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Archives of Business Research – Vol. 10, No. 8

Publication Date: August 25, 2022

DOI:10.14738/abr.108.12822. Tura, I., Ondiek, J., King’ori, A., & Onjoro, P. (2022). Economic Analysis of Feeding Locally Formulated and Commercial Milk Replacer

to Camel Calves in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands of Kenya. Archives of Business Research, 10(8). 207-223.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Economic Analysis of Feeding Locally Formulated and

Commercial Milk Replacer to Camel Calves in the Arid and Semi- Arid Lands of Kenya

Isako Tura

Department of Animal Science, Egerton University, Kenya

James Ondiek

Department of Animal Science, Egerton University, Kenya

Anthony King’ori

Department of Animal Science, Egerton University, Kenya

Paul Onjoro

Department of Animal Science, Egerton University, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Despite the huge potential for the growth of camel herds, calf mortality remains a

challenge among the pastoral camel keepers in Kenya. This is due to competition

for milk by calves and households for domestic consumption and trade among other

factors. Adoption of Commercial Milk Replacer (CMR) and locally formulated Plant

Based Milk Replacer (PBMR) as an alternative to camel milk feeding has the

potential of improving the camel calves’ nutrition and household income. Ten camel

calves were randomly assigned to two separate diets; PBMR and CMR, five in each

diet, for 70 days. A control group of 5 calves on the pastoral milk feeding regime was

also observed. Calves on PBMR were confined throughout the experimental period

while calves on CMR were not confined but fed 2 litres of CMR daily. All the calves

were weighed weekly. This study employed a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) to assess

the financial viability of using PBMR and CMR as a replacement to camel milk. Costs

which included milk replacer and labour were captured and extrapolated for ten

years to show the benefits of PBMR over CMR. Net Present Values (NPV), a financial

analytical tool that shows viability of each feeding regime was then calculated. The

results showed that it is more economical to feed calves using PBMR (5) compared

to CMR (3) or pastoral feeding regime (3). The study recommends promotion of

PBMR among pastoral camel keepers for improvement of nutritional status of

suckling camel calves and household income.

Keywords: Camel calves, Cost-benefit analysis, Mortality, Net present value, Nutritional

status

INTRODUCTION

Camels play an important role in food and nutrition security because their milk and meat are

rich in important nutrients for human health (Elhadi & Wasonga, 2015; Guliye et al., 2007;

Hussen & Schuberth, 2021). Compared to other ruminants, camel milk is richer in minerals such

as sodium, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, vitamin C and important fatty acids,