Future Management Directions

In the future, the changing face of camelidae production will certainly lead to the development of a more scientific management of these animals. Already, we are witnessing a change from the traditional pastoral system to a more sedentary system with adoption of more intensive care. The development of individual care in pet animals and valuable racing dromedaries has led in recent years to more research in the areas of medicine and nutrition which will change forever the way we treat these animals. However, a large gap remains in research in the areas of nutrition, disease processes, and their relationship to production. Taking the example of the dromedary, a truly multipurpose animal, the management approaches will vary greatly whether we are looking at it as a dairy, meat production, or racing animal.