The features of male and female camel reproduction are explained for the benefit of students, practitioners, and aspirants of competitive examinations.

1. SOME FACTS OF CAMEL
REPRODUCTION
Prof. G.N Purohit MVSC, PhD, MNVAS
Dean Post Graduate Studies RAJUVAS &
University Head (Retd), Dept. Veterinary (Gynecology & Obstetrics)
College of Veterinary & Animal Science, RAJUVAS, Bikaner,
Rajasthan, India.
Email: gnpobs@gmail.com
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Arabian and Bactrian camels (Old world
camelids)

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South American camelids (New world camelids)
alpaca, llama, vicuña, and guanaco
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4. • Camels are kept for milk production in Africa and
Asia.
• The global camel population is estimated at 35
million.
• In sub-Saharan Africa, camels contribute
about 5 percent of total milk production.
• Somalia is by far the largest camel milk producer in
the world, followed by Kenya and Mali.
• Camels are raised in Gulf countries for racing events
• In the Indian Sub-continent camels are raised for
agriculture, transport and a source of milk
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8. RAJASTHAN
2012- 3.26 lakhs
2019- 2.13 lakhs
34.69%
GUJARAT
2012- 30,000
2019- 28,000
HARYANA
2012- 19,000
2019- 5000
CAMEL POPULATION IS ON DECLINE
In India it has declined from 4 lakh in 2012 to just 2.5 lakh in 2019
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Higher age of puberty
4 yrs in female Around 400 Kg weight
5 -6 yrs in male.
Camels are seasonally
polyestrus
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12. Breeding seasons
Location Breeding season
Egypt Dec – May
India Nov – March
Pakistan Dec – March
Kenya Continuous
Somalia May – June, Oct - Dec
Saudi Arabia Dec – March
Sudan March – Aug
United Arab Emirates Nov - April
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Short breeding season 3-4 months coinciding with short days
Effects of season more pronounced in the MALE Camel

13. Reproductive anatomy of female
camels: Camel ovaries
Dorsoventrally
flattened in adults
Slightly
convex in
camel heifers
Suspended by mesovarium
and enclosed in ovarian
bursa and located on pelvis
or just ahead
Weight 2-5 g
Length 2.5-6 cm
ovarian bursa
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OVARY AND
BURSA
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UTERUS
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16. • Bicornuate
• T or Y shaped
Left uterine horn
longer
• Present at the
brim of pelvic
cavity
• Left horn longer
in pluriparous
females but of
equal size in
primipara
UTERUS
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17. CERVIX
Cervix is soft with 3
or 4 longitudinal
folds
Consistency of
cervix does not
differ with that of
the uterus
Cervix projects
caudally in the
vaginal cavity
forming a fornix (1-
1.5 cm)
The external cervical
orifice is surrounded by
1-2 circular indented
rings of the cranial part
of the mucosa of the
vagina
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18. Oviduct
• Long and tortuous
• Uterine end (Isthmus
is well developed)
• 17-22 cm long
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19. Vagina
The vagina is Long 30 cm and have 2
vestibular glands on the lateral walls
Vagina has many longitudinal folds
The anterior vagina and the
vestibulum are separated by a
strong band of tissue
(vestibulum sphincter muscle)
and the hymen is very tight in
young females.
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20. The Vulva
• The vulva opens directly below the
anus and measures 6 - 7 cm in
length.
• The clitoris is very small and there is
no distinct clitoral fossa.
• The urethra is also short and the
opening of the urinary meatus is
small.
• The hymen, or its remnants, mark
the separation between the vulva
and the vagina.
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21. Mammary
glands
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22. Reproductive Physiology of female camels
• Estrus cycle is difficult to be
defined in camels
• Cervical mucous is scanty
and less viscous and other
signs of estrus are less
marked
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23. Follicular dynamics
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Follicular growth
occurs during the
breeding season

24. Follicular dynamics
•Follicular growth is
continuous during
the breeding
season and in the
absence of mating
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25. • Follicular activity continues
in the presence of an active
CL
• Follicular recruitment 2-4 days,
growth 10-12 days and
dominance at 6mm
• Minimum Follicle size to
ovulate 9-10 mm
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26. Ovulation
depends on
mating
No Luteal
phase in non
mated
camels
In mated non-
pregnant
camels the
luteal phase is
short 6-9 days
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28. Fate of dominant follicle
in the absence of
mating is anovulatory
follicle
Hemorrhagic
follicle
May persist for many days
or regress in 4-18 days
Follicular growth can
occur in presence of a
anovulatory follicle
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29. Mated Non-pregnant camels
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30. Chasing other
females
Receptivity
towards a
male
Restlessness,
bleating
Up and down movement
of tail on approach of
male.
Reproductive behavior in camels
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31. Mating in camels
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33. • Natural mating is the predominant
mating method practiced
• The mean ratio of camel females to a
stud camel during the mating season
is 48 females per male.
• The Mean length of mating is 6-26
minutes
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34. Mating induced
Ovulation 24-30 h later if size
of follicle is between 8-20 mm
Ovulation
Large anovulatory follicles (25-
90 mm) may sometimes not
ovulate in response to mating
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35. Follicles
grow to
ovulatory
size in 6
days
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36. Cyclic CL absent in non-mated
camels
CL formation occurs 24-48 h after
mating, with slow development
and early death (6-9 days)
Regression occurs 8-12 days
following infertile mating
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37. Embryo descends in uterus at
Day 6-7 of mating
Embryo elongates
at Day 9-10
Maternal recognition of
pregnancy – Little is known
Probably the signal must be
secreted by Day 9
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38. Migration of embryos Day 8
post breeding
Implantation not known clearly
possibly occurs by Day 20
Mechanism of luteolysis poorly
known Difference in the luteolytic
properties of PG from left and right
uterine horns
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40. • Exclusive left uterine horn
pregnancy
• Gestation 390 ±10 days
• Twins rare
• Extra fetal membrane- Epidermal
membrane 1-2 mm thick attached
to fetus at lips, nostrils, anus, vulva,
prepuce, foot pad and umbilicus.
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41. Fraternal
Dromedary
twins 1999
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Pregnancy Diagnosis in camels
Tail Cocking- Day 15 after Mating
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Plasma progesterone assay
Camels with ovarian cysts
show tail cocking and higher
plasma progesterone
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44. Transrectal palpation • Sitting position
• Xylazine 0.5-2.0 mg/Kg IV
• Loss of lower lip tone
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45. Transrectal Ultrasonography
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46. Trans-rectal Ultrasonography
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Gestation in camels
Gestation length 12-13 months
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Parturition in camels
In camels the relaxation of
sacro-sciatic ligaments may
be visible some weeks before
parturition
The total time taken
by camels in
parturition varied
from 281.8 ± 79.6 to
373.9 ± 38.2 min
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Parturition in camels
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Placenta in camels
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Obstetrics in camels
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Cesarean Section in camels
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54. Anatomy of reproductive organs of Male
CAMELS Testis and scrotum
Scrotum lies
high in the
perineal region
Testicles are
oval in shape
and lie obliquely
Rt
Testicle length
7-10 cm weight
90 gm
Right testicle
smaller.
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55. Camel Penis
Camel has a pre-scrotal
sigmoid flexure
Penis is fibro-elastic and about
60 cm long
It is directed backwards when
flaccid
Spiralled glans penis is curved giving
it a hook shape
Externally the penis is covered by a
triangular shaped sheath, the prepuce,
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56. • Externally the penis is covered by a triangular shaped
sheath, the prepuce, which opens to the rear.
• The male camel urinates towards the rear between the
hind legs
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Due to presence of well developed lateral preputial
muscle, in addition to the cranial and caudal muscles the
preputial orifice can be directed either cranially or caudally
during erection and micturition
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58. • Male camels have
prostrate glands
and bulbourethral
glands but
seminal vesicles
are absent.
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59. Reproductive (Rutting) behavior of male camels
• Sniffing
• Flehmen
• Grinding of teeth/whistling
• Gurgling sounds
• Urinating
• Opened hind legs
• Tail flapping/beating
• Poll gland secretion
• Soft palate (Dulla)
extrusion
• Loss of weight
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During the breeding season male camels evidence special
behavior called the rut. Male camels become somewhat
aggressive during the breeding season
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Artificial Insemination in Camel
Worlds First Camel
Calf was reportedly
born from frozen
camel sperm in
Dubai in 2012 and
was named
SHAHEEN
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Semen Collection
Artificial Vagina with rubber liners similar to bull, mounting over
female camel in sitting position
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Semen Peculiarity
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68. Camel semen extension
• Liquid semen (5 0C)
TYC was better than lactose, PBS , citrate buffer
Successful inseminations (using 3-5000 IU hCG)
Pregnancies achieved
• Cryopreservation
TYCG - good post thaw motility
No pregnancy
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Problems of AI in camel
Lack of identification of a trait for wider
dissemination
Inconspicuous estrus period and estrus signs,
Induced nature of ovulation in the female,
Presence of thick gel in semen and
Poor freezing of camel sperm
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70. Seasonal Breeding
Poor estrus and induced
ovulation
Tail cocking in pregnancy
Extra fetal membrane
Gestation 12-13 months
Inter-calving prolonged
Males show seasonal
changes-Rut
Thick Gel in semen
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71. For Lectures on Veterinary Gynecology, Veterinary
Obstetrics, Veterinary Andrology and MCQs on all
the three subjects Kindly visit my YouTube channel
Govind Narayan Purohit at the link :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwv1jNa-
hHxQ3ZRyIiNzACg
You can contact me at gnpobs@gmail.com for any
queries, suggestions which are welcome.
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72. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR
PATIENT LISTENING
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