Camel Gestation Period: How Long Is a Camel Pregnant?

A camel is pregnant for about 395 days, roughly 12 months and 4 weeks. Normal calving happens between 390 and 410 days, and a typical litter is 1 calf.

How long is a camel pregnant?

A camel carries her calf for an average of 395 days, or about 12 months and 4 weeks. Counting from the breeding date, calving is normal anywhere from day 390 to day 410.

Key checkpoints across the 395-day camel gestation, measured in days from breeding:

Camel gestation timeline from day 0 to day 395: day 30 Ultrasound or rectal palpation confirms pregnancy; day 60 Recheck — early losses are common in camels; day 240 Foetal growth accelerates; lift the ration; day 335 Dry off a milking camel, about two months before calving; day 380 Vaccinate, treat for parasites and move her to a clean calving area; day 395 Expected calving.

Camel gestation stages, month by month

Days 1–90: early pregnancy

Confirm the pregnancy by ultrasound or palpation from about day 30 and recheck near day 60, since early embryonic loss is common. Requirements are at maintenance. Avoid long transport and abrupt herd changes in the first three months.

Days 91–240: mid pregnancy

Foetal growth is slow and the she-camel can be maintained on normal browse and grazing with mineral and vitamin supplementation. Keep body condition moderate and use this long window for parasite control, foot care and vaccination.

Days 241–350: late pregnancy

Most calf growth happens now and demand for energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus climbs. Milking camels should be dried off about 60 days before the due date. Provide shade and adequate water; heat and water restriction in late pregnancy cause weak calves and losses.

Days 351–410: pre-calving

The udder fills and the vulva relaxes. She separates from the herd and becomes restless, and calving usually happens with her lying down. Normal delivery takes under an hour once straining starts; the calf should be up and nursing within two to four hours.

Signs a camel is pregnant

She refuses the male and does not come back into season during the breeding period
Ultrasound or rectal palpation confirms pregnancy from about day 30
Enlargement of the left side of the abdomen from the middle of pregnancy
Udder development and swelling of the vulva in the final weeks

Signs of approaching calving

She separates from the herd, becomes restless and repeatedly lies down and rises
Tail raising and visible straining in the final hour before calving
Contact your vet if labour stalls, if the animal strains without progress, or if there is abnormal discharge before calving begins.

What affects camel gestation length

Camels have one of the longest gestations of any domestic animal at about 395 days — well over a year — and a range of roughly 390 to 410 days.
Dromedary (one-humped) camels are seasonal breeders, mating in the cooler months, so calving is naturally concentrated in a short season each year.
A camel's reproductive rate is low: with a 13-month pregnancy plus a long recovery, a she-camel typically produces a calf every two years rather than annually.
Ovulation is induced by mating and the pregnancy is almost always carried in the left uterine horn, so the service date is usually recorded accurately.
Calves weigh around 35 to 40 kg at birth, are born with the mother usually lying down, and should be standing and nursing within a few hours.

Estimate your camel's calving date

Enter the breeding date for an estimated calving date at 395 days.

Estimate a camel due date

Breeding date

Estimated calving date

Tuesday, 12 October 2027

Earliest

7 Oct 2027

Latest

27 Oct 2027

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Camel pregnancy FAQs

How long is a camel pregnant?

About 395 days — roughly 13 months — with a normal range of 390 to 410 days. It is among the longest gestations of any domesticated animal, comparable to a donkey plus another month.

How often can a camel have a calf?

Realistically every second year. A 13-month pregnancy plus the time needed to recover condition and resume cycling means an annual calf is not achievable in normal husbandry.

How is camel pregnancy diagnosed?

Ultrasound or rectal palpation from about day 30, with a recheck around day 60. Refusal of the male is suggestive but unreliable on its own, and early embryonic loss is common enough that a single early positive should always be confirmed.

When should a milking camel be dried off?

About 60 days before the due date, so around day 335. That rest period protects the udder, improves colostrum quality and lets her put condition on before calving.

What does normal camel calving look like?

She separates from the herd, becomes restless and usually calves lying down, with the delivery finishing inside an hour of active straining. The calf should be standing and nursing within two to four hours; if it is not, check the udder and call a vet.

More gestation pages

Livestock gestation chart