Kalahandi buffalo breed, a distinct breed found in South Orissa State in India, has been studied. This paper describes the habitat, husbandry practices, physical conformation and performance of the breed.

This study revealed that amphistome infection with Ceylonocotyle scoliocoelium in buffaloes was associated with the development of persistent diarrhoea and death in seven animals. At postmortem the immature parasites were found to be responsible for duodenitis and severe hepatic damage. Hepatic lesions caused by the amphistome fluke are described and discussed.

Buffalo diseases were the same as those of cattle with few differences in their prevalence, pathogenicity and symptomatology. Parasitic diseases are the most prevalent. Neoascaris vitulorum is the most common helminthosis of young buffalo calves. Coccidial infection, louse infestation, psoroptic mange, trypanosomiasis, haemorrhagic cutaneous filariasis has been diagnosed in the Amazon Valley. Among the infections and contagious disease to which buffaloes are subjected, the following can be detected: foot-and-mouth disease, haemorrhagic septicaemia, brucellosis, tuberculosis, rabies and blackleg. Also present in this region were the non-infections diseases: hypophosphataemia, hypocalcaemia and plant poisoning. Details related to categorization of these diseases are discussed.

Of 4450 Murrah buffaloes, 17 (0.4 %) exhibited a total of 229 warts on their skins. Higher prevalence was recorrded in male buffaloes. The nunber of lesions in individual animals varied from 1 to 78 with a mean of 13.3 +- 20.9 SD. The diameter of the lesions ranged from 0.2 - 2.0 cm with an average of 0.5 +- 0.2 SD. The average affected area of the skin was 3.0 +- 4.2 DS with a range of 0.2 - 16.6 sq.cm. The lesions were observed on 13 different sites with a higher frequency on the shoulder, chest, and neck.

Total of 678 buffalo carcasses were evaluated subjectively for conformation, bruises, contamination and cuts at six different slaughter houses with different slaughter and dressing procedures. Irregular casting of animals and quartering of carcasses on the slaughter floor was found detrimental to the production of hygienic meat compared to regular line casting and quartering outside the slaughter hall or lifting (hoisting) of carcasses for dressing and cutting. Average carcass conformation score was 3.18, indicating a fair grade and scope for improvement by effective culling. Bruising was observed to the extent of 58 percent, contamination with extraneous material to the extent of 49 percent and cuts on the carcasses were observed to the extent of 23 percent. The study suggested that proper care and handling of live animals and lifting of carcasses for dressing and quartering purposes (by way of a semi-modern abattoir system) will contribute to a great extent in the production of hygienic buffalo meat.

Milk fatty acid composition of Murrah buffaloes was determined in present study. Samples were collected from 10 lactating buffaloes and were analysed for fatty acid profile using AOCS official method. Murrah milk fat was having 71.6 percent saturated fatty acids (SFA), 27.97 percent unsaturated fatty acids. C16:0, C18:1c, C18:0, C14:0 and C12:0 were the five most abundant fatty acid (82.5 percent of total fatty acids) in the Murrah milk. Palmitic acid, myristic acid (14:0) and stearic acid (18:0) together constituted approximately 85.8 percent of saturated fatty acids by weight. Short chain fatty acids (C4:0, C6:0), medium chain fatty acids (C8:0, C10:0, C12:0), and long chain fatty acids (C16:0, C18:0, C16:1, C18:2) were 1.82, 4.56 and 49.96 g/100 g respectively. Mono-unsaturated fatty acid were 26.79 percent of the fatty acids in milk, mostly oleic acid (18:1). Poly-unsaturated fatty acids constitute about 1.18 percent by weight of the total fatty acids. Linoleic acid (18:2) and alpha-linolenic acid (18:3) accounted for 0.88 and 0.30 percent by weight of the total fatty acids.

In this research, Data of milk yield, fat and protein percentage of Khuzestani buffalo were used. The daily records of milk yield were collected in the south-west of Iran where buffalo experienced a hot climate. The data set was constructed with 8,123 records of 1,430 first lactation buffalo. A univariate random regression model (RR/CF) was applied to data. Regression of additive genetic effect based on Legendre polynomials from the day of lactation was considered in the model. The results showed that maximum residual variance for the milk and fat production was estimated at the beginning of the lactation period. The minimum amount of additive genetic variation of milk and fat traits was seen in the early lactation period and the maximum amount of the component was estimated at the end of the lactation period. The lowest heritability of the mentioned traits was at the beginning of the lactation period. The level of this parameter increased to mid-lactation and was at its maximum during the late months of lactation, then decreased to the end of lactation. The estimated additive genetic correlations between close test-days were higher than faraway test-day records for each milk yield and milk fat content. Based on the results of this study, a random regression model with fitting orders 3 and 4, seems to be suitable for additive covariance functions in order to analyze the milk test-day records of buffaloes.

Murrah is a predominant milch breed of buffalo in India with superior genetic potential for milk production. Estimation of genetic parameters for production and reproduction traits is prerequisite for making breeding plan and efficient management decisions. This work was undertaken to understand the influence on performance traits by various factors (genetic and non-genetic) along with assessment of genetic parameters in Murrah buffaloes. The genetic parameters were figured using mixed model least-squares analysis. The results revealed that season and period in which animals calved, affects the performance of Murrah breed and may be considered during its evaluation. The heritability estimates for first lactation 305 days/less milk yield (305FLMY), first lactation total milk yield (FLTMY), first Lactation Length (FLL1), Wet average (WA), Herd average (HA), Age at first calving (AFC1) and Age at first service (AFS1) were 0.39+-0.10, 0.29+-0.09, 0.14+-0.09, 0.29+-0.09, 0.3+-0.11, 0.27+-0.09 and 0.22+-0.09, respectively. The phenotypic and genetic correlation amid 305FLMY and majority of another production trait were positive and significant. Thus, it may be concluded that appropriate estimation of genetic parameters leads to robust selection for performance traits for genetic improvement in Murrah buffalo.

To evaluate the role of dietary supplementation of astaxanthin, prill fat and their combination on antioxidants and immune status of lactating buffaloes during heat stress. Twenty four lactating buffaloes (first to fourth parity) were selected and divided equally into four groups i.e. Group I (control), Group II (astaxanthin 0.25 mg/kg body wt/day), Group III (prill fat 100 g/animal/day) and Group IV (astaxanthin + prill fat). Plasma was separated from the blood collected at fortnightly interval for the analysis of antioxidant enzymes and interleukins levels. The levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase were significantly lower in astaxanthin supplemented groups (Group II and Group IV) compared to Group I and Group III. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine (Interleukin-2) was significantly (P LT 0.05) lower in astaxanthin supplemented groups (Group II and Group IV) compared to Group I whereas levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (Interleukin-10) was significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in all supplemented groups (Group II, Group III and Group IV) than Group I. Results showed that, dietary supplementation of astaxanthin (potent antioxidant) was able to alleviate the heat stress induced changes by lowering the levels of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) and pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-2) and improving the levels of anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in lactating buffaloes during summer season.

Raw milk samples of 503 individual buffaloes were collected from dairy farms located in Agra and Mathura cities in North India. Multiple tests (Indirect Fluorescent Agglutination test (i_FAT), IS900 PCR, Microscopy, Indigenous ELISA kit (i_ELISA), Dot-ELISA (d_ELISA) and Latex agglutination test (LAT)) based bio-load and bio-type profile of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was studied. Cumulatively average bio-load was 61.2 percent using three antigen and three antibody based. In i_FAT, IS900 PCR and microscopy, 43.5, 13.3 and 40.9 percent milk were positive for MAP, respectively. Whereas, 32.8, 49.3 and 44.1 percent milk samples were positive in i_ELISA, d_ELISA and LAT, respectively. Bio-typing of representative milk samples using IS900 PCR positive raw milk (67), 13.4 percent were infected with 'Indian Bison Type' biotype using IS1311 PCR_REA. Study concluded that 'Indian Bison type' was the predominant bio-type infecting lactating buffaloes of this region. Raw milk was highly convenient sample in buffaloes and 'milk samples' were first time screened without initial processing of milk samples. Detection limits of each tests was improved. Results of five tests (d_ELISA, LAT, i_ELISA, microscopy, i_FAT were comparable, except IS900 PCR. High bio-load of MAP in milk of buffaloes was major health hazard for human health. High bio-load of MAP was alarming and calls for initiation of Johne's disease control programs in the country.