The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority in collaboration with the Faculty of Food and Agriculture in the United Arab Emirates University and the American University of Oregon launched a research project to study the physiological and pathological effects of fungal Ryegrass feed in camels funded and supported by Dahraa Agricultural Company.

The research project is part of supporting food safety initiative for Abu Dhabi and aims to provide feed with excellent specifications that does not have a negative impact on the health and productivity of camels. The project includes a study of the physiological and pathological effects of internal fungal feed in camels produced by a substance contained in Ryegrass feed.

Mohammad Jalal Al Reyaysa Director of Communication and Community Service at Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority said: �The research will be implemented in two phases; the first phase includes determining the trial dose of internal fungal Lolitrem B and the Ergovaline on feed provided to camels that are not pregnant and are currently living in the environmental condition of the Emirate. Three different trial doses of Ergovaline will be tested 300, 500 and 800 and three from the Lolitrem B 500, 1000, and 2000 respectively. The Second phase will be the study of the dose with the least impact on pregnant camels all based on the results obtained from the first phase. We will also be measuring the concentration fungal pathogenesis of internal feed in Urine, camel�s blood using advanced technologies that provide accurate measurement.

�This research project is one of the most important projects adopted by the ADFCA�s Management of Research and Development in order to ensure animal feed provided to animals are healthy with an economic benefit that contributes to the growth and development of the livestock sector in the emirate, in line with the agricultural plan aimed to reduce the cultivation of animal feed locally that drains ground water and affects the salinity and soil fertility� He added
The implementation of this research in collaboration with the Faculty of Food and Agriculture and the University of Oregon adds expertise from a research and scientific objective, knowing that the University of Oregon is one of the world�s leading universities in the assessment animal feed.
He further noted that the research project is multi-disciplinary; and is considered to be an ambitious initiative and an integrated model involving governmental and local and international academic institutions with further support provided from the private sector to provide and deliver the best animal feeds for livestock, rather than providing Rhodes and hay, which consumes the strategic reserve of water in the emirates. The strategic reserve of water contributes to the development and sustainability of agriculture and livestock in the emirate and the preservation of the environmental resources, in addition to meeting the needs of farmers in line with the environmental conditions of the emirate.
The research project will need almost a year according to a schedule agreed upon by all participating academic institutions, will also be creating the preparatory work and technical research for the project in the near future. The implementation of  first and second phases of the project for the assessment  of animal feed will be taking place in the farms owned by the Fcutly of Food and agriculture in Al Foah.