Effects of two different management systems on hormonal, behavioral, and semen quality in male dromedary camels

Abstract

Effects of two different management systems on male dromedary camel hormones, behaviors, and semen parameters were documented. Camels (n=6) were tested under two management systems: (i) housed in single boxes with 1-h freedom (H23); (ii) exposed to females for 17 h (from 3.30 p.m. to 8.30 a.m.) and then housed (ConExF). Blood was collected every morning; camel behavior was recorded twice a day: (i) from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. to determine the short effects; (ii) from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. to determine the long effects. Each camel underwent a female parade and semen collection thrice a week; sexual behavior, libido, and semen parameters were assessed. Testosterone and cortisol concentrations were higher in ConExF than H23. Compared to the H23 group, ConExF group spent more time walking, standing tripods, and looking outside their pen/box but they spent less time eating, ruminating, resting, standing, and showing stereotypical behaviors. In the morning, ConExF group spent more time walking, ruminating, and showing typical sexual behaviors compared to themselves during afternoon time and the H23 group. However, in the afternoon time, ConExF camels put more time their heads outside the box through the window and showed higher frequencies of stereotypies, probably due to a higher level of frustration. While the sexual behavioral score was higher and ejaculates showed a higher fraction of milky white and white-colored semen in ConExF than H23 group, their libido was similar. Overall, 17 h of exposure led to an increase in testosterone and cortisol levels, enhancing sexual behavior and semen color, but leading to frustration.

Keywords: Behaviors; Dromedary camel; Female stimulation; Hormones; Semen parameters.

Fig. 1

Effect of time of observation (7:00 a.m. vs. 2:00 p.m.) on behavioral states recorded during 60 min of observation period in dromedary camels (n = 6). At 7:00 a.m., one group of camels was exposed to the female and the other in the boxes, and at 2:00 p.m., both groups were in the boxes. Data are expressed as LSM ± SEM. Means followed by different letters differ significantly: ^A,BP<0.01, ^a,bP< 0.05

Fig. 2

Sexual behavior score (SBS: 1–5) of dromedary camels (n = 6) housed in two different management systems (H23 vs. ConExF): housed in a single box for 23 h with 1 h in a paddock (H23), and exposed for 17 h to females (ConExF). Data are expressed as LSM ± SEM. Means followed by different letters differ significantly: ^{A, B}P< 0.01

Fig. 3

Variation in the relative frequency of semen color in two different management systems (H23 vs. ConExF): housed in a single box for 23 h with 1 h in a paddock (H23), and exposed for 17 h to females (ConExF). *P<0.05