Camel Farming Field Day will not be held on hump day

An upcoming farming field day will feature an unusual Australian primary industry: camel farming. Surprisingly, Camel Milk Australia chose not to host the Camel Farming Field Day on hump day, as might be expected, but rather on Saturday 14 July. The event will be held at ‘Bindanoon’, near the South Burnett town of Blackbutt, 170 km north-west of Brisbane.

Visitors can try their hand at camel milking and handling, and sample camel soaps, cosmetics and camel burgers. Experts will be on hand to discuss how grazing camels can control woody weed problems and increase cattle weight. Dr Rafat Al Jassim from the University of Queensland (UQ) will present research findings on co-grazing cattle and camels.

There are an estimated one million wild camels in Australia, but camels are also used as grazing stock in Queensland. Camel Milk Australia claims co-grazing cattle and camels can lead to a 10% cattle weight increase during drought.

According to the Australian Camel Industry Association Incorporated (ACIA), the solution to the feral camel problem lies in developing the commercial value of the animal in a regulated industry environment. Opportunities include meat processing for the domestic and export markets, tourism, camel dairy and by-products, grazing and Indigenous employment and income.

The Australian Feral Camel Management Project (AFCMP) says the field day is the latest example of support for the development of a viable camel industry in Australia.

“In many ways we are providing tangible support to Australian remote communities and industry, and will be delighted if feral camels can offer economic opportunities while reducing the wild population,” said Jan Ferguson from the AFCMP.

“This field day is an industry initiative hosted to provide practical presentations and demonstrations on responsible camel management, supply and husbandry. The supply of young feral camels mustered under the Australian Feral Camel Management Project will be an important part of building the fledgling farmed camel industry,” Ferguson said.

The project has been working with the Central Land Council and traditional owners on Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Aboriginal lands to develop camel mustering programs that could provide employment and income for Aboriginal communities while controlling the feral camel population.

Ferguson said the APY traditional owners and Central Land Council have been working to construct yards and waterpoints to help mustering, as well as delivering firearm training and butchery skills training to encourage subsistence use of camel meat to improve access to fresh, cheap meat in remote communities.

Camel meat is also increasingly being used for pet meat. Ferguson said the AFCMP has been working with Ngaanyatjarra traditional owners in Western Australia to support ‘pet meating’ for income and camel population management. The AFCMP estimates the feral camel population has been reduced by 15,000 in the past three years through commercial use alone.

For more information on the Camel Farming Field Day, click here.