Arvana

This camel breed was developed in Turkmenistan thousands of years ago. For the nomadic Turkoman population living in the Kara-Kum desert the Arvana has been the only animal supplying milk, meat, wool and transportation for almost a millennia. Dromedaries were probably independently domesticated in Turkmenistan and in Arabia 5000-6000 years ago.

The Arvana is a typically milk yielding, pack carrying, and smooth riding breed of camels. The present day qualities have been archived by long selection. Special attention was paid to the use of sires out of high milk yielding females, resulting in Arvanas having the highest milk yield of all camel breeds in the world.

Arvana dromedaries are reared in all parts of Turkmenistan, as well as in Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and southern districts of Kazakhstan. They are also found in Turkey, northern Iran and Afghanistan, where they may have been introduced by the Turkmen migrants in the 12th century during the conquest of these countries by the Seljuks.

Arvana camels are not adapted to severe winters. In zones of high humidity they are susceptible to parasitic blood diseases and helminthasis, being defenseless against bloodsucking insects.

Arvana camels mature early, reach maturity before the age of two years. The females are usually bred when they reach three years of age and have a live weight of 350-400 kg, generally breeding every two years. Males are usually bred when they reach 4-5 and continue breeding until 15-16 years of age, usually from January to April. After about 385 days, the females give birth. Shortening the calving interval as practiced in Turkmenistan makes possible two calves in three years.

The live weight of the calves at birth is 38-40 kg. Their rapid live weight gain is maintained during the first year of life, the average daily weight gain being 950-1030 g. Weaning is done at the age of one year.

This breed can produce milk for 15-18 months. Females are milked 2-6 times per day, depending on the yield. For a group of females in the camel breeding farm Sakar-Chaga, average milk yield was 4387 kg in 18 months, the yield of the first-time calvers being 3117 kg. The average daily yield of some animals amounts to 15 kg, the top yield being 19 kg. In addition to the amount needed for suckling calves, females can give 1718 kg of marketable milk with 4.13% of fat in a 12 month period.

The average wool clip of males is 3.28 kg and that of females is 2.10 kg. The fleece wool of adult Arvana camels totals 91.2% of the clip (the rest is threads and tips) and the clean wool yield of fibers is 78.6%. The local population uses camel wool for production of natural yarn and knitted wear.

The main advantage of camels as beasts of burden consists in their ability to traverse deserts and in being cheap load carriers. In an 8-10 hour working day Arvana camels can carry packs weighing 200-300 kg for a distance of 30-35 km.