title: Seasonal variation in botanical and chemical composition of plants selected by one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius).
abstract: The present study has been conducted in order to investigate the seasonal variation in the botanical and chemical composition of plant parts consumed by camels (Camelus dromedarius). The study has been conducted on 210 indigenous Arabian camel of different age (1-18 years) and sex and kept under natural range in southern Darfur, Sudan. The findings of the present study indicate that camels are selective browser rather than grazer. Furthermore, they are selective feeder to the parts of pasture plants they consume. The percentages of Crude Protein (CP), Crude Fibre (CF) and Nitrogen Free Extract (NFE) of pasture plants selected by camels were significantly higher, while ash percentage was significantly lower during the dry season.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nyala, Sudan.
authors.forename: Alia S A
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Khalid A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Abdoun
authors.forename: Abdalla M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abdelatif
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000032:analysis; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010944:Plants; D012621:Seasons; D013397:Sudan
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D009584:Nitrogen