BACKGROUND: The protozoancryptosporidiumisan important intestinal parasitic infection in domestic ruminants that has the potential for transmission between humans and livestock throughout the world and Iran. OBJECTIVES: The present study was undertaken to determine cryptosporidiuminfection in different age groupsof cattle and water buffaloesin farms of Mahabad suburb, Iran. METHODS: For this purpose, a total number of 248 fresh fecal samples were randomly collected from rectum of cattle and water buffaloesin farms of 4 villages from May2016 to May 2017. The fecal samples were subjected to floatation technique andcryptosporidiumoocysts were collected using Sucrose Gradient and Percole flotation technique and stained with modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of cryptosporidiuminfection was 50% (124/248). The highest rate of infection was significant in female calves (30.65%) less than one year-old. The highest infection rate was significantly found in summer (20.16%). Cryptosporidium parvum and C. andersoni were identified in 40.32% (100/248) and 9.68% (24/248) of examined cattle, respectively. Mixed infection was 8.47%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that C.parvum was prevalent in cattle of the region, therefore, further molecular studies are recommended to determine the genotypes of the parasiteas a potential zoonotic agent.

The present report was based on analysis of 410 cases (300 buffaloes and 110cattle) of reproductive disorders. Buffaloes (300 cases) constituted the major number of the total cases followed by cows (110 cases). Dystocia cases were the major obstetrical problem in buffaloes and cattle constituted 77 and 40 per cent, respectively.

The effect of two thawing temperatures (37°Cfor30 sec. and 60°Cfor 7 sec.)on sperm survivability and conception rate in buffaloes with frozen semen of Murrah bulls was compared. Thawing at 60°C resulted in statistically significant increase (P0.05) in sperm survivability (motility,live spermatozoa and intact acrosomes) compared with thawing at 37°c. In all, 161 buffaloes were inseminated with frozen semen thawed at 37°Cand 159buffaloeswith semen thawed at 60°Cbetween 2006-07 and 2009-10. Conception rate of 64.15% and 50.31% was obtained with semen thawed at 60°C and 37°C, respectively, and the difference was significant (P0.05). Artificial insemination of buffaloes with frozen semen thawed at 60°C for 7 sec. could be safely used to improve both sperm survivability and conception rate in buffaloes.

The study was conducted on twelve normally calved, suckled, lactating Murrah buffaloes, aged 57.9±3.2 months from 1st to 3rd parity. The animals varied from 12 to 30 days postpartum at the start of experiment and suckling was restricted to twice daily (before milking). The objective of the study was to monitor ovarian follicular changes during early postpartum in Murrah buffaloes using a real time Bmode ultrasonography. Only 3 out of 12 animals showed cyclicity during observation period. Large follicles (8 to 10 mm) were detected for the 1st time at 24.4±1.99 days, whereas 10 mm follicles were first noticed at 26.0±1.41 days. The duration of growth of dominant follicle (9.3±0.48 days) was higher than duration of its regression (7.1±0.40 days), thereby indicating that the rate of regression is faster (0.73±0.03 mm/d) as compared to rate of growth (0.64±0.02 mm/d). The duration of growth of corpus luteum formed after 1st ovulation was very short (8.67±1.44 days). The largest diameter attained by first postpartum ovulatory follicle was 13.0±1.10 mm and the calving to first postpartum ovulation interval was 52.67±8.02 days in the present study. It is concluded that very few (25%) buffaloes experience ovulations in early postpartum period (within 2 months postpartum). Low number of buffaloes displayed spontaneous resumption of postpartum cyclicity although ovaries of all the animals exhibited follicular activity.