Camel Manure Decomposition Project

05 Apr 2021 4 Comments

by Dr Raziq in The Camel Manure Tags:


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

30 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by Dr Raziq in The Camel Manure, Uncategorized Tags: ,


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

10 Jan 2019 4 Comments

by Dr Raziq in The Camel Manure Tags: , ,


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.

The Camel Milk Story from the Gobi Desert Mongolia

21 Jun 2018 13 Comments

by Dr Raziq in 22 June World Camel Day, Adaptation, Agricultural Development, camel milk, Camels' Saddle, Climate change, Cradle of Domestication, Culture and Heritage, Defaunation and Biodiversity, Desert and Desertification, Ice cream species of plants for camels, Natural Health, Peoples' agriculture, Policymakers, Rural development, The Camel Domestication, The Camel Genetic Resource (CGnR), The Camel Intelligence, The Camel Manure, The Camel Reproduction, The Food We Eat, Traditional Knowledge Tk, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,


The story is hereby released at the eve of the World Camel Day 2018.

The author was invited by the newly established Mongolian Camel Milk Company. The group owns their camels in the desert as their half families live there with the precious livestock in the amazing Gobi.

img_51551-e1529573776340.jpgI started traveling from Dubai airport (2 am, 20th April) and reached Ulaanbaatar on the 21st morning 7 am (Cengiz Khaan International Airport) via Moscow by Aeroflot. The 12 hours stay in Moscow Sheremetyevo airport was an excellent experience of life as I slept in a small cabin available on rent, the first time in my life.

A Bank advertisement with camel, the first thing I saw on arrival

Sanaa and Enkhie (the trip organizers) received me at the airport and took me to the hotel (Khuvsgul Lake). Today, the program was composed of some meetings in the UB city with camel scientists/researcher, businessmen and visiting Changiz Khan Museum.

Me with Enkhie in Chansiz Khan Museum

Travel to South Gobi Desert

Next day, we traveled for more than 10 hours by road and reached South Gobi region. We traveled another 1:30 hour to reach the nomad Ger (house). The nomad family warmly welcomed us and we stayed overnight there. I slept in the Ger first time.Nomad house decorated with many camel medals

Gobi is a vast land with rich floral biodiversityThis time period of the year, the nomads do not milk the camels but to let the calf take it and get stronger. The Bactrian camels have beautiful small teats with a strongly attached compact udder.Bactrian camel is very good riding animal

Seeing Camels and Interviewing the Herder

Next day, I woke up in the morning and went to the camels. They are still roaming near the Ger with their calves. The calves are tied. I observed the calves and the dams and found them very healthy and stronger.

Types of camel

There are 3 types of Bactrian camels in the region, i.e.

  1. Galba Gobiin Ulaan (Reddish colored camel)
  2. Khaniin Khestiin Khuren (Brown colored camel)
  3. Thukhum MTungologiin kKhos Zogdott Khuren (double line neck hair)

IMG_5761[1]

Breeding Season

The breeding season starts in October and reached the peak in December and slowly decline and cease in April. Usually, one Bull is enough for up to 70 she-camels. The details of the production traits are given in the table below.

Table: The Production Traits of the Bactrian camel in the region

Months Conception Rate (%) Calving %age Avg. Milk (kg)
Jan 25 25 0.1
Feb 15 16 0.15
Mar 4 5 0.175
Apr 2 3 0.2
May 2 1 0.3
Jun 1 1 1.2
Jul 1 1 1.8
Aug 1 2 1.6
Sep 3 2 1.5
Oct 5 4 0.5
Nov 16 15 0.17
Dec 25 25 0.1

The table clearly indicates the breeding season, calving percentage, and the milk production. The Camel Milk is lower in quantity, producing from 1-3 liter/day but the milk is thick and full of energy to give special strength to the calf to survive in challenging environment. The average milk production based on my survey is 640 ml/day with lactation yield 233 kg. The lactation here calculated on the annual basis but in actual, the camel produces for up to 8 months.

Camel Milk Products

The nomads use camel milk as fresh directly. The surplus is converted into fermented product (Harmok). The Harmok is used very widely and some products are available in the market in Ulaanbaatar. For further details about Bactrian milk, you can go to the link Detailed Nutritional Composition of Bactrian Camel’s Milk

img_55361.jpg

Harmok

The surplus Harmok is converted into CM Vodka and the residues are used to make Curt. The curt and Vodka is offered to the guests as a unique product of the Gobi.

The Attachment of Nomads with camel

The nomads love their camel very much. They call it Temeh in the Mongolian language. They use camel for riding, racing, festivals, wool, and also for meat (in rare cases).

Camel Manure~Some Feedback from the Different Quarters of the World

05 Feb 2017 3 Comments

by Dr Raziq in The Camel Manure Tags: ,


Here, I just copy and paste the response regarding the article Camels’ Manure~From Waste to a Worthwhile Farming Agent in the ensuing lines. These responses were received through my email.

Response from Mongolia, 
We are interested in your entitled “Looking for ways to turn camel manure into a worthwhile asset”. In Mongolia rearing population nucleus of Bactrian camel’s (two-humped) in the World. So the camels producing thousands of tons of camel manure annually too. However, camels producing moisture and liquid manure in spring and summer at reverse, stiff and globular shaped in autumn and winter seasons. The dried camel manure is used to fuel traditionally in Mongolia because 100 kg dried globular shaped camel manure is equaled by the capacity of heat with 82 kg weather-beaten zag (Haloxylon bungee-it is a very important plant species which is fed by camels) and 129 kg horse manure.  It can’t make organic fertilizer/compost, but this may be the source of electricity and will come into use the soil fertility of its ash.
We’d like to collaborate with your Camel4Life foundation.
Baldan Tuntegiin
Camel consultant researcher in Mongolia
Image result for bactrian camels manure Mongolia

Response From Women University of Africa

The other environmentally friendly option would be biogas production, this has twin benefits of green renewable energy production and value addition of farm waste. At a farm you can become self-sufficient on energy, creating a closed system with minimum environmental impacts, going towards climate change mitigation.

 

Gospell Matondi, Lecturer & Researcher, Women’s University in Africa
Room Number 9, First Floor, WUA Academic Complex Marondera
Response from Egypt
We are willing for your collaboration in compost production from camel manure.we have a good experience in this field as we are producing more than 130 thousands tons every year of cows and buffaloes manure to high and standard compost for organic agriculture in Egypt.
Dr.Mohamed F. Salem
Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology &Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute,University of Sadat City,Egypt.
Camal-Ship-Of-The-Desert-Travel-Egyptian-Natural-Beauty4.jpg

Response from CVRL Dubai, UAE; Definitively camel dung is a great product and we use it at CVRL already for many years as fertilizer for our bushes and trees.  I and some other people from the lab use it for their gardens at home.  Important is that you have to grind the balls and that is often an obstacle for its wider use.

Priv. Doz. Dr. Dr. habil. U. Wernery, Scientific Director, Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, PO Box 597, Dubai – United Arab Emirates

https://www.facebook.com/CVRL.UAE, www.cvrl.ae

From Bangladesh;  Assalamu alaikum, Excellent idea,  anaerobic digestion of manure followed by market-oriented value additions to manure and bio-slurry is the answer, you have to assess raw material supply side; how many farms produce thousand tons of manure in what period of time, and how market demand support your processing cost?  Jajakallah

Shahid ul Haque Khan
From the USA
How interesting that the balls need to be ground up. Is there is a machine that does it? Or do you have to tear them by hand? If so, that would be labor-intensive. I would imagine small-batch camel owners here might sell manure if they had the time to grind them, but it will be a low priority and a scarce commodity.
Sincerely,
Christina Adams US 
Image result for Christina Adams camel beauty
Some Responses, I received via Facebook page
Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins It is brilliant manure. I have had it under the microscope and there are so many beneficial microorganisms. I have mixed it with eucalyptus/pine mulch and it was able to break it down so quickly to make an incredible growing media for plants.
Up to the date, did not yet receive the response from the international organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, ILRI, ICARDA, and the most required here ‘the GAA’, global agenda of action for sustainable livestock production.
Nancy Abeiderrahmane
Nancy AbeiderrahmaneI thought camel dung was particularly useless, being thoroughly recycled inside the camel. In the desert I don’t even think you can burn it – it is mostly chemical ash. But maybe in farms there is more food and therefore more waste.
Chris O'Hora
 Chris O’Hora We give ours away to community gardens. Greatly appreciated by the organic group
John Geappen

I agree regarding the agricultural benefits of camel pooh. First-hand experience. What I don’t agree with is the idea any one camel will produce up to 15-17 kg of dry manure daily. Pardon the pun, but what a load of shit!
Umair Choudhary We should use organic fertilizer instead of chemical for stretegic human health and disease prevention.
Up to the date, did not yet receive the response from the international organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, ILRI, ICARDA, and the most required here ‘the GAA’, global agenda of action for sustainable livestock production.

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