The Camel Manure

The camel defecates the hard balls of manure. It is easy to burn just after defecation but it is hard to dissolve and make compost. The camel manure is rich with a very diverse microorganisms which can support microenvironment and enrich the soil fertility.

Breaking news from camels’ world – our team found the ever best results of camel manure compost

Dr Raziq Kakar5 Comments

How much camel manure is produced?

On average camel produces about 8 kg manure/head/day. There is more than 70 DM in the camel manure. Camel manure is produced in a fixed structural form, camel manure balls (CMB). A farm with only 1000 camels producing up to 8 tons CMB daily. So far, there is almost a neglected level of use for this precious asset.

Quality of CMB

Though high-quality organic manure still we have little understanding about this asset. Some arable farmers avoid using CMB, considering it as poor quality and float on the water. I have been working on CMB for the last 5 years and I can clearly say that camel manure is better than other manures as it is rich with very diverse microorganisms (camel gut is home to a rich microbiome) which play a pivotal role in soil fertility. To avoid floating on water, the best solution is compost. Compost is very useful and efficient in many ways compared to raw manure.

CMB is an asset not waste

Camel manure is an asset both by the quality and the quantity produced on annual basis. This huge quantity of assets (rich with the microbiome and organic nutrients for soil) has almost no use. It is considered a burden and a huge work for the municipality. I have been writing and working on CMB to find out a sustainable and profitable solution. I have dumped it simply with some added moisture and checked the physical quality after 1 year. The fiber in the manure was decomposed and the manure was changed to blackish color. https://arkbiodiv.com/2016/02/02/camels-dungzfrom-waste-to-a-worthwhile-farming-agent/ https://arkbiodiv.com/2019/01/10/camel-manure-compost-trial-in-alain-uae/

Researchers and Developers Interest

When I started work and sharing ideas with the international community, I found that there is a very good level of interest of researchers and developers in this asset. https://arkbiodiv.com/2017/02/05/camel-manuresome-feedback-from-the-different-quarters-of-the-world/. I would love if some institute or investor come forward and chalk out a complete project of research and development on camel manure, ranging from organic fertilizer to greenhouse compost to energy production to desert development.

Material and Method

The trials were conducted on a camel farm in the Masakin area of Alain Abudhabi UAE. 6 samples with different levels of treatments and a control group were analyzed in this project. Molasses, microbiome culture, water, and buckets were used for the trial.

Results of the pilot compost project

We used fresh camel manure from the milking parlor (freshly collected from the rubber floor without any foreign material like sand) which is a bit moister than the manure in the housings of camels (as the sand absorbs moisture from manure so quickly). You can see all the procedures in the link below. https://arkbiodiv.com/2021/04/05/6223/

  • camel manure samples for chemical analysis
    3 samples selected for further analysis in lab
  • well decompose camel manure
    decomposed camel manure
  • Shah Hussain Horticulturis
    Shah Hussain Horticulturis, coworker of the project camel manure
  • Only treated with the water, camel manure
    Only treated with the water, camel manure
  • Good quality decomposed camel manure
    Good quality decomposed camel manure
  • Very Good quality decomposed camel manure
    Very Good quality decomposed camel manure
  • Very Good quality decomposed camel manure
    Very Good quality decomposed camel manure
Glimpses from the camel manure decomposition project

6 trials of different treatments were conducted as follows.

Sample #Treated withPhys. quality
1500 ml molasses (M)5
2500 ml Microbe sol (MO)6
31 L (Molases+Microb as 50:50)9
42 L (Molases+Microb as 50:50)10
51 L simple water4
6Control (not added anything)3
The physical quality of the composed was ranked from 1 to 10 as; 10 the top quality with very fine dark compost

We filled 2 buckets of each treatment, roughly 3 kg each. We did not add any other material except the treatment with the water, molasses, microbiome solution, and mix of molasses and microbiome solution. The best result was found for sample #4 but there was no significant difference between sample #3 and sample #4.

Way forward and some suggestions

We need to go into further investigations and details. We really need institutional, technical, and other types of collaboration to proceed with this precious work. The following suggestions are presented here for future development in this area.

  • Chemical analysis of the sample of compost (we have 3 samples, #2 #3, and#4)
  • A comparatively larger and field level of compost trials are required
  • A compost with other waste preferebly dates palm leaves etc
  • Making specialized compost for green house farming
  • Manure bricks for desert revitalization and dunes fixation

I’m very hopeful for a change of mind about the camel manure

The photo story of the project is provided in the link here https://arkbiodiv.com/2021/12/07/7497/

A Photostory of camel manure compost project

Dr Raziq Kakar1 Comment

Treated with MoM solution l L
Compost produced of 1 L MoM solution trial

Sample 2,3, and 4 are selected for further chemical analysis in lab
Sample 2,3, and 4 are selected for further chemical analysis in lab for details as N, P, K, and other relevant data

A good quality compost is produced
A good quality compost is produced, dark in color and the fiber filaments are decomposed

A good quality compost is produced but still we can see some undigested material
A good quality compost is produced but still we can see some undigested material

Author and the head researcher is showing the best compost of camel manure
Author and the head researcher is showing the best compost of camel manure

Medium quality compost but the CMB are fully dissolved
Medium quality compost but the CMB are fully dissolved

Treated only with water and packed in bucket as others
Treated only with water and packed in bucket as others, the CMB are dissolved

Physical and visual analysis of unbroken compost in bucket
Physical and visual analysis of unbroken compost in bucket of camel manure showing very important information as the bottom region is highly decomposed.

Camel manure compost research, a long way project. The results are published on our website. Here you can read in details. https://arkbiodiv.com/2021/12/07/some-physical-finding-of-research-trial-of-camel-manure/

Camel Manure Decomposition Project

Dr Raziq Kakar6 Comments

Camel manure decomposes faster than many others because of the diverse and stronger microflora in camels’ rumen. Camel is, therefore, more efficient in nutrient recycling, making camels’ dung more useful for cropping and farming.

Preparing solution for different treatments
Mixing and stirring the manure

Just a Simple Calculation and the Treasure of Organic Farming Agent

A dairy camel weighing 600 kg produces 15-17 kg dry manure daily. The racing and other camels produce half of that quantity. In a 1000 camels’ dairy, per day manure production is about 16,000 kg. All this asset is going to waste.

On the other hand, date palm waste is also going to waste. There is no use at all. The camel dung (with a high and diversified level of microflora) can be a potential decomposing agent for date palm waste. Both wastes in combination can be a potential asset for organic farming in the region.”

Preparing solution with molasses
Mixing solution to the manure
Pouring solution at the manure

The Possible Uses of the Camel Manure

  1. Farm Yard Manure/fertilizer
  2. Material to combat desertification and dune fixing
  3. Bio-paper
  4. Bio-gas
  5. Power generation
Microbial solution
2 weaks conserved fresh manure
The treated compost airtight in bucket

Acknowledgment

I’m very much thankful to my team (workers of the farm Mr. Ghualm Din and Luqman) and Shah Hussain (horticulturist), working with ADAFSA here in Abudhabi.

Team of the project

We have some hopes that there will be a valuable level of decomposition of the manure if simply filled in the plastic bags. This way we will have better use of the empty bags and decomposition of the manure.

Untreated manure, observing the power of nature without treatment

WorthWhile Farm Agent

Camel manure is a worthwhile farm agent and is one of the precious resources to be returned back to the soil. Unfortunately, this precious source is going to waste as the farmers avoid them to use for land as it is in the form of hard balls and decompose very slowly when outside in nature. The decomposition of the camel manure in a feasible way can bring a revolution in soil fertility and crop production as it is very rich with a very wide diversity of the microbiome. It can enrich the soil with microorganisms and increase fertility of the soil.

I have been working and documenting about the camel manure as we have thousands of tons of camel manure which is going to waste each year. Before, I dumped fresh manure enveloped in polythene sheets under the sand. There was good compost but still, we need further trials to check the performance of different treatments on decommissioning of the manure. The details of the project will be shared in another article. To know more in detail, please go to the following links. https://arkbiodiv.com/2016/02/02/camels-dungzfrom-waste-to-a-worthwhile-farming-agent/amp/

Here is another article about the compost dumped in the desert. https://arkbiodiv.com/2019/01/10/camel-manure-compost-trial-in-alain-uae/amp/

Many scientists, farmers, and activists took a very deep interest in the idea of transforming camel manure into a worthwhile farm agent. Here, I compiled the response of different people from different parts of the world. https://arkbiodiv.com/2017/02/05/camel-manuresome-feedback-from-the-different-quarters-of-the-world/amp/

Conclusion

We must return the nutrients back to the soil. A compost rich with diverse microbes will be great support back to Mother Earth for its health and fertility. It is our responsibility to enrich the soil again and fertilize the arable cover of the land. Please help me with your feedback and technical support.

Compost Produced from Camels’ Manure

Dr Raziq KakarLeave a comment

The compost is blackish in color, well rottened and odorless. It is a boit watery (high moisture content) but still very good quality. I’m still looking for a research fellow to analyse it chemically and publish the results.

This composed was prepared with a dump of 9 month, still is more dump. We shall open time to time and analyse it for its potential farm agent.

Camel Manure Compost Trial in Alain, UAE

Dr Raziq Kakar6 Comments

The camel manure collected from the milking parlor. The manure is slightly moist and best suited for compost. The manure from the milking parlor has the lesser quantity of the sand.

Camel manure is a treasure in reality but going waste, it is very unfortunate. In an article, I explained the whole story of the camel manure in the world, especially UAE. https://camel4all.blog/2016/02/02/camels-dungzfrom-waste-to-a-worthwhile-farming-agent/

Today (10/1/2019), I started a trial of the camel manure compost. I shall wait for 4 months and will open after that period. Then, we shall see the physical appearance, smell, texture etc.

The manure needs to be covered properly so that the air is out and we get a compost without smell.
I made a ditch in the desert, spread plastic sheet, put manure on it and covered it. Later on covered with sand to remove the air and press it tightly.
We dumped the manure with the sand. Now waiting for 4 months. The 2 blocks on both borders will indicate us the area where it was dumped.

I’m not an expert in this area, please always support me with your suggestions and comments. After we have successful compost, we shall make lab analysis.