title: Behavioral indicators to detect ovarian phase in the dromedary she-camel.
abstract: This pilot study was conducted to test the hypothesis that female camels behave differently in various ovarian phases in the presence of a restrained male camel. The aim was to identify behavioral patterns which could be used as indicators to detect ovulatory phase by visual observation in the presence of a restrained virile bull. Twenty-four healthy, nonpregnant, and nonlactating adult females were used. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed for each animal once a week over a 3-week period to determine the phase of the ovarian cycle. Females were considered to be in the ovulatory phase (O) when there was at least one preovulatory follicle (12<Ø<19 mm) protruding from the ovarian surface, and in the nonovulatory phase (NO), when growing follicles, regressing follicles, or corpora lutea were detected. Immediately after examination, each female was freely exposed to a restrained bull for 15 minutes, and her behaviors were filmed. The videos were analyzed through a focal animal-sampling ethogram (states: looking at the male; looking outside; standing close to the male; searching; and lying down; events: interaction with the male; urination; defecation; sound emission; and steps). A score for tail position (tail score: 1 = close to the vulva, 2 = horizontal, 3 = vertical) and for interest in the bull (male time score: from 1 to 5; 1 = <20% of observation period spent near the bull; 5 = more than 80%) were recorded. Ovulatory phase camels showed higher interest in the male than nonovulatory phases: they stood close to the male for longer periods (P = 0.0159), interacted with the male more frequently (P = 0.0004), and tended to lie down in front of him (P = 0.1202). Moreover, ovulatory phase had a significant effect on male time score (P < 0.01), mature follicular ovarian phase being associated with higher scores. Seeking the male has already been proposed as a behavioral indicator of estrus in camels, this has now been confirmed using a standardized ethogram. The present results clarify that camels behave differently in different ovarian phases and that monitoring their behavior in the presence of a restrained bull could help detect their ovulatory phase. This would have profound implications for enhancing fertility in dromedary camels by improving timing of mating or artificial insemination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Valenzano, Italy. Electronic address: barbara.padalino@uniba.it.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Padalino
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal and poultry production, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rateb
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal and poultry production, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Veterinary Clinics and Animal Production Section, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Veterinary Clinics and Animal Production Section, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lacalandra
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal and poultry production, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: El-Bahrawy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002162:Camelus / Q000502:physiology*; D004972:Estrus Detection / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
keywords: Behavior; Camel; Estrus detection; Ovarian phase; Reproduction