The aim of experiment was to evaluate whether biostimulation by mature intact bull to anoestrus buffalo alters breeding performance associated with CIDR based oestrus synchronization protocol during low breeding season. Anoestrus buffalo that had calved 170.0+-10.6 (132 to 208) days before the start of the trial, were either exposed to bull (n=30, BE) or not exposed to bull (n=10, BN) for 12 days after CIDR placement (day 0). Animals received PGF 2 alpha on day 9, CIDR was removed on day 10 and Timed AI (TAI) was performed with frozen thawed semen at 48 and 60 h after CIDR removal. Buffalo were observed for oestrus detection twice daily for three days after CIDR removal. Blood sampling was done on day 9, 12 and 20 of the experiment to monitor the progesterone and cortisol levels (5 per group). Pregnancy test was done 60 days after insemination. Oestrus expression was noted in 68.97 percent (BE) and 60 percent (BN) animals (P GT 0.05). Progesterone rise above 1 ng/ml on day 20 was recorded in 4/5 (80 percent) in BE group and 2/5 (40 percent) in BN group (P GT 0.05). Conception rate was 37.9 percent (11/29) and 30 percent, (3/10) in BE and BN groups respectively (P GT 0.05). It is concluded that CIDR and fixed time artificial insemination can be used to overcome partially the problem of anoestrus and seasonality in buffalo. However, biostimulation in CIDR treated anoestrus buffalo did not increase the number of ovulating/oestrus buffalo during low breeding season probably due to a shorter exposure period (only 12 days) to bull.

This study compared the effect of Kisspeptin-10 or GnRH administration on LH release in swamp buffalo during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle. Six animals were treated with a single intravenous injection of 1,000 pmol/kg b.w. of kisspeptin-10 or a single intramuscular injection of 10 µg/cow of GnRH agonist buserelin. For plasma LH analysis blood samples were collected every 15 minutes, 1 h before and 6 h after Kisspeptin-10 and GnRH administration. An increase in LH plasma concentrations was observed after GnRH administration but not after Kisspeptin-10 administration. The results of this study indicate that during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle, administration of GnRH, but not Kisspeptin-10, stimulate LH secretion.

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.

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 aim of present study was to evaluate efficacy of Modified Co-Synch Plus Protocol with or without progesterone device for estrus induction, progesterone concentration and conception rate in Murrah buffaloes under field conditions during summer season. The study was conducted using 30 postpartum anestrus Murrah buffaloes divided in two groups. In Group 1 (n=15), the buffaloes were administered with PMSG 400 IU on -3 day, Buserelin acetate 10 micro g, on day 0, cloprostenol 500 micro g, on day 7, and on day 9 h CG 2000 IU. Thereafter, timed artificial insemination (TAI) was done at the time of h CG injection and 24 h later once again. In Group 2 (n=15), the buffaloes were treated with same protocol as Group 1, in addition to progesterone device, which was placed in vagina on day 0 and was removed on day 7 of the protocol. Thereafter, TAI was done as in Group 1. Plasma Progesterone concentration was estimated during the different days (-3, 0, 7, 9 and 10 day) of protocol. The estrus induction rate was 86.6 percent and 100 percent in Group 1 and Group 2 respectively showing very good estrus (46 percent), good estrus (30.7 percent) and poor estrus (23.07 percent) in Group 1 while very good estrus (46.6 percent), good estrus (40 percent) and poor estrus (13.4 percent) in Group 2. The conception rates in Group 1 and 2, at FTAI and overall including subsequent estrus were 46.2 percent and 61.53 percent and 53.33 percent and 73.33 percent respectively. The plasma progesterone concentrations were higher (P LT 0.05) on day 7 in Group 2 than Group 1 (4.16+-0.32 vs 2.30+-0.24 ng/ml). Both two protocol treatment during non breeding season resulted in very good estrus induction and acceptable conception rate in anestrous buffaloes.