The camel (Camelus Dromedarius) can survive and even produce milk during weeks without drinking water. One explanation for this has been that camels, contrary to other milk producing animals, can maintain a high feed intake when they get dehydrated. The water content in leaves and grass can vary between 10-80% during the year. Therefore, in the rainy season, camels can maintain fluid balance and produce milk without drinking water. When watered during drought conditions, camels can drink large amounts of water and store it in the forestomachs, allow plasma osmolality to fall without ensuing water diuresis and let the body temperature vary according to diurnal changes in environmental temperature.

It is generally accepted that milk is kept iso-osmotic to blood plasma. Contrary to other milk-producing mammals, camels have been reported to maintain milk volume and dilute the milk during dehydration. We have recently investigated the effects of different watering regimes (daily, every 4th, 8th or 16th day) on milk production and feeding behaviour in lactating camels in Errer valley, Ethiopia. Eight lactating camels were used in a cross-over design. The camels were fed hay and grain with water content less then 10%. Milk production decreased with 50% after 12 days without drinking water. Plasma osmolality and milk osmolality increased in parallell during dehydration and milk water content was unchanged. Feeding behaviour decreased in the total time budget when the dehydration period was prolonged. In conclusion, camels do not increase milk volume or dilute their milk during water deprivation.