DO you milk them? Camel milk is very good for you!
It is lower in saturated fat than cow or goat milk and has 3 times the vitamin C of cow's milk. Also high in iron and B vitamins and is often prescribed in Eastern and African coutrtries for recovering paitients or those with HIV. It is also used in those countries to treat diabetes, as the milk has an insulin like protien that (unlike insulin) can be absorbed through the stomach without the digestive acids breaking it down.
As for taste? It's supposed to be a bit saltier than cow's milk. (go figure, it's a desert animasl!)
I forgot to answer about the smell. I haven't really noticed a smell with them but my boyfriend's dad said the male does produce a smell when he is in the rut. The mother to the female has only came around the baby twice and one of the times she kicked her. She doesn't want anything to do with her. We tried to get them around each other but she would try to get away so we gave up. The baby isn't to hard to feed since someone is awake around here during anytime of the day or night. We haven't tried to milk them. They are tame as long as we don't try to grab at them and stay in their sight. My boyfriend's dad hasn't worked with them much since he is busy running a dairy farm but now he is slowing down and thinking about retiring so he will have more time. The baby male has started getting up by himself today and has been following the mother around. We will sell him when he is old enough. The female we will most likely keep since we put a lot of time into her and she is very tame. Still waiting on the oldest camel to have her baby. We will probably sell her baby also even if it is a female since she will probably raise it by herself since she did with the other two.
I live in Hammond/ Rossie area. I know where rensslear falls is as i go by it almost everyday to get to potsdam just have never really ventured down that way.
There is a free camel today on my local craigs list!!!!! Just out of curiosity, I called about it but no one has returned my call.
I would just love to see the look on DH's face if there is a camel in the pasture when he comes home.
It is 3 years old, so I'm not sure how I would get it home. Probably won't fit in the horse trailor. Hummmm, that could be a problem. I'ts actually not that far from me, maybe I could ride it!! Wouldn't that be a hoot?
Anyways, I hope they call me back, I would love to at least go see it....