Impact of husbandry, stages of lactation and parity number on milk yield and chemical composition of dromedary camel milk

The present study was designed to assess the impact of husbandry, stage of lactation and parity number on milk yield and chemical composition of camel milk within three different camel farms at Khartoum State, Sudan. Camel milk samples (n=220) were collected from 43 healthy she-camels at different lactation stages (early, mid, late and latest stages of lactation) and parity number (1-7 parities). The overall means of daily milk yield and composition of fat, protein, lactose, solids not fat (SNF), acidity and density were 2.73±1.16 L/day, 3.69±1.31%, 3.32±0.33%, 4.59±0.45, 8.49±0.86%, 0.19±0.03% and 1.030±0.017g/cm3, respectively. Camel milk yield and composition were significantly (P 0.05) affected by husbandry, stage of lactation and parity number. The highest milk yield (3.49±0.89 L/day) was recorded for she-camels kept in the intensive farming system during early stage of lactation (2.96±1.28 L/day). The result showed that the she-camels in the second parity gave the highest milk yield (4.06±1.85 L/day), while the lower milk yield was found at the subsequent parities. The highest means of fat (4.05±1.5%), SNF (8.78±0.74%), protein (3.41±0.3%) and lactose (4.67±0.42%) were recorded for the milk of she camels in the semi-intensive farming. The highest means of fat, protein, lactose and SNF (4.46±1.62%, 3.5±0.27%, 4.75±0.42% and 8.88±0.89%, respectively) were found in camel milk during the early stage of lactation. Moreover the highest means of protein, lactose and SNF (3.42±0.33%, 4.71±0.52% and 8.83±0.86%, respectively) were recorded in milk for the she camels at parity number five. This study concluded that husbandry systems, stage of lactation and parity number have impact on milk yield and chemical composition of camel milk. Therefore, factors that cause variations in milk yield and composition should be considered for the nutritional and technological uses of camel milk.