Nine buffaloes non-descript aged between 4 to 9 years affected by onion toxicosis were presented to Veterinary College, Hospital, Bidar, with the signs of anorexia, dullness, depression, staggering gait and passing dark brown coloured urine. On clinical examination affected buffaloes revealed tachycardia, polypnoea, pale mucous membrane, and coffee decoction color urine. Hematological examination revealed decreased values of total erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume with leukocytosis. Erythrocyte indices revealed tendency towards macrocytic hypochromic anemia. Serum biochemistry revealed normal serum urea nitrogen and total serum bilirubin. Affected buffaloes were treated with vitamin E and Selenium along with supportive therapy of 5 percent dextrose and 8 buffaloes were recovered within 5 days of treatment. Necropsy findings of dead buffalo revealed pallor of tissue, jaundice, dark brown kidneys and urine and fragments of onion in rumen.

The theme of investigation was the group of 1230 Murrah buffaloes at the dairy farm of GADVASU, Ludhiana. The research was conducted for the period of forty years 1971 to 2010, to make out the mortality prototype at this organized herd. An overall 1230 animals died because of various causes during these forty years, which accounted for overall mortality of 29.36 percent of total herd. Maximum mortality in different age groups of calves was due to affections of digestive system. Mortality up to one month of age was 52.35 percent indicating that almost half of the calves died during first month of age. The mortality rate declined to 11.95 percent up to three month of age in calves and mortality rate further declined to 5.44 percent up to six month of age. The mortality rate further declined to 4.88 percent of total mortality up to one year of age. The cumulative mortality up to one year of age was 74.62 percent, which indicated that two-third of the total mortality occurred up to one year of age. Out of all the lactations maximum mortality is found in first lactation and minimum mortality is observed in 10th and above lactation. Higher incidence of mortality was found to be in the month of August 13.5 percent while lowest mortality percentage is found in the month of October i.e. 3.52.

Vaginal cytology is a simple technique that can be used to determine the stages of the estrus cycle, if there are pathological conditions of the reproductive tract, and the optimal time of mating. There have been many vaginal cytology studies and it's clinical applications have been reported in many species. There have been few reports, however, about its use in buffalo. Buffalo are considered poor breeders as their reproductive efficiency is adversely affected by certain limitations such as: late maturity, seasonality of breeding, silent heat coupled with poor expression of estrus, low conception rates and long intercalving period. Accurate heat detection is one of the key factors to increase the conception rate. Vaginal cytology in combination with other heat detection methods can help in this process. The objective of this review article is to focus on the use of the vaginal cytology technique for estrus detection and other applications in buffalo.

Farming systems and socio-economic status of farmers rearing Diara buffaloes were studied by visiting 183 farmers' herds belonging to Diara breeding tract in Patna district of Bihar, India. Results indicated that the estimated population of Diara buffaloes in the breeding tract was 0.60 million out of 3.91 million in Bihar state. Reduction in forest area, cultivable waste land, permanent pastures and grazing land, and fallow land to the tune of 36.0 percent, 60.6 percent, 55.1 percent and 44.4 percent poses a major challenge to the simple existence of Diara population. A total of 63.4 percent of the farmers in the breeding tract provided their buffaloes housing in terms of temporary sheds. The estimated age at first calving of Diara buffaloes was found to be 46.4+-2.56 months whereas the mean service period and dry period of these buffaloes in the breeding tract were observed to be 88.1+-5.25 and 127.18+-4.56 days, respectively. The inter-calving period in the habitat was found to range from 15 to 21 months. Interaction studies between different components of farming systems with Diara farmers showed that the distance between agriculture and buffalo rearing was the shortest with 15 units in the study area. Percentage contribution of Diara buffaloes to the overall income was highest with landless farmers (41.3 percent), followed by marginal (38.5 percent) and small farmers (33.8 percent). Regression analysis of different independent variables disclosed that investment on bullocks had highly significant (P LT 0.01) effect on the income of Diara farmers. Improving the role of Diara buffaloes from sustaining the farmers to prospering the farmers has been discussed.

The aim of the present study was to compare plasma mineral status of anoestrus and normally cyclic cattle and buffaloes of central zone of Punjab and to evaluate the use of area specific mineral mixture as a treatment of anoestrus in dairy animals. Thirty two non-cyclic animals (16 cattle, 16 buffaloes) and 32 cyclic animals (16 cattle, 16 buffaloes) in the 2nd to 3rd lactation were selected for the study on basis of rectal examination and plasma progesterone levels at 0, 7 and 14 days by Radio Immuno Assay (RIA) technique. Blood samples from these animals were analyzed for various minerals viz., Ca, Mg, P, Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn. Anoestrus dairy animals had significantly lower levels of calcium, phosphorus and copper as compared to cyclic animals. For therapeutic trial, anoestrus animals (10 cattle and 10 buffaloes) kept as treatment group were fed area specific mineral mixture (50 gm/animal/day) for 2 months. In total, 17 animals out of 20 (85 percent) regained cyclicity i.e. had at least one value of plasma progesterone level above 0.5 ng/ml out of 3 weekly samples collected. Average time taken for animals to come into heat after area specific mineral mixture supplementation was found to be 53.4+-2.7 and 48.9+-2.1 days in buffaloes and cattle, respectively.

The objective of the present study was to identify the physico-chemical differences between experimentally fraudulent cheeses and those produced exclusively with cow and buffalo milk and to sensorially assess the consumer's perception of these products. Three types of cheese were produced using buffalo milk and cow milk as raw materials at different proportions, and total lipids were analysed; protein ash, moisture and carbohydrate contents were measured; energy values were determined; and affective sensory and purchase intent analyses were performed. The results indicated that 57 percent and 59 percent of the judges, respectively, reported liking the colour and texture of the mixed cheese very much and that they would certainly buy it. Regarding the composition, the fraudulent cheese had a lower energy value compared to the cow and buffalo cheeses and that the protein content of the fraudulent cheese was lower than that of the buffalo cheese. There were no significant differences in the carbohydrate or fat contents among the analysed products. Compared with the cow cheese, the mixed cheese and buffalo cheese had higher moisture contents. It was concluded that although the mixed cheese presented significant physico-chemical differences, it was considered acceptable product because consumers showed intent to purchase the mixed cheese.

A 7 years old female Murrah buffalo was presented to the Referral Veterinary Polyclinic, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar with a history of high fever, anorexia and respiratory distress since 2 days. On clinical examination, high body temperature, congested conjunctival mucous membrane, open mouth breathing, tachypnoea, tachycardia and lymphadenopathy noticed. Clinical pathology revealed leukocytosis, neutrophilia with shift to left and blood sample was found to be negative for haemoprotozoan infection. Bacteriological culture of blood sample revealed mucoid dew drop colonies suggestive of Pasteurella spp. and on Gram's staining of bacterial culture, Gram-negative cocco-bacilli organisms were detected. Further, the results of Pasteurella multocida species specific-PCR (polymerase chain reaction), Pasteurella multocida multiplex capsular PCR typing and Pasteurella multocida serotype B specific PCR revealed that the isolate was of Pasteurella multocida serotype B: 2. ABST (Antibiotic sensitivity test) revealed that the organism was highly sensitive for antibiotic Ceftiofur. The animal was treated with Inj. Ceftiofur sodium (2.2 mg/kg, IM, SID) and other supportive treatment including anti-pyretics, anti-histamines, multivitamins, rumenotorics and probiotics for 5 days. The animal showed marked recovery after complete therapy.

A Nili Ravi buffalo distress with dystocia due to simultaneous engagement of twins (two male) cause impaction of maternal pelvis. Both foetuses delivered live through obstetrical manoeuvres per-vaginal.

Bovine herpes mammillitis is a disease of cows and buffaloes associated with bovine herpes mammillitis virus 2 and characterized clinically by successive appearance of plaques, vesicles ulcers and scabs on teats and udder. Vesicle formation, a characteristic feature of early stages of the disease in cow is either absent or occurs rarely in dairy buffaloes. The disease is worldwide in distribution but has not been reported from Pakistan. This is despite the fact that one clinical form of the disease (colloquially known as Gulwaddee in Punjabi) has been observed by most of the seasoned Pakistani veterinary practitioners. Most cows and buffaloes are affected by latent and sub-clinical form of the disease and only a few infected animals develop its clinical form. Stress of calving, udder edema and hormonal changes close to calving are important predisposing factors. The condition is usually sporadic although outbreaks have also been documented. It is more prevalent in cows and buffaloes in their first lactation. The causative virus multiplies at a temperature lower than the temperature of the rest of the body. Therapeutic interventions that can be used for the treatment of bovine herpes mammillits include debridement of the scab covered lesion, topical and parenteral administration of antibiotics, topical administration of lysine/propolis, topical and oral administration of acyclovir (an anti-herpes virus drug), oral administration of zinc sulphate and other immunity enhancing agents and parenteral administration of antihistamine and anti-inflammatory drugs. Therapeutic interventions proposed for future research include investigation of the oral use of zinc sulpahte, local infiltration of acyclovir into the lesions and use of infrared lamp to increase the temperature of the lesion. No vaccine is currently available recommended control and prevention measures include biosecurity, prevention and proper treatment of udder edema, insect control and milking time hygiene.

The present study was planned for investigations on epidemiology, clinco-biochemical and radiological aspects and therapeutic management of osteomalacia in buffaloes. Overall hospital incidence of osteomalcia in buffaloes was 8.31 percent with higher incidence during mid lactation in high yielding buffaloes exclusively fed on dry fodder. The characteristic clinical signs observed were progressive loss of body weight, shifting lameness, stiff gait, arching of back as well as difficulty in lifting chest portion and keeping on knee joint for longer time while getting up. Significant decrease in hemoglobin, total erythrocyte count and haematocrit while increase in MCV and granulocyte count was observed in affected buffaloes as compared to healthy buffaloes. Highly significant decrease in mean plasma inorganic phosphorus, significant decrease in calcium and highly significant increase in alkaline phosphatase levels was observed in osteomalacia affected buffaloes. Radiographic examination revealed proliferation of osteophytes in carpal bones, demineralization of canon bones and osteolytic changes indicated by decreased radiographic density in last few coccygeal vertebrae. For evaluating the efficacy of different treatment modalities in osteomalacia, ailing buffaloes were divided in to three groups (n=10). Group I, II and III buffaloes were treated with mineral mixture, buffered phosphorus and buffered phosphorus with mineral mixture respectively. The overall recovery period was significantly lower (27.1+-4.05 days) in Group III compared to Group II (39.2+-4.2 days) and Group I (40.5+-3.72 days) buffaloes. On the basis of recovery period and restoration of biochemical parameters combined treatment with parenteral buffered phosphorus preparation and mineral mixture proved most effective in management of osteomalacia in buffaloes.