Mpala Research Centre Discovery Day 2014

1. MONITORING CAMEL
HEALTH: CAMEL MILK
Laura Budd, UC Davis School of Veterinary
Medicine

2. Why Camels?
 Growing camel population
& many unknowns
Disease transmission
 Other livestock
 Endangered wildlife
 People
Expanding Milk Industry
 Raw Milk Consumption
 Quantity and Quality

3. Camel Milk
 Milk Production: Mastitis (udder infection)
Risk factors for Mastitis
Bacterial causes of mastitis
 Human health risks
Milk Contamination Levels

4.  Questionnaire
Husbandry
Milking Practices
Knowledge about
mastitis
Access to veterinary
resources
 Field Test for Mastitis
 Milk Samples
Mastitis positive
Milk containers
In the Field

5. In the Lab
 Culture Milk Samples
Mastitis Positive: ID
bacteria
Milk Container
Samples: Amount and
types of bacteria

6. Future
 Prevalence of Mastitis
 Recommendations for:
Milking Practices
Milk Storage and
Handling
Disease Transmission
Prevention
 Improve Camel Health
and Milk Production