Protection of farmed camels (Camelus Dromedarius): Welfare problems and legislative perspective. (11th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Previti, Annalisa; Guercio, Bartolomeo; Passantino, Annamaria
• Is Part Of: Animal science journal. Volume 87:Number 2(2016:Feb.)
• Page Start: 183
• Page End: 189
• Publication Date: 2015-08-11
• Subjects: animal welfare -- breeding -- dromedary -- legislation; Animal culture -- Periodicals; Livestock -- Periodicals; 636
• DOI: 10.1111/asj.12446
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1344-3941

Abstract

Abstract: In the last years animal welfare has assumed an increasing interest in our society, influencing legislation to enact many provisions aimed at the protection of animals. Along with increased consumer awareness of the need to maintain ethically acceptable conditions of raised animals, scientists too have begun to investigate the conditions of animal welfare, the tools for its evaluation and for its improvement. Although there are many advances in knowledge, much remains to be investigated concerning many species considered "minor", that is, camels and dromedaries. Dromedaries, recently, have attracted the interest of some breeders following the results of studies concerning the nutritional and therapeutic properties of their products ‐ milk in particular ‐ that make them ideal for some particular categories of consumers, such as diabetics, obesity sufferers, lactose‐intolerant subjects, menopausal women and so on. Considering their use in dairy husbandry, dromedaries are reared under intensive and/or semi‐intensive systems with the resulting emergence of specific needs, which should be fulfilled in order to have appropriate welfare. This paper's purpose is to give practical elements in order to find out dromedary welfare standards, promoting a comprehensive set of regulations on welfare, care and protection of this animal.