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International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture

ISSN Online: 2578-3475 ISSN Print: 2578-3467 CODEN: IJFSJ3
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ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijfsa.2026.06.001

Phenotypic Characterization of Camel Breeds in Pastoral Communities of Borana Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Anaf Onate1,*, Sisay Taye1, Amsalu Sisay2, Samuel Bekele2

1Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Yabello Pastoral and Dryland Agriculture Research Center, Yabello, PO Box 85, Ethiopia.

2College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, Hawassa, 3F2W+CQH, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding author: Anaf Onate

Published: June 04, 2026

Abstract

This study was conducted to phenotypically characterize dromedary camels and evaluate the relationships among morphological traits in pastoral production systems of the Borana communities. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from a total of 260 camels sampled from the Dubluk and Gomole districts. Qualitative traits were assessed through visual observation, while quantitative traits, including live body weight and linear body measurements, were analyzed using ANOVA and correlation analysis. The results revealed that dark brown (46.54%) and white (31.92%) were the predominant coat colors, suggesting adaptive significance under harsh environmental conditions and pastoral selection preferences. Quantitative analysis indicated that the camels possess well-developed body conformation, with relatively large values for key traits such as heart girth, shoulder height, and body length. District, sex, and age significantly (P < 0.05) influenced most linear body measurements and body weight. Camels from the Gomole district and male camels generally exhibited higher values compared to their counterparts. Correlation analysis demonstrated predominantly positive and significant relationships among most linear body measurements and body weight, indicating coordinated growth and structural integration. In conclusion, the studied camel population exhibits a well-integrated morphological structure with desirable adaptive and productive traits. The strong positive correlations among key measurements provide a practical basis for indirect selection strategies in pastoral systems where direct measurement is constrained. Therefore, improving breeding, management, and selection practices based on these traits can enhance camel productivity and sustainability in arid and semi-arid environments.

Keyword

Breeding; phenotypic characterization; linear body measures; estimated live body weight

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Copyright

© 2026 by the author(s).
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not modified or adapted.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

How to cite this paper

Phenotypic Characterization of Camel Breeds in Pastoral Communities of Borana Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

How to cite this paper: Anaf Onate, Sisay Taye, Amsalu Sisay, Samuel Bekeleo. (2026) Phenotypic Characterization of Camel Breeds in Pastoral Communities of Borana Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture10(2), 105-117.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijfsa.2026.06.001