MONITORING CAMEL HEALTH: CAMEL MILKLaura Budd, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Why Camels?

Growing camel population & many unknowns Disease transmission

Other livestock Endangered wildlife People

Expanding Milk Industry Raw Milk Consumption Quantity and Quality

Camel Milk

Milk Production: Mastitis (udder infection) Risk factors for Mastitis Bacterial causes of mastitis

Human health risks Milk Contamination Levels

Questionnaire Husbandry Milking Practices Knowledge about

mastitis Access to veterinary

resources Field Test for Mastitis Milk Samples

Mastitis positive Milk containers

In the Field

In the Lab

Culture Milk Samples Mastitis Positive: ID

bacteria Milk Container

Samples: Amount and types of bacteria

Future

Prevalence of Mastitis Recommendations

for: Milking Practices Milk Storage and

Handling Disease Transmission

Prevention Improve Camel

Health and Milk Production