Health problems caused by nutrition
Camels are predisposed to a number of disorders related to malnutrition and digestion, and the most common of these diseases is the following
: colic
Its symptoms are abdominal pain as a result of feeding on dry fodder (especially hay) for a long time, and bloating and emphysematous colic are common when camels feed on large quantities of green fodder such as alfalfa and others, and its symptoms include pain and flatulence, and the condition may be fatal, and treatment can be given by giving antibiotics Bloating and sedatives, or a rumen puncture in severe cases, but when the bloating is limited to the large intestine, reducing the cause is necessary with giving some dry diets, and this improves the condition.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is one of the most common disorders that affect camels, especially confined ones, and the cause of diarrhea is not always nutritional, as giving camels a large amount of green fodder may cause diarrhea, and this is also observed in the grazing season, and there is a variation in the degrees of diarrhea, and it is possible to differentiate between sick diarrhea and food diarrhea Through the outside of the animal, the squirrel color of the dung is evidence of infection with some intestinal bacteria, while the green color of the dung indicates food diarrhea. In this case, the animals should be prevented from pasture and given dry fodder and water, as well as the use of antibiotics.
Muscle whitening
Its symptoms are dull muscles and granules on the heart, and it often occurs in camels bred under an intensive breeding system. This disease appears when feeding on hay and concentrated fodder without adding vitamin E to the mothers’ diet, which leads to the appearance of the disease in newborns, as it may result from a deficiency of this vitamin. There is a lack of milk in the mothers’ diet. In addition, the milk fat interferes with the absorption of this vitamin, which increases the size of the problem of vitamin E deficiency. Therefore, it is recommended to provide camels deprived of natural pastures with a dose of the vitamin (130 IU / kg of live body weight) with Concentrated diet, with special care given to newborn and infant animals
High rate of formation of urinary stones
It occurs in camels fed concentrated diets under intensive rearing systems
Arthritis and abscesses
It is due to a lack of salt intake in the diet
Licking and eating dirt
This behavior is related to a lack of salt intake and absorption, and this may lead to severe worm infections or diarrhea due to the transmission of microbes from the soil to the animal.
Overall . . Diseases caused by the quality and feeding system (non-intensive production system) are more common in camels under the intensive production system and are rare under natural pasture conditions.