Effect of supplementary feeding under different grazing conditions on the skin follicles and hair coat in camels raised at halaieb shalateen and abo-ramad triangle, Egypt

Abstract EN

Twenty growing male one-humped camels aged 12 -18 months and average body weight of 166 ± 19.73 kg, raised at Shalateen Experimental Research Station (Desert Research Center) were used to examine their skin follicle growth and hair production in response to different levels of nutritional supplementation.

The study emphasizes the relationship between nutrient intake and product output reflects changes in the supply of substrates which are essential for follicle growth and fiber synthesis in the hair follicles.

There is a significant increase in the values of S / P ratio related to the increment in the supplementary feeding levels.

Both primary and secondary follicle dimensions were affected by different seasons whereas the primary follicles only were affected by different levels of nutritional supplementations Generally the increase in the internal diameter of the follicles in the dry season that was accompanied by a decrease in the follicles wall thickness could be in relation to the increased values of the fiber dimensions.

The adult fleece in camels composed of two main coats the outer and under coats, primary and secondary follicles respectively.

The overall mean percentage of the under coat fibers increased from wet to dry season.

Whereas, in case of the outer coat, only the fibers from type A and B (that with the largest medulla) were increased with the increased level of nutrition.

The increase in the primary fiber diameter was more obvious than that in secondary fibers in relation to the subject of nutritional effects.