Behavioral Indicators of Ovarian Phase in the Dromedary She-camel

In beef and dairy cattle the estrus cycle affects endocrine, ovarian, and behavioral events and detection of 
\nestrus by behavioral parameters is well assessed (Roelofs et al 2010). Female dromedary camels are seasonal 
\nbreeders and induced ovulators, in which four follicular phases have been distinguished: recruitment, growth, 
\nmature and regressing (Skidmore 2011). Currently, little data has been published about estrus behavior in the she-
\ncamel. Recent rapid development in using assisted reproductive techniques to enhance dromedary reproduction 
\nmakes urgent the detection of estrus in this species. The aim of this study was to relate different reproductive 
\nphases with observed behaviors which she-camels showed in presence of a male, and to identify behavioral 
\nindicators for the mature phase of estrus. 
\nTwenty-four healthy adult non-pregnant and non-lactating females were used. Two days prior to initiating the 
\nstudy, all received 789 μg Cloprostenol (Estrumate®, Agro-pharm Inc., Canada) intramuscularly (i.m.). Each 
\nanimal was examined once a week over a three week period and was checked by manual gynecological 
\nexamination, and its reproductive system was ultrasonographically scanned. Camels bearing mature preovulatory 
\nfollicles (diameter >13 mm, Ismail et al 2007) were treated i.m. with 20 μg gonadorelin (Fertagyl®, Intervet, 
\nGermany) to induce ovulation, and ensure the presence of corpora lutea in the subsequent week. Immediately 
\nfollowing examination sessions, each female was freely exposed to a restrained bull, and its behaviors recorded 
\nusing a video camera. The videos were analyzed though a scan sampling ethogram (States: looking at the male; 
\nlooking outside; standing; walking; searching; male interaction; lying down; Events: sniffing; interaction with the 
\nmale; urination; defecation; sound emission). A score for tail position ("tail score": 1= close to the vulva, 2= 
\nhorizontal, 3= vertical) and for interest in the bull ("male time score": from 1 to 5; 1=less than 20% of observation 
\nperiod spent near the bull; 5= more than 80%), were recorded. Dromedary females were considered "in estrus" 
\nwhen there was at least one >13 mm pre-ovulatory follicle, and "not in estrus" when growing follicles or corpora 
\nlutea were detected (Basioni 2007). All data were analyzed using a General Linear Model procedure (SAS 2007) 
\nwhere the independent variable was the physiological status (estrus/not in estrus) and the behavioral data were 
\ndependant variables. 
\nThe main significant effect of “estrus” reproductive status (Table 1) was the increased curiosity in the male, 
\nparticularly, increased duration (P = 0.009) and frequency (P = 0.0004) in male interaction, and spending more 
\ntime close to the male (P < 0.0001). From this data, it seems that the interest in the male may be a good behavioral 
\nindicator of mature phase in the she-camel: the dam looks for and interacts with the male, sniffs around more, 
\nspends more time in standing quite near the male and increases tendency to lie down in front of him. Increased 
\ncuriosity, searching out, looking at, and standing close to the male are reported as estrus behavioral indicators in 
\nsheep (Banks 1964). Detection of mature ovarian phase by behavioral indicators to improve timing to perform 
\nmating or artificial insemination may have profound implication for enhanced fertility in the dromedary camel 
\n(Manjunatha et al 2012), thus our data is a first step in this new and emergent research area. 
\nTable 1. Effect of reproductive status (estrus/not estrus) on the duration (sec) and the frequency (n/15 
\nmin) of the studied behavioral states and events. Data are expressed as square mean ± SE 
\nDuration 
\n(sec) 
\nLooking at 
\nthe male 
\nLooking 
\noutside 
\nStanding Walking Searching 
\nMale 
\ninteraction 
\nLying 
\ndown 
\nEstrus 184.2±26.4 247.6±40.7A 204.5±25.8a 48.3±9.6 204.3±41.7 2.7±0.33A 13.0±6.9 
\nNot Estrus 143.1±24.1 380.8±37.1B 118.7±22.9b 61.0±8.7 181.5±38.0 1.5±0.3B 2.4±0.5 
\nFrequency 
\n(n/15min) 
\nSniffing 
\nInteraction 
\nwith male 
\nUrination Defecation 
\nSound 
\nEmission 
\nTail Score 
\nMale 
\nTime Score 
\nEstrus 3.6±0.53 12.4±1.5A 0.2±01 0.2±0.0 21.4±3.6 1.4±0.1 3.6±0.1A
\nNot Estrus 2.4±0.4 4.6±1.3B 0.3±0.1 0.1±0.0 25.9±3.3 1.5±0.1 2.4±0.1B
\nMeans followed by different letters differ statistically: A,B; P < 0.01 and a,b; P < 0.05
\nBank, E.M. (1964). Behaviour 23, 249. 
\nBasioni, G.F. (2007). J. Biol. Sci. 7, 1038. 
\nIsmail, S.T., Al-Eknah, M-M., Hemeida N.A. (2007). J King Saud Uni 8, 51. 
\nRoelofs, J., López-Gatiusc, F., Hunterd, R.H.F., van Eerdenburge, F.J.C.M. et al. (2010). Theriogenology 74, 327. 
\nManjunatha, B.M., Pratap, N., Al-Bulushi, S., Hago, B.E. (2012) Theriogenology 78, 965. 
\nSkidmore, J.A. (2011). Anim. Reprod. Sci. 124,148. 
\nThis work was funded by European Union, PROCAMED Project

Fetched live from OpenAlex and de-inverted. Abstracts are not stored in this database: the inverted indexes are 8.6 GB of the frame’s 9.3 GB of text, and the host has 13 GB free.