# Body Measurements and Body Condition Scoring in Bactrian Camels

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new body condition scoring system for Bactrian camels and analyzes how body measurements change with age and across regions.

## Contribution

The paper proposes the first body condition scoring system for Bactrian camels and models their growth using body measurements.

## Key findings

- A 6-point body condition scoring system for Bactrian camels was developed based on 12 anatomical points.
- The beta growth equation best models the growth patterns of Bactrian camels based on body measurements.
- Multivariate analysis revealed regional differences in body measurements, suggesting racial differentiation.

## Abstract

Body measurements and body condition score are common tools used by different stakeholders to assess the phenotypes and the global conditions of farm animals. While few references to body measurements were published, the scoring of body condition was not available for the Bactrian camel. After giving some information on the effect of age on body measurements, the present paper proposes a grid to evaluate the status of the animal by using a 6-point scoring system, from very emaciated Bactrian camels to very fat ones. This scoring is based on the observation of 12 anatomical points from the side and from behind. It will be necessary to validate the reproducibility and repeatability of the method.

Body measurements are used regularly to describe phenotypes or the weight of animals. However, little data describe the age effect on the different measurements. In the present paper, 477 Bactrian camels (7–180 months old) were measured (length of the head, length and circumference of the neck, height at the withers, girth circumference, length of the front leg, and length of the body), and their growth was modeled by comparing different equations, the most convenient being the beta growth equation. In addition, the differences in body measurements of adult Bactrian camels between farms were tested by variance analysis, and multivariate analyses were used for identifying homogeneous clusters of camels according to their body measurements. The sampled animals were from different regions of the country. The significant relationships between cluster and region support the idea of racial differentiation. Body condition scoring is widely used in farm animals as an indicator of their feeding, health, and welfare status. If a body condition score is available for dromedaries, there is no specific grid for the Bactrian camel. Starting from typical examples taken from photos in different conditions, including extreme ones, a representation of a scoring system of 6 points from very emaciated (score 0) to overweight Bactrian camel (score 5) was proposed in the form of drawings from the right side, back, and three-quarter rear. To complete the drawings, a descriptive grid was built as a base for training stakeholders in relation to Bactrian camel farm management. However, the seasonal change in the fleece abundance, the variability of the humps’ shape, and the presence of crossbreeding with dromedary camels require adapting the scoring accordingly.