Camel milk is attracting millions of people at the global level. The main attraction is its health promising characteristics. Camel milk might be super food as well as a natural pharmacy in the ongoing climate change scenario. Human health's challenges like viral outbreaks, super bugs, and allergies etc can be better addressed with the camel milk.
Camel milk is well appreciated as a natural pharmacy. The health concious people does not care to spend more money per liter milk of camel. The trend for camel milk increased manifold in the last 15 years but the trend is now rather static or somehow declined amid the COVID19. What do you think about this treand, please respond.
The camel milk is no more the food of Nomads and Beduins only but also a food of choice for the modern and health concious people around the world. The camel milk have made its space among the non-camel worl and it is now considered as a neatural pharmacy and super food.
The happy camel in the natural world
The demand for camel milk increased manifold over the last 15 years, two main drivers are behind this rise; 1. Processing of CaM and awareness about the CaM. Camel milk is a proven immune booster and anti-infectious along with other important healing properties. Presently the first role is very important because of the COVID19 issue. We expect a sharp rise in the demand for the CaM, but practically, the sale of the CaM shrank and couldn’t sustain its pace compared to last years (2018-2019). This is a real question, why the demand or the flow declined? I table this question before you and wait for your technical answer. In my point of view, this decline is because of the logistic complications following the negative propaganda linking COVID19 and the MERS altogether. Waiting and looking forward
Understanding about camel milk is increasing and the latest studies are coming with very appealing results. A study about the milk proteins (Casein and whey) revealed that the unique bioactive peptides of the camel milk works as a medicine for the oxidative stress associated diseases.
Ice cream made from camel milk
Study Published in the Journal of Animal Nutrition
The results of a scientific study revealed that both caseins and whey proteins of camel milk possess bioactive peptides with significant radical-scavenging activities and thus herald a fascinating opportunity for their potential as nutraceuticals or therapeutic peptides for prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-associated diseases. The link of the article is given below. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405654518301082?via%3Dihub
The author is advocating camel milk with the theme of camel4life and sharing the happenings in the camels’ world. This piece is just a small step to aware the masses about the incredible medicinal value of camel milk.
Soon, there will be camel day, 22nd june is World Camel Day. In the below video, you can see the how the camels are social with humanbeings and how important they are.
A mom managed her kid’s gut problem with the camel milk
As an organizer of the camel milk advocay international group, CAMEL4LIFE, I receive very good information and updates from the people who share their camel milk stories. I share the stories time to time here in my camel4milk blog, but hide the names of the storytellers for privace. Here is a message from such person, who shared her story here with us.
The camel ecosystem, Halloxylon plants and the bowl full of camel milk in Kharan Desert of Balochistan
“Hi everyone. I’ve been added to the group due to my son who has a cow milk protein allergy and severe eczema since receiving his infant immunizations. He was severely behind on his weight and height and has itchy infected skin which profoundly impacted his functioning, sleep, socializing, schooling etc.”
We did a GAPS diet, and detoxed with cilantro and chlorella and added camels milk to his diet.
Conclusion
And he’s now a thriving 7 year old. Great improvements to his skin, growth and functioning. He still drinks camel milk, as there is very very little cross reactivity between cow and camel milk and I feel it helped him to grow when most of what he was eating was causing bloatedness and diarrhea..
Scientists are agreed that the products, especially milk coming from a happy and comfortable animal are far better than the animal in distressed conditions with a sad feeling. Now it is yours’ choice, either you take milk from a happy animal or a sad animal as both types are available in the market. The camel farming is extensive, natural, eco-friendly and stress-free.
The Happy Animal: Camel farming is very eco-friendly, natural, clean, dry & airy, shiny and completely free of any foul smell. This clean environment ensures the quality of livelihood of the camel and the absence of pathogenic microorganisms. Camel is really a lucky and happy animal living in such a great place of living.
Consuming less water, adapted to high ambient temperatures make this animal even more special and adapted happy animal. In the same climatic zone, the dairy cow needs a lot of water for drinking, cooling and cleaning purposes, may be more than 5 times compared to the camel. The milk produced from a happy animal (here happy animal means camel) is very rich in nutrients than sad animals. The overall environment where animals are raised has an additional effect on milk quality.
The Happy animals in a Camel Farm
Additionally, the camel’s milk quality is entirely different, especially in the context of micro but essential nutrients. For details, please go to the link below; Camel! A One in All Creatures.
“Camel milk protein is coated with fats, which enhance protein absorption. It passes the acidic stomach undisturbed (does not coagulate easily because of fat coating) and reaches the intestines for absorption”.
Even if she lives in very natural condition her milk is not equal to the milk of camels. Camel is the special gift of nature and the milk is the treasure of health. Let’s live natural health and promote the natural way of life.
Lets’ join our efforts to promote camel’s products especially milk. The Camels4Life is struggling for the advocacy of camel and camel’s keepers. Alain Doctor Sees Potential in Camel, Camel is the future of humankind to secure food availability in the climate change scenario.
Camels’ milk is the king of the milk kingdom, said by the Bactrian camel keepers in Central Asia. It is the first choice for health maintenance. They think that their milk is more nourishing than their sister camel (dromedary) and all other animals.
Our milk is high grade but tastes a little bit salty because of my taste as I like salty bushes; the only ice cream for me in the ecosystems where I live. I live in very cold regions and hence producing milk thicker than my sibling dromedary. My milk keeps a desirable PH of the human body as it is a bit alkaline. I have the physical effect on the stomach of my keepers to make them happy and in a good mood. Detailed Nutritional Composition of Bactrian Camel’s Milk
My milk is rich in protein (4.5%), making me special food item for the poor and undernourished group of the human being. Bactrian milk protein contains many health promising elements as various Amino Acids and Vitamins, Lysozymes & Lactoferrin, and Immunoglobulin; all are protective and bio-active.
Might be of interest to read about the Bactrian camel dairy in the Chinese Turkistan. CHINA’S CAMEL-MILK MOGUL
I know my population is lesser and I’m still hiding from the eyes of the policymakers and scientists but I’m sure, one day they will realize my importance.
As recorded in Compendium of Materia Medica; “Camel milk, cold, non-toxic, can invigorate spleen-stomach and replenish vitality, and strengthen tendons and bones, so that people won’t feel hungry after drinking it.“
camel herder of Bactrian camels in Chinse Turkistan, courtesy http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2017/chinas-camel-milk-mogul/
As recorded in drugs commonly used by Uighur Medicine: “Camel Milk is sweet taste with cream flavor, free of sense of adhesion, a little bitter, and can significantly strengthen spleen and invigorate stomach, nourish the five internal organs and repair the impairments of those organs, strengthen tendons and bones, and recover the vital essence and marrow, so that people won’t feel hungry or thirsty after drinking it.”About Camel Milk~With Bactrian Perspectives
In the blogs published before; almost all the information reported is about the dromedary camel. I was looking if the traditional healers think the same about the Bactrian camels’ milk or not. So, I found a lot of information. A short book I received from the Xinjiang Wangyuan Camel Milk Industry is really full of information. They are really doing a great job.
With thanks to ‘Xinjiang Wangyuan Camel Milk Industry.
One can imagine, how distinctive and special can be the gift of God. The Bedouin gives name Ata Allah (gift of God), hence considered as precious and matchless. Nevertheless, of its products, camels’ physiology, and behavior is specially designed to survive in harsh conditions of its habitat and sustain the livelihood of its keepers in climate change scenario. Camel has all the characteristics which are otherwise scattered in all the other known and useful animals. The following table shows the importance of camel if compared to other livestock species.Livestock vs camel. Every product of camel is useful, even urine (traditionally used for medicinal conditions like the ear infection, water belly and some kinds of dermatitis) and dung are valuable.Camels’ Manure~From Waste to a Worthwhile Farming Agent
The long bones of camel are very attractive for nomads’ women and use for making jewelry. The camel rearing communities have very firm links with camel culture and consider this special creature as part and parcel of their heritage and culture.
Camel is full of qualities and strange abilities. The author has tried to compile some of the special attributes known to humankind so for. The attributes are grouped in main subjects and given in numeric order.
Potential and Availability of Camel Milk (CM)
Camel is the only livestock species which was originally domesticated for milk; God gifted the camel to Prophet Saleh (PBUH) for milk only, almost 3500 BC.
Camel is the only animal of dry lands which can produce up to 40-liter milk per day (some specimens are recorded) in ordinary grazing conditions. Such high yielding specimens are found in Sub-continent, Arabian Peninsula, Africa and other parts of the dromedary camels’ habitats.
It is the most efficient animal in milk production on per unit feed/water consumption basis, i.e. a cow in rangelands conditions needs 9.1 kg of dry matter feed to produce one liter of milk, while camel produces one liter of milk by consuming only 1.9 kg of dry matter feed in the same conditions.
The lengthy days without water couldn’t depress the camel’s milk quantity or quality. The milk becomes even more watery during the period of water scarcity to fulfill the water requirements of thirsty suckling calves.
Camels’ lactation ranges from 9 to 18 month and produces up to 12,000 liters/lactation.
CM is Natural Pharmacy
A Superfood
A gift of nature and gold of desert, the camel milk (CM) is miraculously proving as a superfood. Because of the appreciable level and unique combination of nutrients (minerals, vitamins, protein, and fatty acids etc.). CM has medicinal properties covering a wide range of ailments like autoimmune diseases, allergies, asthma, rashes, diabetes, liver disorders, rheumatism, inflammatory conditions, piles, urethral irritation, infectious diseases, stress/depression, peptic ulcers and even cancer. The nomads/Bedouins have a long history of experience while healing such diseases with the CM. The manifolds enriched levels of minerals (potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, sodium and zinc) than cow milk, making it a real superfood.
2. An Attraction for Mature people
Camel milk is used as the aphrodisiac, especially in the stressful conditions of the dry hot weather. The appealing level of Nanobodies in CM making it very special tonic for making the mood. As well as CM is a nervine tonic and helps in good eyesight. The pastoral people depending on camel milk rarely get weak eyesight.
3. A Beauty Tonic
The content of niacin (Vitamin B3) in camel milk is remarkably higher than in cow milk. Vitamin B3 supports the function of the digestive system, skin, and nerves, and improves circulation making it a beauty and health tonic. Camel milk contains five times more vitamin C compared to cow milk. Vitamin C is anti-infectious and is very important for human health, especially in dry and deserted areas.
4. Full Stop to Diabetes
Camel milk contains insulin-like protein and is therefore used to treat Diabetes mellitus. Such insulin is capsulated in fats molecules which cannot be denatured (does not coagulate easily because of fat coating) in the acidic medium of a stomach. Such property of Camel milk enhances protein absorption.A study of the anti-diabetic agents of camel milk
5. Ensures Super immune system
The wonderful protein of CM (protective amino acids and immunoglobulin) is a booster of the immune system and nutritional advantages for brain development. CM contains 25-30 times as much lactoferrin as cow milk. Lactoferrin is a fairly recently discovered iron-containing protein that has been shown to have antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-carcinogenic effects. Therefore, a combination of lactoferrin (bactericidal and iron-binding properties) and lysozyme (an enzyme which catalyzes the destruction of the cell walls of certain bacteria) ensure super immune system. A recent study revealed that camel milk has anti-genotoxic (prevent toxification in gene and prevent mutation) and anti-cytotoxic (prevent toxification in the cell). The Nanobodies play an incredible role in this regard.Superfood (Camel Milk) can Beat the Challenge of Superbug (Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics)
6. A Dedication to the children
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) responding positively after therapy that included camel milk. The low quantity of beta casein and the lack of beta-lactoglobulin are linked to the hypo-allergic effects of camel milk. Because of the low lactose content, it does not cause lactose intolerance problem in infants. CM has 100 times more D-Lactate as compared to cow milk. D-Lactate is very health promising contrary to L-lactate which is toxic and causes an allergy found in cows’ milk. Camel milk can be the best replacement of infant food after the mother’s breast because of its child-friendly lactose.Camels’ Milk Miracle for Autistic Patients
Camels’ milk fat contains the much higher concentration of long-chained fatty acids (C 14 – C 18) than short-chained fatty acids and is, therefore, healthier. The Omega 3 and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is even more important among the other fatty acids. CM has 3 times more Omega 3 and CLA than naturally grazing cows’ milk. Such compounds are attracting young generations to be kept healthy and attractive.Easy Understandable But Important Features of Camel Milk
8. Camel Milk Inhibits Colon Cancer Cells’ Growth
A study revealed that camel milk lactoferrin showed very remarkable results in inhibition of the growth of the colon cell cancer (HCT-116). Lactoferrin has great potential and works as a magic. Camel Milk Inhibits Growth of Colon Cancer Cells
Camel Meat is Special
Camel meat is healthier as they produce carcasses with less fat as well as having fewer levels of cholesterol in fat than other meat animals.
Camel meat is also relatively high in polyunsaturated fatty acid in comparison to beef. This is an important factor in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Camel meat is also used for remedial purposes for diseases such as hyperacidity, hypertension, pneumonia and respiratory disease as well as an aphrodisiac.
Camels reach live weights of about 650 kg at 7–8 years of age and produce carcass weights ranging from 125 to 400 kg with dressing-out percentage values from 55% to 70%. Camel carcasses contain about 57% muscle, 26% bone and 17% fat.
Camel lean meat contains about 77% water, 19% protein, 2.8% fat, and 1.2% ash with a small amount of intramuscular fat, which renders it a healthy food for humans.
Camel meat has been described as raspberry red to dark brown in color and the fat of the camel meat is white.
The amino acid and mineral contents of camel meat are often higher than beef, probably due to lower intramuscular fat levels.
Camel meat has been processed into burgers, patties, sausages and shawarma to add value.
Because of its low cholesterol content, Australia’s National Heart Foundation has put camel meat on its list of highly recommended food items. “Camburgers” and “camfurters” are among the products that have been produced by a team of scientists around Prof. Farah at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
A tribal Baloch is a traditional rider.
Camel has Great Ride and Unique Training Ability
The ears are small but have a great power of hearing. Camel can hear and understand the voice of its header from a long distance.
The camels are regarded as the most intelligent animals and can find out their way in the desert when there are no signs of the road.
Camels can travel many days without feed or water. In the kind of terrain, I like to ride in, this is a very important factor.
A traveler can continue the journey without bothering too much about the feed and water. Camel eats each and everything when tired and hungry.
The long muscular legs allow camels to cover great distances, they walk up to 40 km per day with 200 to 300 kg of baggage.
Camel is better as riding animal than the horse. They are quieter and gentler than horses.
Camels seem smarter than horses about getting themselves out of a precarious situation. If a horse gets tangled up in a rope, it may struggle violently and get rope burns (or worse). A tangled up camel will, after briefly testing the bonds, sit quietly and figure out what to do next.
Camels can carry more weight than horses. Also, a well-designed camel saddle has more room to carry whatever extra gear you are packing than a horse saddle has.
Riding a camel is quiet and peaceful (that is, once the camel is well trained enough that it no longer grumbles along the way). Camel’s slipper-like feet make hardly any noise. Without the clip-clop of hooves, you can hear the wind sighing in the brush, the rustle of autumn leaves, a coyote howl in the distance on a moonlight ride.
The camel gets in high spirits to the tune of music and songs and it walks faster in spite of being tired.
The camels are the most disciplined and obedient creatures. They and can be ordered to sit or stand again and again and can walk in a row silently behind the leading man, woman or even a child.
The camel is a unique beast of burden, which is loaded in sitting position and gets up with a jerk of its long neck.
Camels do not need to be shod. The cost of shoeing horses can really add up! Furthermore, camels don’t usually colic like horses do, although they occasionally bloat.
There is a certain pride in riding a well-trained camel. It is a sign of prestige for camel owner to ride and travel on a mehari camel.
Going back to the mountains from a camel gathering of socio-economic interest
Disease Resistance Trait of Camel Making its Products Residue Free
Camel is resistant to ticks diseases. A load of more than 100 ticks on camel body cannot affect camel health and production.
White Kohi camel is called as Syed by its herders as; having high potential to resist fly bite disease (Trypanosomiasis) The disease register of the camel is quite short (very few fatal diseases are reported in camel).
Camel is resistant to many notorious diseases like foot and mouth disease, mad cow disease (BSE) and Brucellosis etc.
No clinical FMD is reported in camels from any part of the world.
MERS has nothing with the camel as the vector but a tool of misinformation and propaganda.
Camel’s Unique Physiology
The Browsing Beast
The camel has a large mouth, with 34 sharp teeth. They enable the animal to eat rough thorny bushes without damaging the lining of its mouth.
Camel can eat everything (bark, dates seed, salty mud, and even paper) when there is the scarcity of feed, while in good feeding conditions, it does prefer protein rich diet.
The long flexible neck and legs save it from ground heat and give an easy approach to tall trees for browsing. Camel can browse at 3.5 m above the ground.
The upper lip of the mouth has a cut in the middle. The flaps of the upper lip help in catching the twigs (thin shoots of the trees and bushes).
The formation of the mouth is such that there are long conical papillae on the inside of the cheeks directed backward and the camel can browse at the thorny plants without any harm.
The canine teeth help the camel to take into grip the twigs. Such kind of teeth is not found in other ruminants.
The soft palate is developed and comes out on one side of the mouth like a red hanging bladder. This happens usually in rutting (breeding) seasons.
A strong Kohi camel in Suleiman Mountainous Region of Pakistan
Beast of Dryness and Water Economy
Camel has a well-developed power to smell especially water sources. They can smell water 50 miles away by smelling geosmin which is a fragrance produced by streptomyces species growing in the dumped soil.
Under very hot conditions, the camel may drink only every 8-10 days and loose up to 30% of its live body weight through dehydration. Other animals die at 10% live body loss through dehydration.
Camel urinates less than 1 liter of urine per day in hot summer days. In the period of water scarcity, camel urinates a semi-liquid substance like syrup.
Oval shape erythrocytes (instead of round in other animals) expand up to 200% their normal size as camels drink rapidly an amount of 190 liters of water in 10-15 minutes.
Camel can store water in its all body compartments (intracellular, extracellular, blood and digestive tract etc). Every organ has the extraordinary capacity to store water.
They can live without water for 3 days in summer and 7 days in winter. However, there are some examples of this animal remaining without water for 20 to 40 days. After 40 days the camel goes blind due to excessive dehydration.
A camel can vary body temperature up to 6.7 Cº, having a great endurance power to stand the scorching heat. Camel even absorbs heat in the day time by increasing body temperature and dissipates it in the cool night, this way the camel conserves water.
The well-developed hump is full of fat that serves as a store of water and food at the time of starvation. The fat of hump gets dissolved gradually during starvation and collects again at the time the camel gets adequate water and feed.
The Kharani breed of camel in Kharan deserted steepe in Balochistan
Prince of Sand and Ship of the Desert
The flat pads of the feet are horny and cushioned and help the camel to walk on the sand without making any sound while the feet of other animals sink into the sand. Due to this quality, the camel has been given the name as the “ship of the desert“.
Camel’s feet are soft and friendly to vegetation. The hooves of the cow or small ruminants are more aggressive to the soil and contribute more often to the degradation of the pastures in a case of overgrazing.
The chest pad helps the animal to take rest on it while sitting on the ground. The rest of the body is saved from the concussion against the ground. There are other pads at the knee and half joint and in front of the joint of thighs. These prevent the limbs from the concussion against the ground.
The spines of all vertebrates of the thoracic region are long & high and make the hump, which is more developed than all other Brahman cattle. Very special designed to be a useful animal in the desert.
Camel has prominent eyes with a wide range of vision. They are protected by an overhanging upper lid with long eyelashes, which protect the eyeballs from powerful rays of the sun.
The upper lip of the mouth has a cut in the middle enable the nostrils to cover to keep out the sand and dust at the time of dust storms.
The genius camel are enjoying the sand and the sun shine in winter. A snap from Arabian desert in UAE
Masculine Vulnerability-Paradox is Exceptional in Camels
Bull is the main symbol of reproductive efficiency and very active in breeding season (camel is seasonal breeder and usually male shows sign of rut)
The Bull urinates in gush while standing and urine goes back in between the hind legs and falls on the ground. Its refresh the femoral vein and decrease the heart temperature for water economy. This enables the animal to save itself from slipping in its urine.
Another typical sign is a notably and profuse secretion of the poll glands of the neck, which contains androgen concentration similar to blood
The soft palate is filled with the air and a big red ball (dulla) is pumped out to attract the female, a very special behavior of camel bull.
Camel is still Hiding from the Eyes of Policy Makers
Besides all its attributes, camel is always considered as the beast of remotes and neglected among the policy makers. Its share is never praised and no visible effort has been done for its development. A camel can be a good tool in the global environmental changing scenario and food insecurity situation to provide food and livelihood to million of the people in the drylands of the world. Camels are very much under threat and up to 25 % of the camels are vanished in South and Central Asia, India. This decline is mainly because of the faulty national and regional policies resulting in restriction of historical routes and grazing lands. In recent years due to climate change, many challenging health issues are also causing threats to camels’ survival as this field is very dark and neglected. Only in the year 2010, thousands of camels were dead because of a fatal respiratory disease in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. This fatal disease comes time to time to eliminate numerous camel without being noticed by the health authorities of the concerned regions. Besides of many cries by the author and other friends, no positive response was attracted so far. A silver lining in the clouds is the organization of an advocacy group (Camels4Life) of like-minded people to work for the cause of camels’ keepers and to give them the proper place at a policy level and development projects application. I hereby appeal the national governments and international bodies like FAO, IFAD and other organization to give proper place to a camel in R&D sector of the agriculture.Al Ain doctor sees potential in camels beyond their milk
The camel milk is finding its way in the new world (from sand dunes of Arabia to the western world) because of its hidden treasures of health promising ingredients. Traditionally used for complex and diverse diseases in its habitat, camel milk is now praising in the Western world both by modern families and the Scientists. New small and medium enterprises in the USA (Oasis Camel Dairy) and EU (Holland) with the production of camel milk is emerging. The demand is very high and the owners (personal communication) received emails and phone calls from different places to ensure availability of this precious milk for their kids with Autism.
The major demand is for the management of conditions like Autism and Diabetes. Camel milk is a hope for autistic patients and their mothers are struggling to have camel milk. Social media, especially Facebook is widely used for searching camel milk and knowing the attributes of camel milk in human health. The link on Facebook is known as ‘Healing with the Camel Milk” is is a unique place for this precious discussion. The link is given below.
The famous story of Christina Adam is printed in print media and the link is available; provided in the ensuing lines. She has concluded her own experience of six years struggle to manage her son’s autism with the camel milk.
The demand for camel milk is ever increasing. The new markets for camel milk are rich and enthusiastic. Such a phenomenon can bring a breeze and smile to the camel pastoralists; if the national governments and international bodies helped them with the channelization of their eco-organic produced camel milk. Camel milk can be used as a tool for poverty reduction and rural development of the drought-stricken areas of the world. On the other hand, this demand is a unique opportunity for the business giant of the Middle East to promote modern camel dairying with the development of camel dairy traits and linking scientific institutes with this business for quality and sustainable production.
Our milk is high grade but tastes a little bit salty because of my taste as I like salty bushes; the only ice cream for me in the ecosystems where I live. I live in very cold regions and hence producing milk thicker than my sibling dromedary. My milk keeps a desirable PH of the human body as it is a bit alkaline. I have the physical effect on the stomach of my keepers to make them happy and in a good mood. 
The long bones of camel are very attractive for nomads’ women and use for making jewelry. The camel rearing communities have very firm links with camel culture and consider this special creature as part and parcel of their heritage and culture.
Natural Health with the Camel Milk 