Correction to: Factors affecting reproductive performance in dromedary camel herds in Saudi Arabia

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This article was originally published with incorrect affiliation 1. The correction affiliation is presented below.     

Factors affecting reproductive performance in dromedary camel herds in Saudi Arabia

A survey of 7122 dromedary camels in 115 herds in Saudi Arabia was used to estimate the effects of herd size (HZ; <?25 vs. 25–49 vs. 50–100 vs. >?100 camels), herder/camels ratio (H/C; 1:<?25 vs. 1:25–50 vs. 1:>?50), manager experience (ME; <?5 vs. 5–10 vs. >?10 years), male/females ratio (M/F), housing system (HS; free vs. closed vs. mixed), length of the breeding season (winter vs. winter and spring vs. fall, winter and spring), age at first mating (3 vs. >?3 years), and time of mating after parturition (≤?3 vs. >?3 months) and their interactions on the overall pregnancy rate. Barren females of these herds (n?=?886) were examined for the causes of infertility. Results showed that herds with H/C of 1:<?25 had higher overall pregnancy rate (95.29%) than herds with H/C of 1:25–50 (79.84%) and those with H/C of 1:>?50 (72.79%) (p?=?0.003). Herds having ME of >?10 years revealed greater overall pregnancy rate (94.89%) than herds with ME of 5–10 years (80.54%) and those with ME of <?5 years (72.5%) (p?=?0.001). There were significant interactions between H/C × HZ (p?=?0.003), H/C × HS (p?=?0.006), and ME × HS (p?=?0.02). The overall pregnancy rate did not significantly differ between herds bred females by age of 3 years and those bred females by age >?3 years and in females bred within 3 months after parturition and in those bred after 3 months. The mean calving interval was shorter (p?=?0.008) in camels mated within 3 months of parturition (15.25?±?2.8 months) than in those mated after that time (24.33?±?6.5 months). Clinical endometritis, ovarian hydrobursitis, and vaginal adhesions were the common clinical findings in barren females. Thus, efforts to reduce the age at first mating and the interval after calving, increase the number of herders/camels, and control reproductive disorders could improve the reproductive performance and quality of camel herds in Saudi Arabia.

     

Aetiological analysis and diagnosis of reproductive disorders in male dromedary camels

The purpose of this paper was to analyse the aetiology and methods of diagnosing reproductive disorders in male dromedary camels. Male camel infertility manifests as one of three conditions: post-coital infertility (IG), inability to copulate (IC) and lack of sexual desire (LSD). IG is mainly a testicular disorder that is linked to a deteriorated seminogram, arrested spermatogenesis, Sertoli cell-only syndrome and testicular degeneration. For IG diagnosis, semen analysis, testicular biopsy and fine-needle aspiration are gold standards. Testicular ultrasonography was generally inefficient. High serum FSH was found in IG camels with oligo- and azoospermia, implying primary spermatogenesis defects. The testis-expressed protein (TEX101) and the epididymis-expressed protein (ECM1) are reliable biomarkers for distinguishing between obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia. IC manifests in two forms: phimosis (PHI) and erectile dysfunction (ED). PHI is frequently linked to preputial and penile pathologies, as well as leucocytosis, neutrophilia and elevated nitric oxide metabolites. The majority of camels with ED have normal genital organs, and the condition is associated with an increase in cardiac troponin I. LSD is a rare disorder brought on by hormonal imbalances, high temperatures, stress and debilitating diseases. In conclusion, IG diagnosis necessitates semen analysis, testicular biopsy or fine-needle aspiration, and FSH testing, whereas IC diagnosis requires preputial and penile examinations. Diagnostic aids include serum and seminal biomarkers.     

Impotentia generandi in male dromedary camels: heavy metal and trace element profiles and their relations to clinical findings and semen quality

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of this study was to investigate the profiles of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), and...