CAMEL TRAIT PREFERENCE AND HERDERS PERCEPTION OF ECONOMIC TRAITS

IN SELECTED DISTRICTS OF JARAR ZONE, ESRS

1

Researchers
Bosenu

Abera
Takele Geta

Funded by Jigjiga University, Directorate of Research, Publication and

Technology Transfer

December 08, 2016

The camel (Camelus dromedaries) is an important

livestock species uniquely adapted to hot arid
environments.
It is most numerous in the arid areas of
Africa,

particularly in the arid lowlands of Eastern Africa

namely, Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti.

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In Ethiopian, camels are found

Somali, Afar, and Borana
The traditional breeding practices and existing challenges
presence of breeding male for a long period of time in the herd
absence of continues selection and culling
presence of high calf mortality
remained to be the bottleneck to the productivity of camel and
genetic improvement

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Objectives
4

General objective
The general objective of the study was to investigate herders
perceptions economic traits and identify trait preferences of
camel in selected districts of Jarar zone.
Specific Objectives
To identify camel trait preferences of pastoralists
To assess perceptions of pastoralists toward economic traits.
To gain understanding of the traditional selection practices and
documenting their indigenous knowledge
To generating baseline information that helps in planning
production and breed improvement strategies
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MATERIALS AND METHODS

5

Study area

Jarar zone is one of the nine zone of Ethiopian Somali Regional State.

Sampling Techniques and Procedure

The study was conducted in two districts

Purposive sampling procedure was implemented
due to the mobile, scattered and less accessible nature of pastoral
communities.

The household heads were selected based on camel possessions

and willingness to be part of the survey
a total of 80 households (HHs) were selected purposively
based on the availability of camels
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Method of data collection

6

General information of the area, vegetation cover,

topography, climatic data and population size was
obtained from secondary data
Primary data was collected using prepared semi structured
questionnaires on:
general household characteristics
purpose of keeping camel
camel herd size
breeding management practices
indigenous knowledge in breeding management
Perception toward economic traits
camel identification system
selection practices for camels

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Focused group discussions were held with

camel owners
socially respected individuals
development agents

One group discussion per district was held with the group
discussants.
Own herd ranking experiment (implicit ranking) was used to study
trait preferences.
Participants of the own herd ranking were asked to rank their first,
second, third and least preferred camel within their own flock giving
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reasons for each preference rank

Statistical analysis
8

Descriptive statistics using SAS (SAS, 2005).

Results were presented mainly in the form of narrations and tabular
summaries.

Indices were calculated to analyze the ranking of purpose of

keeping camel population and trait preference
The ranking was expressed as an

Index = Sum of (4 for rank 1 + 3 for rank 3 +2 for rank 2+ 1 for

rank 4) given for an individual reason divided by the sum of (4 for
rank 1 + 3 for rank 3 + 2 for rank 2 + 1 for rank 4) for overall
reasons (Kosgey, 2004)
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

9

Pastoralists Demographic Characteristics

Table 1. Respondents category by age groups and gender for the study
Districts

Age Groups by years

Number

of

Respondents

by

gender
20 up to 35

35 up to 60

Male

Female

This is may be due to local customs and cultural

17 (42.5%)
35 (87.5%)
5 (12.5%)
practices in pastoral communities of Somali region
make it impossible for a woman to own assets

Degehabur (N=40)

23 (57.5%)

Ararso (N=40)

15 (37.5%)

25 (62.5%)

37 (92.5%)

3 (7.5%)

Overall (N=80)

38 (47.5%)

42 (52.5%)

72 (90%)

8 (10%)

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Camel herd size

10

Table 2. Reported average camel herd size per

household in the study districts
District

Mean S.E

Degehabour

40

40.05
1.94
The average

Ararso

40

Overall

80

Range

Sum

C.V

20-72
1602 owned30.7
number
of camels
by
pastoralist households reported in earlier studies
conducted in Shinille, Gode and Jijiga (Yohannes,
34.90
2.32 2009; 11-80
41.98
2006;Eyassu,
Tadesse et1396
al., 2014) and
in
Afder districts (Ahmed, 2002) were lower than the
present study.
37.48 1.53
11-80
2998
36.53

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Livestock Possession in the study districts

11

Descriptor

Degehabour (n=40)

Ararso (n=40)

Overall (n=80)

Mean SE

Mean SE

Mean SE

Camel

The 40.05
mean camel
in both
districts are higher
than 1.53
other
1.94 possessions 34.90
2.32
37.48
livestock possessions.

Sheep

The 22.00
possible
reasons that recognized
were,
1.27
24.58 2.08by the pastoralists
23.29 1.22
adaptability and multi-purpose nature of camel.

Goat

The 16.98
findings
of the present study
on livestock
possession
are higher
1.08
15.48
1.06
16.22
0.76
than with the studies of Tadesse et al. (2014), Simenew et al. (2013),
Keskes et al. (2013), Eyassu (2009) and Ishag (2009).
8.08 0.85
9.6 0.87
8.84 0.61

Cattle

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Purpose of keeping camels

12

Table 3. Ranked purpose of keeping camel as indicated by

respondents (%)
Purpose of
keeping
Breeding purpose

Degehabour (n=40)
R1

R2

R3

Ararso (n=40)

Index

R1

R2

R3

Index

Overall
Index

12.5

0.075

2.5

7.5

12.5

0.058

0.067

7.5

12.5

12.5

0.10

15

7.5

12.5

0.121

0.111

10
10

17.5
15

12.5
20

10
7.5

22.5
10

0.096

0.113

0.133

5
5

0.067

0.100

Cash Income

17.5

20

12.5

0.175

22.5

17.5

17.5

0.20

0.188

Meat purpose

12.5

7.5

15

0.113

22.5

15

10

0.179

0.146

Milk

37.5

15

22.5

0.275

27.5

32.5

15

0.271

0.273

Socio-cultural

Draught power
Transportation

0.129

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Camel trait preferences

13

Table 4. Summary of ranked preferred female camel traits within own herd (%)
Characters
Body size
Colour
Draft power
Milk Yield
Walkability
Reproduction rate
Temperament
Growth rate
Adaptability
Longevity
Mothering ability

Degehabour (n=11)
R1
R2
R3
Index
18.2
9.1
9.1
36.4
0
0
0
0
9.1
0
18.2

18.2
18.2
0
18.2
9.1
0
0
0
18.2
9.1
9.1

9.1
18.2
0
9.1
18.2
9.1
9.1
9.1
18.2
0
0

0.17
0.14
0.05
0.26
0.06
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.14
0.03
0.12

R1

Ararso (n=11)
Overall
R2
R3 Index Index

18.2 18.2
0
18.2
0
9.1
0
9.1 18.2
27.3 18.2 9.1
0
0
9.1
0
9.1
0
0
9.1
0
0
0
9.1
9.1 18.2 18.2
0
9.1 18.2
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27.3 9.1
9.1

0.15
0.11
0.06
0.21
0.02
0.03
0.03
0.02
0.14
0.06
0.18

0.16
0.125
0.055
0.235
0.04
0.025
0.025
0.02
0.14
0.045
0.15

14

Table 5. Summary of ranked preferred male camel traits within own herd (%)
Characters
Body size
Colour
draft power
Body condition
Walkability
Meat Yield
Growth rate
Adaptability
Longevity
Conformation

Degehabour (n=11)
R1
R2
R3
27.3
18.2
0
9.1
9.1
0
0
27.3
0
9.1

18.2
9.1
18.2
18.2
0
18.2
0
9.1
9.1
0

0
9.1
0
9.1
9.1
9.1
0
45.5
18.2
0

Ararso (n=11)
Overall
Index
R1
R2
R3
Index
index
0.197 45.5 9.1
9.1
0.27 0.234
0.14
9.1
9.1
9.1
0.09 0.115
0.06
0
9.1 18.2 0.06 0.060
0.12
9.1 27.3
0
0.14 0.130
0.06 18.2 36.4 9.1
0.23 0.145
0.08
0
18.2 9.1
0.08 0.080
0
0
0
9.1
0.02 0.010
0.24 18.2 27.3 18.2 0.21 0.225
0.06
0
9.1
0
0.03 0.045
0.046
0
18.2 18.2 0.09 0.068
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15

Unlike in the other livestock species, camel owning

households have broader trait preferences in their camels.
The higher trait preference indices of milk yield in the
study areas can be related to pastoralists dietary
behavior.
In pastoral societies, milk is considered as a staple food.

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Selection and breeding practices of camel

16

Table 6. Source, selection practices and possession of

breeding male camel in the study area
Source of Breeding Camel
Districts

Practice of Selecting Breeding male camel

own breeding male possession

Own
Other Purchased Yes
No
Zero One
>2
Majority of the households in both Degehabour and Ararso districts
herd
herd

keep one (1-3) breeding male in their herds.

Degehabour 40(100)
Ararso
Overall

40(100)

35(87.5)

5(12.5)

According to reports from focal group discussion breeding males were

kept until 7 years of average with the range of
38 (95)
2(5)
0
40(100) 0
0
31(77.5) 9(22.5)
6 to 10 years for Degabhabour
5 to 11 years for Ararso.
78(97.5)

2(2.5)

80(100)

66(82.5)

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14(17.5)

Castration practices in the study area

17

Table 7. Percent of pastoralists practiced castration and reason

of castration in the study areas
Characters

Castration Practice
Yes

Degehabour (n=40)

Ararso (n=40)

Overall (n=80)

Frequency
Frequency
%
Frequency
%
The
majority %of the
respondents
from
the two
districts reported that they practiced castration
and selection as part herd improvement
28

70

26

65

54

67.5

12

30

14

35

16

32.5

Fattening

15

7.5

11.25

Breeding and fattening

10

25

17

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42.5

27

33.75

No
Reason for castration
Control unnecessary mating

As observed in this study, some communities keep

unselected male camels in the herd, which may
60 mating20
50
44
55
cause24unwanted

Pastoralists perception of economic traits

18

Table 9. Ranking of identified traits by herders in the study area

Traits

Degehabour (n=11)

Ararso (n=11)

Overall (n=22)

Rank (Mean rank S.E)

Rank (Mean rank S.E)

Rank (Mean rank S.E)

Body_size

2 (2.00 0.27)

2 (2.09 0.21)

2 (2.05 0.17)

Milk_yield

1 (1.45 0.16)

1 (1.45 0.25)

1 (1.45 0.14)

Coat color

3 (3.09 0.31)

4 (4.27 0.14)

4 (3.68 0.21)

Conformation

5 (4.73 0.27)

5 (5.00 0.30)

5 (4.86 0.20)

Adaptability

4 (4.00 0.27)

3 (2.63 0.24)

3 (3.32 0.23)

Walkability

6 (5.81 0.12)

6 (5.63 0.15)

6 (5.72 0.12)

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19

The results from group discussions revealed that the

households have varying perceptions on economic traits of
camel such as milk production and adaptive traits.

The majority of the respondents were well aware of

economic traits particularly to production and adaptation
traits
However, they pay great attention to its appearance, color
and behavior when selecting breeding camel

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Indigenous criteria for differentiating camel ecotypes

20

The pastoralists use coat color, body size and hump to

differentiate their camels(from group discussion)
The camels were related dark-brown, white and light brown
ecotypes
The pastoral communities called those ecotypes as Hoor for
dark brown camel, Gelleb for light brown camel and Ayuni
for White coat color camel in local language
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21

The dark brown (local named Hoor) ecotype

produce

high milk yield

but low resistance to water requirement due to high lactating
period of camel.

In terms of lactation persistency, the hoor was ranked the

best ecotype.
The white ecotype (Ayuni) was described as
one

that withstands the adversity of the dry season

They assumed to be hybrid of the two ecotypes.

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22

This assertion needs further investigation because these

ecotypes could be of the same breed or of different
breeds
The Gelleb ecotype was identified as

good

for draught power

strong at watering points
but poor in terms of growth rate and milk yield

It can also be implied that the Gelleb could be a

multipurpose ecotype
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Summary and Conclusions

23

Camel, cattle, goat and sheep were the main types of livestock
reared in the area with high preference of camels
Mating was predominantly uncontrolled
The higher trait preference index was reported for milk yield
The second highest trait preference index for adaptation in
pastoral communities may indicate the presence of adaptive
camel populations in the communities
The pastoralists differentiate their camel ecotypes based on
coat color, body size and hump
In the study area, increasing female camel in the herd and
producing more milk is the main breeding objectives.
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Recommendations
24

The pastoralists breeding concept should be considered in

any endeavor directed towards developing local camel
ecotypes.
Training for pastoralists and development agents on
proper husbandry management and breeding practices
should be necessary
Indigenous knowledge of pastoral communities should be
considered in planning and implementation of smallholder
camel breeding programs.
Extensive study to evaluate the production performances of
camel ecotypes should be necessary to select the most
productive types.
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25

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