Biometric characterization of the Steppe Camel (Camelus dromedarius ) in Algeria

Abstract

This study was carried out on living Algerian Naili camels, also called Steppe Camels. The objective was to characterize the measurements and the body weight estimated from these measurements of this population which has not yet been studied, and to compare them to two other Algerian populations, the Sahrawi and the Targui. The sample consisted of 60 adult camels, 30 males and 30 females, over five years old grazing in the semiarid regions north of Biskra in Algeria. Five measurements were taken, then the substernal (void) index and the live weight were calculated. The mean values for males and females were 551.2 kg ± 58.7 kg and 482.6 kg ± 60.0 kg for the body weight, 0.92 m ± 0.05 m and 0.83 m ± 0.08 m for the substernal void, 0.92 m ± 0.05 m and 0.88 m ± 0.04 m for the thoracic depth, and 1.02 ± 0.09 and 0.94 ± 0.11 for the substernal index, respectively. A multivariate analysis was used to separate males from females and compare them to the Sahrawi and Targui populations. The Steppe Camel is clearly differentiated from these populations by its smaller size. This study also shows that females are slightly smaller and less slender than males. This hardy population is associated with a set of feeding practices, themselves linked to the quality of the rangelands, whose influence on the body development of the animals has been extensively described.