The Challenge of Machine Milking in Dromedary Camel

Abstract

Machine milking is widely spreading and practised in she-camel many years ago, but in some countries still used only in small scale due to some constraints; of which non effective use of the machine, difficulty of the machine usage or the restraining of the machine by the she-camel. This study presents some of problems that hinder the usage of machine milking in she-camel due to variations in the daily milk yield, lactation yield and length. Since genetic improvement programs planed towards improvement of camel reproductive and production performances were very scarce.and hand milknig is practised in a wide range in small sacle production systems. The other constraint facing machine milking is the variations in morphological, anatomical and physiological aspects of camel udder and teats. These variations exist not only between countires, but between herds and within herds and this explore the inconvienice to practise machine milking. The third challenge is that most of camel milking necessitate the presence of calves beside their mothers to stimulate milk ejection reflex. Added to that camels must be trained enter milking which may take between 2-4 weeks based on the background of the animal.