Characterization of Breeding Practices, Objectives, and Constraints of Sustainable Camel Farming in West Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

Camels ( Camelus dromedarius ) are vital to pastoralists and agro‐pastoralists in arid and semiarid regions due to their multipurpose uses and unique resilience, positioning them as a key species for sustainable production under climate change. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the breeding practices, objectives, and constraints of sustainable camel farming in the West Hararghe Zone of Ethiopia. A multistage sampling approach was used to select 214 camel‐owning households from Gumbi Bordede and Hawi Gudina districts. Data were collected using structured and semistructured questionnaires, as well as focus group discussions (FGDs). Quantitative data were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedures of Statistical Analysis System (SAS), while qualitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics, chi‐square tests, and index ranking methods. The results revealed that camels constitute the largest livestock holding, with a mean herd size of 20.93 ± 1.16 animals per household, and their population has shown an increasing trend over the past decade. Pastoralists primarily keep camels for income generation, milk production, and meat production with respective indices of 0.321, 0.281, and 0.177. Milk production, adaptability, and growth rate were the most preferred traits for breeding. Selection of breeding bulls focused mainly on body size, growth rate, and age, while body size, age at first sexual maturity, and milk yield were key criteria for selecting breeding she‐camels. Major constraints limiting camel productive performance included recurrent drought, feed and water shortages, and disease incidence. The average age at sexual maturity was 5.34 ± 0.06 years for males and 3.76 ± 0.04 years for females, with a mean calving interval of 24.31 ± 0.05 months. Milk yield varied seasonally, ranging from 3.74 ± 0.03 L/day in the dry season to 7.04 ± 0.07 L/day in the wet season. Overall, the findings provide essential baseline information for designing context‐specific breeding and management strategies aimed at improving camel productivity and strengthening pastoral livelihoods in the study area.