Study was undertaken to examine lead contents in different feeds and drinking water offered to buffaloes as well as those of buffalo blood and milk during two different seasons (winter and summer) in the area of Dakahlia, Egypt. The study revealed that the feedstuffs and drinking water contained less than the tolerance lead level, although the lead contents of the samples obtained in winter were higher than those of summer. The levels of lead in the blood and milk of buffaloes were within the normal range. However, winter values were higher than summer values. The lead contents of blood of veal calves were lower than those of buffalo bulls

The hematologic parameters (total red blood cell count, hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, total white blood cell count, relative and absolute differential white blood cell count) were examined in three (3) castrated male Swamp buffaloes 3-5 years old harnessed to loads of 100 kg, 200 kg, 300 kg and allowed to travel 1,000 meters over an asphalt road for a period of 30 days per load. Blood samples were collected and examined every seventh day of the test period. Except for blood hemoglobin concentration, no significant alterations in the values of most blood parameters examined were observed. The hemoglobin concentration of the animals under test were significantly decreased after harnessing to 100 kg and 200 kg but did not significantly differ from the pre-test values obtained after harnessing to the 300 kg load.

Total of nine swamp buffalo embryos at the stages of two-cell embryo, 16-cell embryo, compacted morula, blastocyst and hatched blastocyst were frozen to -196 deg. Celsius by manual and automatic methods. The embryos were cooled slowly from room temperature to -7 deg. Celsius at the rate of 1.0 deg. Celsius/min from -7 deg. Celsius to -15 deg. Celsius or -30 deg. Celsius at the rate 0.3 deg. Celsius/min before plunging into liquid nitrogen. The post-thawed morphology showed undamaged embryos (grade A) could be obtained after both manual and automatic freezing, and also partially damaged (grade B) and totally damaged embryos (grade C). The percentage of each group was 22.2 % (2/9), and 55.6 % (5/9), respectively. This was the first report on cryopreservation of swamp buffalo embryos. Further studies on biabiliity after transfer should follow

The distribution and urinary excretion of sulfamethoxazole were investigated in healthy buffalo calves. After a single iv dose (100 mg/kg), the blood level peaked at 103.8+-4.3 ug ml-1 at 15 min and declined to 12 ug ml-1 at 24 h. The minimum inhibitory concentration of drug (25 ug ml-1) was maintained up to 12 h. The extent of penetration of sulfamethoxazole in erythrocytes was calculated to be 19-35 %. Fulfamethoxazole rapidly distributed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid, with concentrations of 8.1-40.7 ug/ml and 11.8-64.7 ug/ml from 15 to 720 min of administration, respectively.

Based upon skin hypersensitivity reaction, intradermal test was applied for the diagnosis of spontaneous fascioliasis in buffaloes. A supernatant of homogenised and sonicated extract of F. gigantica was used as antigen. Selecting neck site region as the test site it was noticed that 48.78 %, 63.41 % and 70.74 % of infected buffaloes showed positive reactions at 1/2 h, 6 h and 24 h after intradermal inoculation of antigen. The histopathological examinations of skin biopsies taken from the test site revealed hypersensitivity-l and lll at 1/2 h and 24 h intervals, respectively. Maximum number of false reactions were noticed at 1/2 h period and in tuberculin positive herd and least at 24 h. The intradermal test produced better results when the readings were taken at 24 h and the values of =9.90 mm increase in skin fold thickness were considered as standard for positive reactions.

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

The swamp buffalo is sometimes completely white, i.e., with white hair and pink skin. This condition is rarely reported in river buffalo. This is not true albinism since the pigment is still present in iris, horns, hoofs and bucal mucosa. They are widely referred to as albinoid' (Kaleff, 1932). In the present study two cases of albinoid buffaloes of the Paralakhemundi buffalo breed in India are reported (Fig.1). The occurrence of pink skin is not uncommon but occurrence of albinoids is very rare in the Paralakhemundi buffalo breed. The incidence of albinoids varies in different countries. Rifle (1962) reported 10 percent albinoid buffaloes in Thailand, Singletan and Santos (1964) showed less than 1 percent incidence in the Philippines, in Indonesia albinoidism is common in Bali and incidence may be up to 70 percent. (Fischer, 1958). Albinoids unknown in Egypt, Italy, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

The incidence of twinning in Nili-Ravi buffaloes was observed in 1,340 calvings at the Livestock Experiment Station, Bakadurmagar district, Okara, during a period of 9 1/2 years. The twinning rate was found to be 0.298 % and the incidence of twin birth had no adverse effect on subsequent post-partum productive and reproductive performance. However, twinning in buffalo is undesirable due to reduction in female progeny

Occurrence of two different types of symmetrical conjoined twin monsters described as syncephalus tetrapus tetrabrachius and dicephalus dipus tetrabrachius among riverine buffaloes of India is reported.

Six Murrah bulls of N.D.R.I. progeny testing program set V were ranked on the basis of first lactation performance of their daughters. Bull No. 1039 ranked first while animal No.393 ranked second. The index value of the top-ranking bull was 15.3 % above the herd average and this bull was recommated in the herd for a period of two producing the future young sires