The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of soluble carbohydrate and protein supplementation on feed digestibility and rumen characteristics of swamp buffaloes fed total mixed fiber (TMF) silage by using an in vitro technique. A completely randomized design with 3 treatments (soluble carbohydrate (SCH) and protein ratio) and 6 replicates was used. Treatments consisted of total mixed fiber silage rations with SCH: protein ratio of 300 g : 300 g (1 : 1) (A1), SCH : protein ratio of 600 g : 300 g (2 : 1) (A2), and SCH : protein ratio of 900 g : 300 g (3 : 1) (A3). Measurements were taken on nutrient digestibility rates (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and crude fiber), fiber digestibility rates (NDF, ADF, cellulose, and hemicellulose), and rumen fermentation condition (concentrations of RAN, total VFA, acetate, propionate, butyrate, and methane and pH). Results showed that significant effects (P LT 0.05) of treatments were found on nutrient digestibility rates (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fiber, ADF, cellulose, and hemicellulose), rumen fermentation conditions (concentrations of RAN, total VFA, acetate, propionate, butyrate, and CH4). Meanwhile, no effects (P GT 0.05) of treatments were found on NDF digestibility and pH levels. It was concluded that TMF silage ration supplemented with SCH and protein ratio of 3 : 1 (900 g : 300 g) gave the best results in terms of nutrient digestibility rates and rumen fermentation condition of swamp buffaloes.

The objectives of this study was to compare morphological characteristics and to establish evolutionary relationship of 14 Thai dwarf buffaloes and 21 swamp buffaloes based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop variations. Morphological characteristics could be constructed phylomorphologic tree and showed clearly classified between dwarf and swamp buffaloes. Most of morphologic traits were highly significant difference adult contest swamp buffaloes (P LT 0.01) from 9 contest swamp buffaloes. Only morphological traits of length between eye, length between base of horn, horn length and horn width were not significant difference (P GT 0.05). Average shoulder height of Thai dwarf buffaloes were 108.33+-2.08 cm, whereas average shoulder height of contest swamp buffaloes were 156.78+-4.21 cm. Thai dwarf buffaloes would be defined as disproportional dwarfism. Sequences of mtDNA D-loop (374 bp) of dwarf and normal swamp buffaloes with reference sequences showed 84 polymorphic sites and defined as 12 and 11 haplotypes, respectively. It was noticed that transversion in Thai dwarf buffaloes occurred twice time of normal swamp buffaloes. Phylogenetic tree showed 2 clades of water buffaloes. Swamp buffaloes were classified into lineage A and lineage B, in which lineage A was more predominant than lineage B. Median joining network showed 2 clades of river and swamp buffaloes. Swamp buffalo (SaenCP) in lineage A1 seem to be ancestral node of some Thai swamp buffaloes, Chinese swamp buffaloes and Philippines carabao. Most of dwarf swamp buffaloes were in lineage A2 and dwarf swamp buffalo with no horn, black color- coat was latter evolution.

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.

The objectives of this study was to select nonlinear regression model of relationship between body parameters and live weight of swamp buffaloes for live weight estimation. The animals of Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture at Kampaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kampaeng Saen Campus were used in this study. A total of 172 animals were 41 male and 131 female 0 to 25 months old of swamp buffaloes. Parameters of body measurements were shoulder height (SH), hip height (HH), shoulder width (SW), hip width (HW), body length (BL) and hearth girth (HG) were measured in centimeters during weighting. Three of nonlinear regression models including exponential, polynomial quadratic and power models were analyzed relationship between body parameters and live weight in each body parameter. The results revealed that power model gave the best fit model of HG and live weight relationship with highest R sup(2) (0.9662, 0.9748 and 0.9702) in male, female and both sex of swamp buffaloes, respectively. In addition, percentage error and accuracy of 3 models were investigated between HG and live weight of swamp buffaloes (n=492). The result revealed that polynomial quadratic model showed highly accuracy (98.92 percent) between actual live weight and calculated weight from the equation of y = 0.0233x**(2) -2.9263x+129.81 with R sup(2) value of 0.9678, when y = estimated live weight (kg), x = heart girth (cm). In conclusion, this model provides a highly reliable and accurate method for estimating weights of swamp buffaloes using a single heart girth measurement which can be easily obtained with a girth tape in the field work.