Founder of the Camel Association of Pakistan. I also work as a freelance scientist working (currently member of steering committee) for Desert Net International (DNI).
I’m an ethnoecologist, ethnobotanist, Ethnovet and ethomedicie researcher and reviewer. I explore deserts and grazing lands for knowledge and understanding.
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