What started as a few retired camels from a police unit has become one of South Africa’s most ethical and inspiring camel dairies.
Our journey is filled with droughts, determination, and deep respect for the animals that changed our lives.
From border patrol to breakthrough nutrition — the full story of how our family turned a remote Kalahari farm into a legacy of sustainability, health, and care is one you don’t want to miss.
Over a century ago, camels arrived in South Africa, not as exotic livestock or dairy animals, but as desert workhorses. Imported by the government around 1900 from Sudan, they were used by mounted police to patrol the arid borders of the Kalahari, where horses simply couldn’t cope. When the police retired their camel units in the 1950s, a few of the camels made their way to the Koppieskraal Kameelplaas. These animals would later become the foundation of a unique dairy journey.
For years, the family sold camels for safari rides, pets and tourism. But a crippling drought between 2013 and 2015 forced them to rethink the future. Could the camels provide more than just companionship and rides? They began to explore camel milk and were surprised to discover how nutritious and valuable it was.
Milking camels wasn’t like milking cows. It was awkward, challenging, and required the camels to trust the milkers. Unlike cows, camels do not release their milk unless they’re relaxed and at peace.
Very soon, they learned a valuable lesson: the calves had to be present and nursing to trigger milk let-down.
With milk in hand, they faced a new challenge - where to sell it. Somali communities in Cape Town and Johannesburg became their first customers, familiar with and fond of camel milk. Though sales were initially unprofitable due to high transport costs, they used this phase to build logistics and trust. Eventually, they transitioned to selling milk powder - extending the shelf life and reducing transport challenges.
The farm operates with strong ethical principles. Calves are never culled. They play crucial roles in milk production, hygiene, and long-term herd health. Camels live naturally, mate naturally, and give birth in the veld. Every animal is treated with respect, and nothing is hidden from view.
Camels roam the diverse vegetation of the Kalahari farm, browsing across grasslands, shrubs, and saltbush. Their milk reflects this diet full of nutrients. Every drop of milk comes from camels fed by nature, not human-designed rations.
Camel milk, they discovered, offers powerful health benefits. It’s free from the problematic proteins in cow milk that often trigger allergies. It's also packed with natural immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, and alpha hydroxy acids - all essential for immune support and digestion. And unlike synthetic supplements, these nutrients are highly bioavailable.
Today, the family milks their herd twice daily. Calves stay with their mothers during early life and gradually wean off over time. When a camel cow is ready, she rejoins her breeding bull to begin a new cycle. With a long-term vision, ethical practices, and deep respect for their animals, the farm now produces milk not just for survival, but for health, sustainability and legacy.
