Future opportunities for genetic improvement of the Egyptian camels

Abstract EN

Evaluation of genetic makeup is an emerging approach for identifying individuals with high potentials for production in a highly successful manner.

More recently, the Arabian camel has joined the club of mammals that have undergone full genome sequence, which opens the door for a whole-genome scan using high-density markers in the context of specific traits.

These are the new key features of genomic selection and predictions in livestock.

Nowadays, the scientific community worldwide gives more attention to study dromedaries because of their unique morphological characteristics and physiological functions.

Camels are widely used for transportation and as a source of meat, milk, hair, entertainment, and celebration.

Moreover, its high potential for disease resistance is an interesting matter.

The FAO estimates showed a significant increase in the camel population in Egypt from 111,000 in 2010 to about 149,500 in 2017.

There are four camel breeds in Egypt; Sudany, Maghraby, Falahy and Mowallad, and all belong to Camelus dromedarius.

So far, these breeds have been characterized phenotypically and geographically but little is known about their genetic makeup.

The current article summarizes the features of the Egyptian camel breeds, different prospects of utilizing camels in the country, and future opportunities for genetic improvement of the Egyptian camels.

Such opportunities could be quantifying the breeding values with higher reliability earlier in life when combining DNA genotypes for millions of loci with pedigree and phenotype databases for thousands of animals.

Furthermore, this information is necessary for understanding the unique biology of camel, and may be an adjunct tool towards conservation and planning genetic improvement strategies for camels in Egypt and worldwide.