The objectives of the study were to evaluate the ultrasonographic morphometry of the reticulum in healthy non-gravid cattle and buffaloes from right and left parasternal and lateral windows and to evaluate the role of ultrasonography in the prediction of penetrating metallic foreign bodies in the reticular wall in cattle and buffaloes. The study included 22 clinically healthy (11 cross-bred Indian cattle (Bos tarus and Bos indicus) and 11 Indian water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)) and 26 traumatic reticulitis affected bovines (21 cattle and 15 buffaloes). Various parameters like, reticular wall thickness, depth of reticulum, pattern of reticular motility and wall, and presence of effusions were recorded to assess the penetrability of metallic sharp foreign body using ultrasonography.The reticular wall thickness varied from 0.34 to 0.82 cm and 0.37 to 0.68 cm in healthy cattle and buffaloes, respectively. In both the species, the mean highest reticular wall thickness was recorded on the left lateral side. Instead of typical biphasic motility, folding type motility was recorded in 72.73 percent healthy buffaloes and 27.27 percent healthy cattle from the left lateral side. The reticular wall pattern was recorded to be smoother in healthy buffaloes from all the windows compared to healthy cattle. The peri-reticular reaction in diseased bovine was least observed on the left lateral aspect of the reticulum and was maximum evident on the left ventral aspect of reticulum in cattle and the right ventral aspect in buffaloes. The reticular motility was present in maximum number of bovine despite adhesions present on rumenotomy. The cattle showed more adhesions for partially penetrating foreign bodies, compared to buffaloes. Despite non-penetrating foreign bodies, the peri-reticular effusions were seen on the ventral aspect of reticulum from both sides, though in less quantity. In conclusion, the peri-reticular effusions are maximum seen on the left ventral aspect in cattle and right ventral in buffalo in completely and partially penetrating foreign bodies; however, effusions may also be present in non-penetrating foreign body in cattle.

The study evaluated the antibody response and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression levels in naive bovine calves from a Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus (FMDV) potency test. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were separated from blood samples and total RNA was extracted. Two step quantitative (Real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was used for measurement of IFN-gamma specific mRNA. Plasma samples were screened to detect anti-non structural proteins (NSP) antibodies for FMDV in 3AB NSP antibody enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasma samples were found free for anti- NSP antibodies for FMDV in vaccinated bovine calves as evaluated in 3AB NSP antibody ELISA test. Increase in mRNA expression level of IFN-gamma after 15 days post vaccination (DPV) was found unequivocally in all five vaccinated calves (more than two-fold increase in 4 out of 5 calves). Liquid phase blocking ELISA (LPBE) test results also revealed highest humoral antibody response on 15 DPV. Monovalent FMDV vaccination elicited highest antibody titre on 15 DPV in correlation with elevated IFN-gamma mRNA level. Humoral and cellular immunity both play important role in protection against FMDV. The study will help in further understanding the role played by both the humoral and cellular immune response against FMDV.

Buffaloes have been traditionally grouped, together with cattle and other oxen, in the Bovinae, a sub-family of the family Bovidae. The author contends that only the species in the genera Bos, Bibos, Poephagus and Bison--all of whom 2 have diploid cells with 2n=60 chromosomes (and, therefore, are all more or less easily hybridizable with one another)--should be included in the said sub-family. On the other hand, none of the species in the so-called "buffaline" genera, Syncerus, Bubalus and Anoa can be hybridized with any of the above, because their own diploid chromosome numbers are quite smaller and range depending on the species, form 2n=54 down 2n=48. For this important reason, the author proposes to place all buffaloes --wild and domestic-- in a separate and new sub-family to be named Bubalinae (see Chart). Furthermore, the so-called "river" and "swamp" types of water buffalo, the first one with 2n=50 and the other with 2n=48 chromosomes, ought to be recognized as valid Linnaean subspecies of Bubalus bubalis, to be respectively named henceforth B. b. fluviatilis and B. b. limneticus