Mitigates the Negative Behavioral Effects of Rut Season in Camels: - Group Size

Abstract

The study objective was to investigate group size effect on some behavior, blood parameter, and body condition score of camels during rut. Camelus dromedarius bull camels (n = 38 ; 5 -7 years old) were assigned randomly to 4 housing group treatments of with 5, 8, 11 or 14 camels/pen with used the same supplying of a space allowance of 15 m2 /camel to give the same pen density. Behaviors was recorded from video data throughout one hour per single day each week for 10 weeks using continuous focal sampling are (20- min. intervals at morning, mid-day, and afternoon) focused on posture, maintenance and aggressive behaviors. Camels housed in group (14 camels /pen) showed more maintenance behavior (feeding, drinking, and rumination), walking, and standing, and less in overall aggressive behaviors, and lying when compared to camels housed in groups (5 or 8 camels/pen). While, it had no effect on rumination, overall aggressive behaviors, and lying when compared to camels housed in groups (11 camels/pen). On the other hand, the hormonal blood parameters representing in testosterone level and T4 : T3 ratio beside to, body condition score were significantly higher with increasing the group size. While, cortisol, T3 and T4 levels were decreased linearly with group size increasing. In contrast, different groups numbering had no effect on total serum protein, albumin, globulin levels and A/G ratio. Lastly, group size as managerial practice in rutting camel’s management has effects on different behavioral patterns, blood parameters and body condition score.

Keywords

• camel behavior
• group size
• body condition score
• aggressive behavior