Spineless cactus cladode is a viable replacement to barley and maize grains in the feed rations of dromedary camel calves

BACKGROUND: No studies determined the use of spineless cactus cladodes in camel diets. OBJECTIVES: The effect of replacing the main energy source in camel diets with fresh spineless cactus cladodes on growth performance was determined. Furthermore, the ability of morphology to predict cladodes yield was determined. METHODS: A prediction model of spineless cactus cladode weight based on cladode volume was developed. Three cladodes per plants were randomly selected from 100 plants. Weight and volume were then recorded for each cladode. Sixteen male camel calves (196 ± 18.2 kg live weight and 430 ± 5.55 days of age) were allotted to treatments, control (conventional camel fattening diet based on cotton seed hulls, cereal grains and agro‐industrial by‐products) or cactus (barley and maize grains in the control diet were replaced totally by fresh cactus cladode on dry matter basis). The study contained a 100‐days growth trial and a 21‐day digestibility trial (15 days of adaptation and 7 days of faeces collection). Blood samples were collected monthly from each animal. RESULTS: Cactus cladode volume predicted the dry weight with a high accuracy (prediction error = 3.5%). Nutrient intake and nutrient digestibility did not significantly differ among the dietary treatments (p > 0.05). The treatment significantly decreased feed conversion ratio by 1.52 points (p < 0.05). All blood parameters were within the normal range of dromedary camels. CONCLUSIONS: Spineless cactus cladode is a potential replacement to the conventional energy sources in dromedary camel diets.