The objective of the present study was to measure pixel intensity mean (Echogenicity) and pixel intensity standard deviation (Heterogeneity) of testicular parenchyma in constantly low or high sperm concentration producing bulls. The average sperm concentration/ml in ejaculate over thirteen month's period (GT= 100 ejaculates) was recorded. On the basis of sperm concentration, bulls were grouped into: Low sperm concentration (Group A, n=6: age 4.5 to 6 years) and High sperm concentration (Group B1, n=6: age 4.5 to 6 years and B2, n=3: age 7 to 7.5 years) for this experiment. Digital image analysis of ultrasound scan images was done to measure echogenicity and heterogeneity by using ImageJ software. There was no significant difference in echogenicity values between groups, whereas image heterogeneity values of Group A showed statistically significant (P LT 0.05) lower in comparison with B1 and B2. However, between Group B1 and B2 there was no difference. No correlation was observed between the echogenicity and heterogeneity values in any of the groups. Heterogeneity of echo structure may indicate the seminiferous tubule diameter, sertoli cell population and fluid density within tubules. In conclusion, lower sperm output was observed in testes that were less heterogenic at the tissue level. The heterogeneity values in bulls for rejection at the time of BSE (Breeding soundness evaluation) should be studied in more detail to have more insight and to incorporate in BSE of Murrah bull.

In this study, the status of water buffalo breeding in each geographical region in Turkey was examined, and the activities of enterprises were analysed from technical and economic perspectives. Four regions and the cities in these regions where buffalo breeding was concentrated in Turkey were chosen by Purposive Sampling Method, considering the number of water buffaloes, milk production and their share in the buffalo population and buffalo milk production in Turkey. A total of 462 sample enterprises were chosen from these cities by Stratified Random Sampling Method. The research data were collected through the questionnaires administered in face-to-face interviews with the producers. The data collected reflect the buffalo production in Turkey in 2014. The study examined socio-economic structures of the enterprises, revealing their capital structures and annual economic activities. The Marmara region ranked first in the time spent in buffalo breeding (26.62 years). Gross profit income was positive in four regions. Absolute profit and relative profit indicators were negative for farms in the Black Sea region and favourable for farms in other regions. For the development and promotion of buffalo breeding, the breeders should be further educated about better breeding practices, small enterprises should be modernized and expand their operations, efforts for the betterment of breeding practices should be intensified, existing wetlands should be protected and enhanced, the production costs (feed cost etc.) should be reduced, state subsidies should be granted to real producers, the public should be educated about the high nutritional value of water buffalo meat and milk through promotional campaigns, and buffalo producers should be better organized in producer unions.

The liver was located in the cranial part of the abdomen, immediately behind the diaphragm, entirely to the righty of the median plane, situated in an oblique downwards and forwards. The liver was consisted of two surfaces and four borders. The parietal surface was irregularly convex having falciform and coronary ligaments, which were attached to the diaphragm. The visceral surface was irregularly concave, which consisted an upper and large omasal impression, lower and narrow reticular impression, and abomasal impression was present in the right ventral area. The lesser omentum was extended from the esophageal notch to the portal fissure. The dorsal border was short and thick having deep renal impression on caudal lobe. Ventral border was short, thin and convex. The lateral border was thin and median border was thick to which esophageal notch was present.

A study was carried out to 24 buffalos, comprising 18 buffaloes having Cervico-Vaginal Prolapse and 6 normal pregnant buffaloes (above 7 months) on clinical cases brought to the Department of Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Mhow, College dairy farm and Villages in and around Mhow to compare haemato-biochemical profile in normal and Cervico vaginal prolapsed buffaloes. Blood samples were collected initially before treatment (Day 0) and after treatment on 7th day. Haemato-biochemical parameters (haemoglobin, total leukocyte count, differential leukocyte count, serum calcium, and serum phosphorus, Serum magnesium (Mg)) were estimated and compared between control and treatment group animals. The mean values of serum calcium and inorganic phosphorus were significantly (P LT 0.01) lower in cervico vaginal affected buffaloes on day of prolapse (Day 0) which restored to nearly normal on the 7th day after treatment, though statistically significant variation was not observed.

Successful pregnancy is the outcome of a well coordinated embryo- maternal communication events. Few evidences suggest the role of cytokines signaling pathways as mediators of these communications for establishment of pregnancy. In order to investigate the role of cytokines CCL8 and CXCL10 in embryonic implantation during pregnancy, the present study aimed to develop quantitative real time PCR method based on SYBR Green dye chemistry. Primers were designed for the amplification of CCL8, CXCL10 and GAPDH (endogenous control) genes specific to bovines using Primer 3 software. The amplification products for CCL8, CXCL10 and GAPDH (endogenous control) genes yielded fragments of 388, 151 and 81 bp respectively. Purified PCR Products were used for the generation of standard curve for all the three genes. Six scalars tenfold serial dilutions of every PCR product were performed for amplification of genes by optimized protocol. Each sample was run in triplicate along with a no template control for every assay. Each run was completed with a melting curve analysis to confirm the specificity of amplification and lack of primers dimers. The standards generated linear relationships with regression coefficients: r sup(2)=0.996, 0.993 and 0.992 for CCL8, CXCL10 and GAPDH genes respectively. The method posed to be reliable approach for estimating the relative expression of cytokines CCL8 and CXCL10 in peripheral blood leucocytes in buffaloes.

The present study was undertaken to identify the difference in sperm kinematics in Murrah buffalo bulls in different seasons. Eight Murrah buffalo bulls maintained at Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-NDRI Karnal. Frozen semen samples of the bulls were obtained and sperm kinematic parameters were measured by computer-assisted sperm analyzer. The sperm kinematic parameters included curvilinear velocity (VCL), linear velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), distance of average path (DAP), distance straight line (DSL), straightness coefficient (STR), linearity (LIN), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), and beat cross frequency (BCF). Morphological abnormality of sperm includes bent tail (BT), coiled tail (CT), distal droplets (DD) and distal mid-piece reflex (DMR). Analysis revealed that the proportion of BT was significantly (P LT 0.05) lower in winter and autumn season as compared to summer and rainy season. Percent of total motile and progressive motile sperm was significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in winter season as compared to summer and rainy season. The VAP, VSL and VCL of sperm motion were significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in winter and autumn season as compared to the summer season. The DAP and STR were significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in winter and autumn season as compared to summer and rainy season. DSL and LIN were significantly (P LT 0.05) lower in summer and rainy season followed by autumn and winter season. Post-thaw motility and motion parameter varied significantly between seasons, and higher sperm motility was maintained in semen cryopreserved in winter followed by autumn, rainy and summer season.

The study was carried out to understand the effect of various concentrations of cholesterol loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) on cryosurvivability of buffalo spermatozoa. Twenty four ejaculates with mass motility GT= 3+ from 4 bulls (6 from each bull) were collected as per standard procedure. Each ejaculate was split into four groups viz., Group I (control: extended with Tris-egg yolk-glycerol extender upto 80*106 sperm/ml), Group II (treated with CLC 1 mg/ml), Group III (treated with CLC 2 mg/ml) and Group IV (treated with CLC 3 mg/ml). Semen samples of Group II, III or IV were incubated with CLC at 37 deg C for 15 minutes for the entry of cholesterol into sperms and finally diluted upto 80*106 sperm/ml. The results revealed that post-dilution and after freezing at 0.7 and 30 days of cryopreservation motility, live and dead, acrosomal integrity and hypo-osmotic swelling test were significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in Group III as compared to all other groups. However, significantly (P LT 0.05) higher percentage of abnormal sperm was observed in control group as compared to other groups. Therefore, addition of CLC 2 mg/ml in extender during buffalo semen cryopreservation has beneficial role in improvement of semen quality.

Information needs in buffalo production system to develop mobile apps as an extension service delivery tool were assessed and prioritized in seven distinct segments. Data were collected personally from 100 buffalo owners from Haryana and Rajasthan and mean weighted average scores were calculated and ranked. Age at puberty and maturity and identification of heat symptoms and heat detection were the two top areas under broad area of reproduction wherein majority of farmers expressed their desire to include as content in mobile app. Information on infertility and prolapse of uterus were main reproductive problems and needed information under broad area of reproductive problems. Information on characteristics of good dairy animals followed by best buffaloes suited for local conditions along with production potential were areas identified under breeding head. Respondents needed information on use of mineral mixture and computation of ration and feeding schedule as per age and stage of animal under buffalo feeding information on mastitis and control of foot and mouth disease under the disease control and control of external parasites and vaccination schedule under health management were the subareas under the head. Farmers expressed need to have information on farmers training and warning systems about diseases and weather forecasts under the broad areas of marketing and training apart from various other areas in each major segment include as content while developing the mobile app on buffalo production system.

Lactation curve and persistency of the lactation are the important parameters to study the sustainability of the lactation. The present study is based on daily milk production records for 298 lactations (maximum four lactations per animal) from 130 buffaloes belonging to 15 sires. Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme was used to prepare the lactation curve. Two most widely applied functions to study the lactation curve in Indian buffaloes i.e. gamma and inverse polynomial functions, were fitted to the daily milk yield records of the animals under study. Persistency was studied by carrying out simple analysis through Microsoft Excel 2000 on the weekly milk yield records of the animals. Gamma function was found to be more effective with higher R sup(2) value for all the four lactations to prepare the lactation curve as compared to inverse polynomial function. The value of persistency was found to be ranging from 97.94 percent to 98.56 percent for the fourth lactation to the first lactation, respectively. So it was concluded that gamma function can be effectively used to establish lactation curve and predict milk yield of animals on any day of lactation and Surti buffaloes as fairly persistent in milk production throughout the lactations.

The present study was conducted in buffaloes to determine the occurrence of subclinical mastitis and its diagnosis in relation to milk SCC and biochemical composition. The results showed that taking quarter foremilk (QFM) somatic cell count (SCC) threshold limit of LT 200*10**(3) cell for defining healthy quarters, 16.48 percent of buffaloes and 5.79 percent of quarters were positive for specific subclinical mastitis. In total, 57/363 (15.70 percent)of quarters were bacteriological positive with 21 (5.79 percent) representing specific and 36 (9.92 percent) latent infections. The major pathogen isolated were 28 (49 percent) coagulase-negative staphylococci followed by 16 (28 percent) S. aureus, 09 (16 percent) Streptococcus and 4(7 percent) Corynebacterium spp. The average QFM SCC was found as 52.50*10**(3) cells /ml for the quarter with no bacteria, and 356.51*10**(3) cell /ml for the quarters infected with one or the other bacteria (p LT 0.05). The milk electrical conductivity (EC), Fat and Lactoseshowed significant alterations with the quarter infection, the EC and Fat increased while Lactose decreased in infected quarters (p LT 0.05). The California mastitis test CMT) at cut off score of GT 0.5 for diseased quarters showed 68.75 percent sensitivity with 99.09 percent specificity. The EC with 87.50 percent sensitivity and 74.02 percent specificity and Lactose with 84.37 percent sensitivity and 66.16 percent specificity also showed significant (p LT 0.01) discrimination ability to differentiate healthy and mastitis quarters in buffaloes. The milk pH was not found to be a good parameter to identify diseased quarters.