Carcass yields in the main Algerian populations of camels: Sahraoui, Targui, steppe camel, and Reguibi (Camelus dromedarius L., 1758)

Abstract

The carcass yield varies from one animal species to another and depends on various factors, such as the age of the animal, its health condition, diet, and activity level. The main objective of this study was to determine the yield of meat production from the main Algerian population of dromedaries (Camelus dromedaries L, 1758), namely, Sahraoui, Targui, steppe camels, and Reguibi, while minimizing unnecessary losses to guide the choices for development in camel meat production. A total heterogeneous sample of 240 dromedary camels was collected, distributed as follows: 60 camels from each population (Sahraoui, Targui, steppe camels, and Reguibi). Within each population, the animals were further divided into the following categories: 15 young adult males, 15 adult males, 15 young adult females, and 15 adult females. Live weights were determined before slaughter using body measurements and calculated using the Boué (1949) method. The weights of the hot carcasses were collected from the slaughterhouses (the sum of the weights of the nine separated parts constituting the carcass): Ouargla for the Sahraoui and Targui populations, Biskra for the steppe camel population, and Tindouf for the Reguibi population. These animals were from extensive breeding populations. The average carcass yields of the different dromedary populations indicate that, among adult males, Reguibi had the highest yield (64.86 ± 7.17%), whereas the lowest average yield was observed in Targui males (49.99 ± 6.27%). For females, the highest average value of 53.65 ± 7.17% was recorded in the Reguibi camels and the lowest was in the Targui population (44.48 ± 6.27%).