A BABY camel who was rejected by its mother is being fed goats milk from Delamere.

The male camel was born at the Oasis Camel Centre in Suffolk on March 14 and was immediately rejected and attacked by its mother. After its birth without the attention of its mother it was getting weaker by the minute.

Knowing that it is vital for the calf to receive the mothers’ first milk within the first few hours, the staff were forced to wrestle with the mother in order to milk her. Having managed to get about a litre of milk, they then had to follow this up with a substitute.

They discovered goats milk is a suitable and the Camel Centre managed to buy out the entire stock of the UHT whole goats’ milk in two stores in the first week. It was then that Delamere Dairy volunteered to help them out.

Roger Sutton, MD at Delamere Dairy said: “Animals thrive on goats’ milk because it’s so digestible. The fat and protein molecules are much smaller and have thinner membranes than cows’ milk so pass through the body more smoothly. Easier digestion of the fat and protein allows lactose to pass through the system more rapidly, preventing a build up of lactose. Many humans who have an intolerance to cows’ milk, thrive on goats’ milk for the same reason.”

Roger Sutton further added: “it’s brilliant that our goats’ milk can help out such a critically endangered creature especially as there are fewer than 1,000 Bactrian camels left in the wild.”

Ray Smith, from the Camel Centre said: “In the first week the calf was drinking 500ml every three hours and despite him not having the strength to stand for the first four days! He is now five weeks old and has come on leaps and bounds and is now drinking 1500ml of Delamere Dairy UHT Whole Goats’ Milk every three hours.”