Echophysiology of Camel Ovarian Functioning at Algerian Extreme Arid Conditions

The ovarian echophysiology of matured female camels from extreme arid conditions was studied by investigations on two hundred eighty eight reproductive tracts. The proportions of females with inactive ovaries was, respectively, 31.25%, 25%, and 50% for the winter, the spring, and the summer. The mean number of active follicular structures per ovary and the proportion of females with active ovaries were significantly higher (p < 0.05) during the winter (0.75 ± 0.36, 68.75%) and spring (0.7 ± 0.41, 75%) compared to the summer (0.33 ± 0.28, 50%). Furthermore, the proportion of active ovaries presenting active corpus lutea was also significantly higher (p < 0.05) in spring season (45.83%). These physiological changes influenced significantly the ovarian weight and mass. The overall mean of females with active ovaries depends significantly on the body condition score (BCS) (p < 0.05). It was concluded that the Sahraoui female camels from the Algerian extreme arid conditions showed high ovarian activity during the cold and rainy months (December–February) that remained rather high in the spring (March–May) and then dropped significantly in the summer without stopping entirely. The favorable reproductive period corresponds to optimal seasonal food availability in pasture and the remarkable improvement of the BCS of female camels.