Camels are seasonal breeders, with males and females becoming sexually active during the late fall and winter months. Females have an estrous cycle of 23-27 days that is strictly follicular, without ovulation or luteal phase occurring spontaneously. Ovulation requires copulation to be induced. Males also enter periods of increased sexual activity and aggression called "rutting" during the breeding season, accompanied by higher testosterone and behaviors like soft palate ejection and smudging secretions to mark territory. The reproductive cycles of both males and females are adapted for breeding during the rainy/cold season.

2. Reproductive Cycle Of Camel
Dr Muhammad Awais Tatari

3. Puberty
• Time in adolescence when male and female gonads are capable
of releasing gametes.
• Age at puberty 2-3 year
• There are several factors that can influence the age of the onset
of puberty, such as
Nutrition
Breed of camel

4. Sexual activity
• Sexual activity has been reported to start as early as 2-3 years of
age but usually they are not bred until they are 4-5 years old.
• sexual activity can continue until 20 years of age

5. Breeding season
• Seasonal breeders
• Short breeding season
• Late September to March,
• Both male and female, are seasonal breeders
• Mating during the rainy, or cold season
• Outside of the breeding season mating activity ceases and the
ovaries are inactive or only have a few, small follicles.

6. Female Reproductive cycle
• Female camel is a seasonal polyestrous animal.
• Induced ovulator
• Oestrus Cycle 23-27 Days
• Estrus Duration 4-7 days
• Diestrus 15-20 days

7. Contd…
• Estrous cycle did not have a luteal phase.
• During the cycle of 27days the ovarian activity was strictly
follicular.
• Follicles matured in six days, maintained their size for 13 days
and regressed in eight days.
• The waves of follicular growth, maturation and atresia occur
throughout the breeding season.
• Sign of estrus
Aggressiveness
General restlessness,
Straddling the hind legs
Swelling and discharge from the vulva.

8. Contd..
• Peripheral plasma concentrations of progesterone remained < 1
ng/ml throughout the estrous cycle.
• Level of estrogens and testosterone increased in parallel as the
follicle grew in size.
• Level of estrogens 20 pg /ml and 50 pg testosterone/ml when
small growing follicle, increased steadily to reach a plateau level
of > 80 pg estrogens/ml and 1000 pg testosterone/ml.
• The plateau level of the two hormones maintained for 15 days
and then decreased steadily as the follicle regressed.

10. • LH concentrations remained very low ( < 1 ng/ml) and no peaks
were observed throughout the estrous cycle.
• The peak of LH release begins 2 hrs after copulation.
• By 4 hour after insemination, peak values of 6.9 ± 1.0 ng/ml,
occur.
• Plasma progesterone level increase to reach 2.4 ± 0.86 ng/ml at
7 days after ovulation.

11. • The absence of an LH surge and low progesterone levels during
the estrous cycle are related to the failure of ovulation and
subsequent absence of a true luteal phase
• Well-developed corpora lutea only occur after successful
mating.
• (Shalash & Nawito,1964; Musa & Abusineina, 1978; Arthur &
Rahim, 1982; Marie & Anouassi, 1987).

12. ovulation
• Ovulation was non-spontaneous and required the stimulus of
coitus.
(Chen and Yuan, 1979; Musa, 1979; Shalash, 1965)
• Ovulation occurs 30–48 hours following copulation
(Chen and Yuan, 1979).
• Stated that without pregnancy there is no formation of a corpus
luteum (Shalash, 1965).

13. Sexual cycle of the male camel
• Seasonal breeder
• Male also come in heat
• Heat in male is called “Rutt,musth or thoot”.
• Increased secretion of androgen, especially testosterone in
breeding season.
• Testosterone levels increase from 2 ng/ml in October to 24
ng/ml in January and return to 4 ng/ml in May.

14. • Pituitary and circulating Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
levels are significantly affected by season.
• Although no significant changes were observed in circulating
LH the highest frequency and amplitude of LH pulses seen in
males during the cooler months (December - January)
• Serum prolactin levels are high during the non-breeding season
and decrease significantly in the rutting season.
• Hyperprolactinemia cause reduced fertility in non-breeding
season

15. Rutting Behavior
• Aggressiveness
• The male dromedary becomes increasing aggressive towards
other males, during the breeding season.
• Continuous stress there is a reduction in food intake and
frequent diarrhoea resulting in a loss in weight - sometimes up
to 35%.

16. Soft Palate Ejection
• Exteriorization of the soft palate, known as the dulah but this
has only been described in dromedaries not Bactrian camels.
• The protrusions become more frequent with increased
excitement such as the presence of other males and females
• During copulation the soft palate ejection may be replaced by
grinding of the teeth and frothing at the mouth

17. Smudging
• Smudging is used to disseminate the secretions of the poll gland.
• The secretions are light brown/amber in colour
• These secretions probably contain androgens and some type of
pheromones that are used to mark a territory.