Infertility in she camel

- Introduction

Reproductive capacity plays a vital role in the production and profitability of the camel industry. Common issues in practice include poor reproductive efficiency and infertility. Among domestic farm animals, camelids have the lowest reproductive efficiency, where even slight reductions in fertility can lead to significant consequences (Khanvilkar et al., 2009, Benaissa et al., 2015, Getahun et al., 2021, Mohammed et al., 2025).

Camelids display various anatomical and physiological reproductive differences, such as induced ovulation, overlapping follicular waves, the critical role of the corpus luteum in pregnancy maintenance, a unique intrauterine copulatory mechanism, mating duration, and semen viscosity, which can pose challenges in diagnosing and treating infertility (Belina et al., 2021, Mansour and Karen, 2021, Waqas et al., 2025). Several factors contribute to low reproductive efficiency in female dromedaries, including delayed puberty, a later age at first conception and calving, and extended intervals between births. Furthermore, reproductive performance can be adversely affected by nutritional deficiencies, diseases, hormonal imbalances, and environmental stressors (Kelanemer et al., 2025). It is essential to identify abnormalities in the reproductive tract, particularly in genetically superior animals, as reproductive diseases can significantly diminish fertility.

Arabian she-camels generally reach puberty around 2 years of age. While sexual activity can begin at 2-3 years, she-camels are usually bred starting at approximately 4 years of age. They can continue to breed until they are about 30 years old. At 2 years, she-camels typically weigh around 400 kg, increasing to about 513 kg by 3 years (Beniwal and Chaudhry, 1984, Gherissi et al., 2020, Belina et al., 2021).

She-camels are seasonal polyestrous animals, with maximum breeding occurring during shorter daylight periods, particularly from December to May in regions like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (Table 1). During longer photoperiods, they enter a state of anestrus. The average duration of their estrous cycle varies from 24.2 days in Egypt to about 28 days in Sudan and can range from 11-30 days in Saudi Arabia. Estrous cycles can be less reliable, often accompanied by inconsistent estrus signs (Ashour et al., 2017, El Allali et al., 2017, Al-Bulushi et al., 2019, Ghallab et al., 2024). Ovarian follicles undergo growth in waves approximately every 11-20 days, with active follicles growing to sizes between 10 and 25 mm, and some oversized follicles reaching up to 75 mm under specific conditions (Fig. 1). Ovulation in camels is induced by mating, which has important implications for their breeding management (Skidmore et al., 1996, Anouassi and Tibary, 2013, Ghallab et al., 2024, Mohammed and Alshaibani, 2025).