Issue 2 (202)/2025

ALSE and ACS Style
Rotimi, E.A.; Yusuf, A.; Adeoye, A.A. Coat colour variations and their influence on body traits in camels (Camelus dromedarius) of Northwestern Nigeria. Journal of Applied Life Sciences and Environment 2025, 58 (2), 323-331.
https://doi.org/10.46909/alse-582178

AMA Style
Rotimi EA, Yusuf A, Adeoye AA. Coat colour variations and their influence on body traits in camels (Camelus dromedarius) of Northwestern Nigeria. Journal of Applied Life Sciences and Environment. 2025; 58 (2): 323-331.
https://doi.org/10.46909/alse-582178

Chicago/Turabian Style
Rotimi, Emmanuel Abayomi, Abubakar Yusuf, and Adelani Abayomi Adeoye. 2025. “Coat colour variations and their influence on body traits in camels (Camelus dromedarius) of Northwestern Nigeria.” Journal of Applied Life Sciences and Environment 58, no. 2: 323-331.
https://doi.org/10.46909/alse-582178

Coat colour variations and their influence on body traits in camels (Camelus dromedarius) of Northwestern Nigeria

Emmanuel Abayomi ROTIMI^1*, Abubakar YUSUF¹ and Adelani Abayomi ADEOYE²

¹Department of Animal Science, Federal University Dutsin-Ma Katsina State; email: binyusuf01@gmail.com

²Department of Animal Science, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State; email: adeomoh@yahoo.com

*Correspondence: earotimi@gmail.com 

Received: Jun. 10, 2025. Revised: Jul. 01, 2025. Accepted: Jul. 06, 2025. Published online: Aug. 04, 2025

ABSTRACT. This study evaluated the phenotypic diversity of 51 dromedary camels (24 females and 27 males) from Northwestern Nigeria, sampled from Katsina and Zamfara States. Twelve morphometric traits were measured, and qualitative characteristics were recorded. Black and brown coat colours were the most prevalent (47.05% each), while white was rare (5.9%). Single coat colour patterns (74.5%) and smooth hair types (56.9%) predominated. Chi-square analysis revealed significant differences (p < 0.01) in coat colour and pattern distributions, whereas hair type showed no significant variation. Age significantly (p < 0.01) influenced most morphometric traits except rump height and ear length, with older camels (≥11 years) exhibiting larger body dimensions. Sex did not have a significant effect on any of the measured traits. Camels with a black coat had a significantly higher body weight (245.96 ± 14.80 kg), heart girth (180.73 ± 3.62 cm), abdominal girth (158.52 ± 3.08 cm), and ear length (19.09 ± 0.94 cm) compared with camels with a brown or white coat. The 1–5-year age group was the largest (43.1%), aligning with breeders’ preference for younger breeding stock. These findings suggest that black coat colour may serve as an indicator of superior body traits in camels. This study provides valuable baseline data to inform genetic resource conservation and to guide selection strategies for sustainable camel breeding and productivity enhancement in Nigeria’s semi-arid regions.

Keywords: Camelus dromedaries; coat colour; morphometric measurements; phenotypic traits; semi-arid Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) are crucial livestock species that are well adapted to arid and semi-arid regions. They provide meat, milk, hides, draught power, and transportation, especially in areas where other livestock struggle due to harsh conditions and security challenges such as rustling and banditry (Ibrahim, 2021). They hold significant socio-economic and cultural importance in many developing regions (Blench, 2020). In Nigeria, approximately 60% of the camel population is concentrated in the northern states, including Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara (Ghude et al., 2017).

Phenotypic characterisation, encompassing qualitative traits (e.g., coat colour, pattern, and hair type) and quantitative morphometric traits (e.g., body weight and limb and girth measurements), plays a vital role in evaluating livestock diversity, particularly for under-studied species like camels. This is essential in regions lacking structured breeding programmes and molecular genetic data (FAO, 2012). Traits such as coat colour may also be linked to thermoregulation and disease resistance (Faye and Konuspayeva, 2012).

Despite their importance, there has been limited research on the genetic and morphological traits of Nigerian camels. This lack of information constrains the development of effective breeding, improvement, and conservation programmes (Biscarini et al., 2015). Local herders often rely on observable characteristics such as coat colour and body conformation for selection, although these may not reliably predict productivity without supporting data. Thus, this study aimed to assess body weight, qualitative characteristics, and morphometric traits of camels in Northwestern Nigeria, providing foundational data for breed identification, genetic conservation, and targeted selection in sustainable camel breeding programs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was conducted in the northern region of Nigeria, specifically in Katsina and Zamfara States. These states were purposively selected due to their high camel population. Within these states, three Local Government Areas (LGAs) were also purposively chosen based on relatively favourable security conditions: Mai-Adua and Charanchi in Katsina State, and Gusau in Zamfara State. The general description of the study area followed the guidelines provided by Rotimi (2024).

A total of 51 dromedary camels (C. dromedarius) were randomly selected from the three LGAs. The ages of the animals were estimated based on information provided by local farmers and were further verified through dentition, following the method described by Bello et al. (2013). The camels were then categorised into three age groups: group 1 (1–5 years), group 2 (6–10 years), and group 3 (11 years and above).

Twelve morphometric traits were measured on each animal by using a standard tailor’s measuring tape (cm). These included: heart girth (HG), abdominal girth (AG), body length (BL), rump height (RH), shoulder height (SH), ear length (EL), foreleg length (FLL), hind leg length (HLL), tail length (TL), neck length (NL), neck circumference (NC), and head length (HL). The measurement protocol was in accordance with FAO guidelines (2012), as adapted by Rotimi (2024).

Estimated body weight (EBW) was calculated using the barymetric formula as developed by Yagil (1994) and adapted by Rotimi et al. (2023) (Equation 1):

where SH is the shoulder height (cm), AG is the abdominal girth (cm), and HG is the heart girth (cm).

All collected data were subjected to statistical analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics (2015), version 23.0. Descriptive statistics were calculated to assess the influence of age, coat colour, and sex on the estimated body weight and measured morphometric parameters.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

As shown in Table 1, three coat colour variations (brown, black, and white) were observed among the sampled camels. The black and brown colours were predominant (24 camels, representing 47.05% each) while white camels were rare, accounting for only 5.90% of the sample. The predominance of black and brown coats may serve as an adaptive feature for camels in the study areas.

Fahad et al. (2019) also noted variations in coat colours among dromedaries; they reported white, black, and brown/red. Almathen et al. (2018) classified camels based on their phenotypic coat colours into white, black, brown, and dark brown.

Among the sampled camels, a single coat predominated compared with more than one colour (38 and 13, representing 74.5% and 25.5%, respectively). In addition, the smooth hair type was more common than the rough hair type (29 and 22, representing 56.9% and 43.1%, respectively).

The chi-square test for coat colour, coat pattern, and hair type within the camel population indicated a significant difference (p < 0.01) among the coat colour and coat colour patterns, while hair type showed no significant (p > 0.05) difference.

Table 2 shows the age and sex distribution of the sampled camels. Regarding sex, 27 individuals (52.9%) were male while 24 (47.1%) were female.

Table 1
Distribution of the qualitative traits and chi-square test among the camel population

Most camels brought to and sold on the market are males, whereas most female camels are kept for breeding. This finding aligns with the reports of Rotimi et al. (2025), who noted that livestock farmers tend to retain female animals for breeding purposes and prefer to sell males to meet family needs.

Age group 1 (1–5 years) contained the highest number of camels (22, representing 43.1%), followed by age group 3 (≥11 years) (15, representing 29.4%), and age group 2 (6–10 years) (14, representing 27.5%). Ishag (2009) reported that the age of sexual maturity of breeding camels ranged from 6 to 8 years. This implies that camels of age group 2 were usually preserved for breeding, so they represented the smallest proportion of the sample.

Table 2
Sex and age distribution of the sampled camel population

Tables 3a and 3b present the effects of coat colour, sex, and age on body weight and linear body measurements.

Camels with a black coat had a significantly (p < 0.01) higher body weight than camels with a white or brown coat (245.96 ± 14.80, 196.29 ± 22.73, and 178.97 ± 65.38 kg, respectively).

Camels with a black coat also presented significant (p < 0.01) differences in several other measurements compared with camels with a white or brown coat, including the heart girth (180.73 ± 3.62, 164.00 ± 8.35, and 161.70 ± 20.50 cm, respectively), abdominal girth (158.52 ± 3.08, 138.89 ± 5.44, and 122.00 ± 18.56 cm, respectively), and ear length (19.09 ± 0.94, 14.49 ± 1.17, and 10.67 ± 0.67 cm, respectively).

However, coat colour had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on body length, rump height, and shoulder height. Coat colour did have a significant (p < 0.01) effect on forelimb length, hind limb length, tail length, neck length, neck circumference, and head length. Specifically, these measurements were larger in camels with a black coat.

The effects of coat colour on various body measurements suggest potential implications for environmental adaptation, productivity, and the use of coat colour as a selection criterion. Coat colour in camels is influenced by multiple genes (Cieslak et al., 2011) that interact to produce a range of colours, including brown, black, white, and various shades of grey and tan.

These genes are melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), which encodes a protein that controls the production of eumelanin and contributes to black and brown colours, and agouti signalling protein (ASIP), which encodes a protein that influences the distribution of melanin, leading to different coat patterns (Garcia-Borron et al., 2005).

McManus et al. (2011) reported that the coat colour is an important influential factor for body temperature and heat tolerance in livestock. In the tropics, pigmentation of the skin plays an essential role in protecting deep tissues against excess solar radiation (Castanheira et al., 2010). Light coats are more desirable under such conditions (McManus et al., 2009) compared with dark coats, which increase the heat load from solar radiation. Dawson and Maloney (2024) also reported that darker fur resulted in higher heat loads for animals than lighter fur. However, Abdoun et al. (2013) observed that coat colour particularities did not significantly affect the body surface temperature in their study sample. They concluded that although coat colour did not prove to influence heat tolerance in camels, additional studies are needed to explore the role of insulating coat structure and optical properties of coat hair on thermoregulation and heat tolerance of camels. The camel hair medulla, independent of their colour, provides animals with a notable thermoregulatory capacity (Abdoun et al., 2013).

Sex had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on the body weight and the linear body measurements. This finding aligns with the report by Rotimi et al. (2023), who also noted that sex had no significant effects on the studied traits.

However, other researchers have reported sex-related differences in body measurements among camel populations (Cem et al., 2021; Ishag et al., 2011) and in goats (Rotimi et al., 2023). Sexual dimorphism typically reveals differences in physiological and hormonal development across various livestock species. Ishag et al. (2011), Yohannes and Gebru (2006), and Yosef et al. (2014) have reported variations between the sexes; they attributed these differences to sexual dimorphism among camel breeds.

The lack of observed sexual dimorphism in this study may be due to the sampling process and/or sample size. Therefore, a larger sample size and broader study areas are necessary to validate the presence of sexual dimorphism in camels.

Unlike sex, age had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on all body measurements except rump height and ear length. This finding aligns with the report by Rotimi et al. (2023). It has been documented that body measurements tend to increase with age in livestock species.

Age group 3 exhibited significantly larger measurements compared with age groups 2 and 1 in foreleg length (111.68 ± 3.19, 129.69 ± 6.70, and 130.67 ± 5.52 cm, respectively), hind-leg length (126.40 ± 2.23, 133.97 ± 6.17, and 152.15 ± 2.99 cm, respectively), tail length (54.92 ± 2.32, 48.06 ± 3.48, and 71.23 ± 4.05 cm, respectively), neck length (110.97 ± 7.21, 143.90 ± 8.77, and 143.70 ± 9.07 cm, respectively), and neck circumference (59.55 ± 2.73, 67.89 ± 3.49, and 69.35 ± 3.22 cm, respectively). However, age group 1 had a significantly (p < 0.01) larger head length (46.55 ± 1.74, 58.27 ± 1.61, and 55.27 ± 1.89 cm, respectively). This variation may be because older animals typically attain their mature body size.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the sampled camels had a black or brown coat. Camels with a black coat exhibited significantly superior body traits, including a higher body weight and a larger heart girth and abdominal girth compared with camels with a brown or white coat. While sex did not significantly influence any of the measured parameters, age had a notable impact on most traits, with older camels displaying larger body dimensions.

These findings underscore the potential of coat colour as a practical marker for selecting animals with superior physical traits. The results provide essential baseline data for the conservation and genetic improvement of camel populations in Nigeria’s semi-arid regions. Incorporating phenotypic traits into breeding programmes could enhance productivity and support the sustainable management of indigenous camel genetic resources.

Author contributions: Conceptualization: EAR; Methodology: EAR, AY; Data analysis: EAR, AY, AAA; Investigation: AY; Supervision: EAR; Writing – original draft: EAR; Writing – review and editing: EAR, AY, AAA. All authors declare that they have read and approved the publication of the manuscript in this present form.

Funding: There was no form of external funding for this study.

Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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