🍼 Camel calf
The young of a she-camel.
A camel calf is the young of a female camel. It can be a one-humped camel (dromedary) or a two-humped one (Bactrian). For nomadic peoples, camel milk is an important food. So people and the calf in a way share it between them.
A female camel gives milk for a long time: most often about a year, and sometimes longer. How much the calf drinks depends on its age and health, and on whether there is enough pasture and water. Herders leave milk for the calf in different ways. In some places, two teats are left for the calf and two are milked. In others, the teats are tied up, or the udder is covered with a net overnight. Often the calf is allowed to suckle for a minute or two before milking: this helps the milk start flowing.
Camel calves are weaned late, usually at 9–11 months. If the calf dies, the mother often stops giving milk. Then herders try to give her another calf to raise.
How it connects to milk
🍼 Camel calf ← feeds ← 🐪 She-camel → gives → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Fed with milk by
- 🐪 She-camel, 🐫 Bactrian camel
- Part of
- 🤱 Who drinks milk: young animals and feeding
Frequently asked questions
Until what age does a camel calf drink milk?
Usually until 9–11 months. A female camel gives milk for about a year, sometimes longer.
How do herders share milk with a camel calf?
Some teats are left for the calf and some are milked. They also tie up the teats or cover the udder with a net overnight.
What to read next
- 🐪 She-camel — Deserts of the Middle East, Africa and Kazakhstan. Its milk is made into shubat.
- 🐫 Bactrian camel — The two-humped camel of the cold deserts and steppes of Central Asia; its milk is richer than the dromedary's (≈ 5% fat).
Similar
🍼 Goat kid · 🍼 Lamb · 🍼 Buffalo calf · 🍼 Foal · 🍼 Donkey foal · 🍼 Reindeer calf