Editorial: Camelid farming, production, reproduction, health, and welfare

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) year 2024 was dedicated to camelids (1), recognizing their growing role both as livestock and companion animals. To celebrate with FAO these species, this Research Topic entitled “Camelid farming, production, reproduction, health, and welfare” encompasses a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines, from milk production and reproduction to health and genetics. This multidisciplinary approach underscores the imperative of the “One Welfare” approach—recognizing the interconnected wellbeing of animals, humans, and the environment (2)—and highlights the necessity to include camels within this paradigm, a species that has been historically overlooked in scientific research. Once known as the “ships of the desert,” camelids are now recognized as the “livestock of the future” due to their multipurpose role (3). This evolving livestock and cultural paradigm emerges amid a growing global camelid population, presenting both opportunities and challenges in breeding strategies, food security, and animal welfare.