Camel Meat and Meat Products

Abstract

This Camel Meat and Meat Products book is intended as a foundation text with an empha- sis on general principles and practical applications, as well as more advanced aspects of camel meat sciences to a wide range of scientists and professionals who are concerned with camel meat research and education. It is also designed to serve as a reference for extension personnel working with camel herders, food scientists and biology, animal science and veterinary technology students. The descriptions and illustrations of the 14 chapters are based on material prepared by several researchers between 1950 and 2012. Camels were domesticated and developed approximately 5000 years ago and through- out those years have played an integral role in the daily life of the camel owner. They are distributed in African and Asian arid and semi-arid areas, where other livestock farming systems cannot be easily implemented. According to the FAO statistics, there are more than 25 million camels worldwide today, with the dromedary accounting for 95%, and 80% of them are located in Africa. Somalia and the Sudan together have more than 10 mil- lion camels. With its remarkable anatomy and physiology, the camel has several advantages over other domesticated animals in terms of adaptation to a harsh environment. The drom- edary camel’s morphological features make them well adapted to survive in the difficult and drought-stricken arid, semi-arid and mountainous regions. Although camels have been neglected as an economically productive animal or as an animal with the potential for food production, camel products are becoming increasingly available in many countries for eco- nomical and health reasons. Moreover, the camel is envisaged to become an important source of food both in drought areas of the world, where famine occurs periodically, as well as in the growing cities of the arid countries where the urban demand for camel products is increasing.