A study on serum proteins of camel maintained on different diets

Abstract

The camel Camelus dromedarius is an livestock species uniquely adapted o hot and arid environment. Dicotyledons are amongst preferred plants by camel. Cluster bean (guar) is an important drought resistant leguminous crop most suitable in arid areas. Camels, under conditions of scarcity of grazing especially in summer, are fed roughages and concentrates. The proportion of the concentrate and roughage in the complete ration is expected to change the microbial population in the rumen, which in turn may affect their capacity to colonize feed particles and may influence the nutrient utilization from the feed. In developing countries like india where economy is growing the supply of well established diet to the cattle is not possible for poor animal holders especially to the camel because it needs so much dry matter and concentrate to fulfil its daily feed requirments. So common keepers most often do not feed concentrate to their camels unless they become rundown. In that case they feed some millet flour or barley flour and gur (molasses) 1g/kg body weight for a few days till the camel regains his condition. If this molasses is given in excess amount, it cause gastro-intestinal disorders. These have been used widely to identify problem and to indicate dietary causes of diseases or low production. Due to introduction of new feed resources., this study was an attempt to investigate the serum proteins of camels maintained on different diets. Group I camels were given guar phalgati ( Cymopsis tetragonaloba) and ground nut (Arachis hypogaea) chara in 1:1 ratio. Group 2 camels were given ground nut chara alone while in Group 3 camels jiggery 50%w/v was administrated as a single dose orally @ 15g/kg body weight apart from feeding of ground nut chara. There was a significant change (P<0.01) in the protein levels among Group 1 and 2 and Groups 2 and 3. The concentration of protein was also in the normal range but the mean levels were higher in Group 3 followed by Groups 1 and 2 and it could be envisaged that there exists a significant role if diet pattern on protein profile.