Raziq

The Milking Camels of Australia~World Camel’s Day Gift

Dr Raziq Kakar2 Comments

The beautiful series of World Camel’s Day (WCD) is continue. The recent updates are received by Hannah Purss from Australia. She is telling about her camel journey and the milking camels of Australia. Here is her article in the ensuing lines.

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The disciplined Camel walking on grass instead of sand

“I was first introduced to camels when I was working in Central Australia, a hot, semi-arid region of the country. As I learnt about the valuable contribution camels made to Australia’s development, and the current wild population in the Australian deserts I realized what a valuable, yet wasted, commodity we have here. Dromedary camels do not roam free in other countries as they do in Australia, we are the only country that is yet to recognize their value. Here in Australia, wild camels are said to be in numbers above 300,000.  Most farmers and landholders that have access to wild camel populations view them as a pest, are uninterested in camels or are unsure of how to work with them.

 In 2014, Evan Casey and I founded Australian Camel Solutions Pty Ltd, a company that is based on solid and progressive camel handling and the development of the camel industry in Australia.

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The safe and friendly transportation of camels

 In Queensland, in Australia’s east, we have co-founded The Australian Wild Camel Corporation Pty Limited, a commercial scale camel dairy company. Being on the east coast of Australia means we can be closely linked with universities, academics and various dairy, camelid and veterinary experts.

We have been in operation for around six months now. We are having the most remarkable experience putting our theories and plans into practice, and as a team we are learning more each day.

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Hannah Caring her camels

Currently we are milking over 50 camels and as we move into Australian calving season, we hope to increase that number rapidly. The training program we use to bring camels from completely wild and out of the desert into our milking herd was developed by our company, Australian Camel Solutions, and is based on body language and the communication methods we’ve picked up from the camels themselves. In our dairy training program, we don’t use ropes or restraints on the animals which has helped us tremendously in the speed we can train them, and in keeping their stress levels down during the process. On farm, we have a vibrant, young team and it is especially exciting for me to see them growing in their camel handling skills and their passion for the industry. At TAWCC, we are passionate about fostering a supportive and progressive camel community.

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The Camel Milk

We have been conducting lots of product development – from fresh milk, to ice cream, yogurt and more. Our milk is currently being used to produce our own brand of camel milk soaps and skincare products. The skincare products are currently available only in selected stores, but very soon we will have them more readily available in Australian stores, online and hopefully around the world.

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The Happy, Healthy, Alert and Beautiful Camels of Australia

A very Happy World Camel Day from Australia!”

Hannah Purss, Australian Camel Solutions PTY LTD

www.camelmilkaus.com

Is Ketosis Possible in Naqa (dairy camel)?

Dr Raziq Kakar3 Comments

Very few/rare time I noticed (while working with Naqa at intensive farm) the signs of Ketosis in high yielders. On the other hand, the camel physiology reminded me always that it may not be possible. Thanks for researchgate question/discussion, I reached to this article (the abstract is given below.Hannah Training Camel from Dairy

Biochemical adaptation of camelids during periods where feed is withheld

by;   J. Wensvoort, D.J. Kyle, E.R. Ørskov, D.A. Bourke

 

Abstract

Biochemical changes during fasting or the withholding of feed for 5 day were studied in serum of camelids (dromedary camel, llama) and ruminants (sheep, steers). Camels maintained low levels of 13-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and high levels of glucose but showed some increased levels of non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and urea when fasting. Sheep and steers showed a rise in serum BHB and much higher increases of NEFA than camels and llamas. Sheep showed decreased serum glucose. The llama showed some increase in BHB but NEFA was lower than the other three species. The results indicate that camelids have a unique ability to control lipolytic and gluconeogenic activity to prevent or postpone the state of ketosis. Understanding and manipulation of these metabolic mechanisms in cattle and sheep could have great benefit to the livestock industry.
The link for the full length article is given below;

The Wise Naqa Camel and Lavish Holstein Cow

Dr Raziq Kakar4 Comments

Holstein is a dairy queen among the cows and producing around 12,000 liters per lactation. Though its’ farming system (intensive) is objectionable in many features as; animal welfare, environment, energy, methane and carbon foot print etc. but satisfies the ever increasing desire of the milk consumers. Beside all discomforts, she is very generous and kind, consuming all her available (glucose) and reserve (fats) energy to produce more milk. She keeps her life on risk and experience deficiency/metabolic ailments in her shortened life. The scientists are agree that the higher yield of this generous cow has shortened the life span of Holstein.

camel milking
Camel milk let down is best in the presence of her calf

On the other hand Naqa (the milk producing camel is called as Naqa in its true habitat) is very wise in consuming and storing energy. In good days (when surplus feed available) she stores energy (fats) in her hump and re-use during the feed scarcity. Having been with the Naqa dairy (modern and intensive), I have experience that even the high yielding Naqa increases the feed conversion efficiency (during high milk yield period) to fulfill extraordinary energy demand and try to keep her stored fat intact (hump). An elder wise man whispered “she stores and uses energy judiciously to keep her body beautiful” as camel’s beauty lies in her hump.

It is a brain storming for you all. Enjoy the life, learn more and revolutionize your ideas.

The Camels’ Terminologies Need to be Revised

Dr Raziq Kakar9 Comments

The world terminology in Wikipedia is written as;

Terminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words or multi-word expressions that in specific contexts are given specific meanings.

The camel terminology is mainly derived from a cow/cattle production system in English, which is a wrong approach. I’m giving you food for thought to reconsider and re-establish camel’s terminology. As the camel was domesticated, evolved, and managed for centuries in Arabian Peninsula, the best terminology will be the one used in that region.roadtrip0501_8_base

As an example, I hereby give some terms which I learned here in the region and some are found in the literature. I’m lucky to live in the specific area (Hilli Alqatara in Alain) where the camel was domesticated. I can say, I’m living in the cradle of camels’ domestication. The Ice Cream Species of Plants for the Camel and Goat, the camel ice cream food is found in the region. Al Ain National Museum Explores the History of Domesticated Camels. The analysis of bones found on dig sites across the country indicated that camels were tamed and domesticated no earlier than 1000 BC. 

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Raigi camel in Kakar Khurasan region of Northern Balochistan
No.Status of the camelName in Original habitat
1Camel is not a cow… the best word for milking camelNAQA
2Camel male kid is not a calf BUT aQaood
3Camel Female calf is not a heifer but aBakra
4The breeding male is not a bull but aBaeer
Different terminologies for the camels of different ages and sex

Way forward

This area of camel husbandry really needs revision for the establishment of appropriate terminology. It needs to reestablish the terminology with the participation of more wise minds. I’m really looking forward to hearing in this regard.

Reference;

http://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/camel/

Camel Milk can Help in Shark Conservation. Japan can be the Possible Market for Camel Milk

Dr Raziq Kakar1 Comment

In Japan, health-conscious people use Shark fins for natural and good health. They think that Shark fins are rich with nanobodiesWHAT ARE NANOBODIES?. They considered the Shark fins as health promising, energetic, and aphrodisiac. This is the reason that Shark prices are very high in Japan. Fortunately, some recent studies have revealed that even better Nanobodies are found in the camel milk, considered richer than the Shark fins.Camel! A One in All Creatures

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A single-domain antibody (sdAb, called Nanobody by Ablynx, the developer) is an antibody fragment consisting of a single monomeric variable antibody domain. Like a whole antibody, it is able to bind selectively to a specific antigen.

A famous chef name Chinn (protecting Shark) even claimed “Shark’s fin soup has no taste! You take fins off a shark and you don’t really get anything. There’s no value except what you’re paying for.” Camel milk can be a good source of NB and reasonable replacement to the Shark fins. Hence, we can say that Japan and Korean Peninsula can be the new and emerging market for camel milk.

I started this debate as a brainstorming and a new thought.

shark fins

Camel Milk
Milking a camel at Sheikh Zayed Festival Abu Dhabi UAE