How Early Domestication and Modern Genomics Contribute to Camel Welfare

This book chapter explores the impacts of both early domestication and historical breeding practices on camel welfare-related traits, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to enhance the well-being of these animals in view of the contemporaneous rise of socio-economic interest in camel breeding. Under the so-called “domestication syndrome”, several genomic regions mostly controlling neural crest development and thyroid function have been identified in Old World camels. However, these animal species remain less explored than other conventional livestock species for the genetic mechanisms underlying domestication-related traits such as behaviour, coat colour, and social communication. In this scenario, the standardization of phenotype characterization activities and the ulterior use of genomic tools for further study of genotype-phenotype associations becomes prominent to increase the knowledge on the genetic architecture of welfare-related traits, thus their potential inclusion on marker-assisted selection schemes in the camel species. Additionally, precision livestock farming technologies can significantly support herd and breeding management under the concerns of animal welfare for maintaining highly productive and healthy animals.