The data pertaining to variable reproduction traits in Surti buffaloes were collected from network project on buffalo, Livestock Research Station, Vallabhnagar Rajasthan to obtain the genetic parameters of various reproduction traits in Surti buffaloes. The least squares means of various reproduction traits were adjusted for significant non-genetic factors and from these adjusted data, genetic parameters namely heritability and repeatability estimates as well as genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated in the population. The estimates of least-square means for calving interval, dry period and service period were 491.58+-8.56, 195.57+-6.87 and 223.60+-8.75, respectively. Effect of season and periods were highly significant (P LT= 0.01) but the effect of sire and parity were non-significant in all three traits. Regression of reproduction traits on age at first calving was negative and non-significant for all traits. Among the reproduction traits, dry period, service period and calving interval had very low heritability estimates it was due to the low additive genetic variances. Fitting maternal effect to repeatability univariate model (Model 2), it increased the additive genetic variance in CI and SP but reduced in DP. Lower repeatability estimates were observed for all reproduction traits under study. Genetic correlations of calving interval with dry period and service period were not estimated and phenotypic correlations of dry period with service period and calving interval were very high and positive.

The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of inclusion of palm kernel meal (PKM) in the diet on intake, mineral balances and nutrient utilization in buffalo bulls. In 4*4 LSD, four graded Murrah buffalo bulls were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments (T1 to T4) comprising of green fodder viz. Super Napier, paddy straw and concentrate mixture. In the concentrate mixture, palm kernel meal is incorporated at 0 (T1, Control), 10 (T2), 15 (T3) and 20 (T4) percent levels. All the concentrate mixtures were made iso-nitrogenous. Buffalo bulls in both the groups were fed to meet the nutrient requirements as per ICAR (2013) standards. Inclusion of PKM up to 20 percent level in the concentrate mixture had no effect (P GT 0.05) on the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE, CF, NFE, NDF, ADF, hemi-cellulose and cellulose as compared to the control. All the buffalo bulls were in positive N, Ca and P balance. The average DMI of buffalo bulls expressed as g/kg W0.75 or as percent BW was comparable among the treatments. Inclusion of PKM at varying levels in the concentrate mixture had no significant effect (P GT 0.05) on DCP contents expressed as percent in the diet consumed or as g/kg W0.75. However, the TDN contents expressed as percent in the diet consumed decreased (P LT 0.05) with increased levels of inclusion of PKM from 0 to 20 percent level in the concentrate mixtures. Inclusion of palm kernel meal at 10, 15 and 20 percent level in the concentrate mixtures resulted in decreased feed cost by rupee 0.73, 1.09 and 1.46 as compared to the control. It is concluded that PKM can be included up to 20 percent level in the concentrate mixture of buffalo bulls without any adverse effects.

Cryopreservation is connected with increased undesirable premature sperm capacitation, reduced lifespan and fertility results. Taurine acts as an antioxidant improving the semen quality after cryopreservation. The objective of the current study is to assess the effect of addition of different levels of taurine amino acid to tris-extender on bull sperm cryo-preservability. Methods: The collected semen samples were pooled and diluted with tris-citric acid-fructose egg yolk extender (control, 0 percent taurine) and different concentrations of taurine (10 mM, 20 Mm, 30 Mm, 40 Mm, 50 Mm, 60 Mm, 70 Mm, 80 Mm, 90 Mm and 100 mM) to final concentration of 60 *10**(6) motile sperm/ml. Diluted semen was processed for freezing and evaluated for sperm parameters. Results: Data showed that taurine enriched extender improved sperm parameters during cooling. Post thawing sperm motility percent, membrane integrity percent, Alive sperm percent improved and the percentages of abnormal sperm was lowered upon using taurine enriched extender. Conclusion: It could be concluded that, most the concentrations of taurine in Tris-citrate egg yolk extender ameliorated the post cooling and post freezing semen quality in buffalo bulls.

The study objective was to evaluate the efficacy of Ceftiofur hydrochloride intramammary (IMM) formulation (Spectramast LC, Zoetis India) with or without parenteral Cefoperazone/Sulbactum antibiotic on bacteriological cure, clinical cure and pathogen cure in lactation clinical mastitis (CM) when compared with control group treated with Amoxicillin-Sulbactum. The study was conducted from September 2015 through December 2017 on lactating buffaloes suffering from clinical mastitis (n=307) (Treatment group, T1 = 156 and Control group, T2 = 151) mostly at farmer's doorstep and also the participation of organized buffalo herds located at Hisar (n=2), Sirsa (n=1) from Haryana and at Nabha (n=1) from Punjab after follow up 1 and 2 at day 10 and 21 respectively. Infected quarters in Grade I and II lactation CM Treatment group (T1) were treated from day 0 to day 4 i.e. for 5 consecutive days with Ceftiofur hydrochloride IMM formulation or in Grade III lactation CM, IMM Ceftiofur hydrochloride along with parenteral Cefoperazone/Sulbactum. Control group (T2) received treatment from day 0 to day 2 i.e. for 3 consecutive days with Amoxicillin-Sulbactum antibiotic. Of 307 buffaloes infected with CM at day 0 pre-treatment, 93.49 percent of milk samples came culture positive whereas 52.12 percent (n=160/307) and 29.64 percent (91/307) of culture positive milk samples were there at day 10 and day 21 post-treatment respectively. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most prevalent causative agent followed by other gram positive, mixed infection, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp., other coliform, Pseudomonas, other gram negative and Enterococcus spp. While apparent bacteriological cure rate of IMI was 50.37 percent (at animal level) at day 10 post-treatment in the Treatment group receiving Spectramast LC, it was 77.78 percent at day 21 post-treatment in the same group. The bacteriological cure rate of 45.45 percent and 57.58 percent were observed at day 10 and day 21 post-treatment in Control group respectively. Buffaloes receiving Spectramast LC (Treatment group) were 1.12 times (at day 10) and 1.35 times (at day 21) more likely to cure than Control group. Treatment group showed numerically higher clinical and pathogen cure than control group.

This trial was conducted to check the effect of commercially available hydrolysable tannin (Silvafeed Bypro) on feed intake, protein digestibility, rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen in Nili Ravi buffalo bulls. Four cannulated buffalo bulls were alloted in 4*4 Latin Square Design. The diet consisted of 50% seasonal fodder and 50 percent concentrate. Four iso-caloric (ME: 2800 kcal/kg) and iso-nitrogenous (CP: 18 percent) concentrate rations T1, T2, T3 and T4 were formulated and supplemented with 0, 10, 20 and 30 g hydrolysable tannin respectively per animal on daily basis. Diets as a total mixed ration were given to the bulls ad libitum twice a day. The results showed that adding tannin in diet had unaltered effect (P GT 0.05) on feed intake, digestibility of crude protein, ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen. However, slightly increased numerical values were found for feed intake, crude protein digestibility and ruminal pH while slightly decreased numerical values were found for ruminal ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen at different inclusion levels of hydrolysable tannin in diet. It is concluded that numerical values for feed intake, crude protein digestibility, ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen are slightly better but non-significant than control when buffalo bull were fed diets supplemented with hydrolysable tannin.

A field survey was undertaken to collect the health care and milking management practices opted by randomly selected 50 buffaloes farm owners in peri urban areas of Surat city and data were collected by using personal interview schedule. The present study indicated that regular vaccination and deworming practice adopted by 96 percent and 38 percent of the respondents, respectively. Only 20 percent of respondents did not adopted control of ecto-parasites practices. Only 38 percent of respondents treated their sick buffalo by veterinary officer. Majority (58 percent) of respondents did not followed grooming practice to their buffaloes. Sick buffalo isolated from healthy one was adopted by only 12 percent of respondents. All the respondents' clean udder and teats, wash their hands before milking and milked their animals at same place twice a day. Dry hand and full hand methods of milking was adopted by 24 percent and 18 percent of respondents, respectively. The use of oxytocin injection for letdown of milk after death of buffalo calf was adopted by 44 percent of respondents. Wipe the udder and teats after milking, teat dipping, testing for mastitis and teat canal sealing at the end of lactation was not practiced by any of the respondents.

The conventional drugs used for the treatment of buffalo mastitis are losing their efficacy day by day due to increasing resistance in microbial organisms. It is therefore people nowadays are going back to use old but still quite potential remedy methods by using different herbs and shrubs for the treatment of different animal diseases including mastitis. In current investigation, three botanical extracts viz., garlic (Allium sativum L.), ginger (Zingiber officinale) and red chilies (Capsicum annuum L.) were evaluated individually and concomitantly (with ratio of 1:1) against the multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes isolated from buffalo mastitis. Agar well diffusion assay exhibited that red chili shown significantly (P LT 0.05) higher effects than garlic followed by ginger. All concentrations of red chili and 100 percent concentration of garlic exhibited a significantly (P LT 0.05) higher inhibitory effect against Strep. pyogenes comparing with other extracts and reference antibiotic oxacillin and streptomycin. Red chili as well as garlic in 75 and 100 percent concentrations also significantly (P LT 0.05) inhibited the Staph. aureus isolates comparing with ginger and reference drug. Red chili exhibited the highest inhibitory effects when combined with garlic than ginger. Garlic + red chilies showed a significantly (P LT 0.05) higher inhibitory effect against Staph. aureus and Strep. pyogenes as compared to other combined treatments and reference drug. Red chili as well as garlic also showed significantly (P LT 0.05) lower MIC (0.394 and 0.399 mg/ml respectively) against multidrug resistant Strep. pyogenes as compared to the ginger (0.564 mg/ml) and reference antibiotic oxacillin (0.460 mg/ml). Red chilies also showed significantly (P LT 0.05) lower (0.211 mg/ml) MIC against multidrug resistant Staph. aureus as compared to the garlic (0.391 mg/ml), ginger (0.394 mg/ml) and reference antibiotic tetracycline (0.370 mg/ml). Treatment combination based on red chili, garlic and ginger also exhibited significantly (P LT 0.05) lower MIC value against Staph. aureus and Strep. pyogenes as compared to ginger + garlic and reference antibiotic. This study concludes that red chili ranked 1st, garlic ranked 2nd and ginger ranked 3rd for antibacterial activity against multidrug resistant Staph. aureus and Strep. pyogenes. Treatment combination based on garlic + red chili ranked 1st, ginger + red chilies ranked 2nd and ginger + garlic ranked 3rd for antibacterial activity against multidrug resistant bacteria isolates.

The objective of present study was to assess the effect of Modified Co-synch protocol with or without progesterone device on estrus induction and conception rate in Murrah buffaloes under field conditions during summer season. The study was conducted on 30 postpartum anestrous Murrah buffaloes, divided into two groups containing 15 animals in each group. All animals were of parity between 2nd to 5th and body condition score of more than 3. Group 1 animals were treated with Modified Co-synch protocol. In Group 2 animals, in addition to Modified Co-synch protocol progesterone device was supplemented exogenously and kept in situ for 7 days. Another objective of study was to estimate plasma progesterone concentration on different days of protocols in both the groups. In Group 1, out of 15 animals that received Modified Co-synch protocol treatment, 12 (80 percent) animal responded and exhibited signs of heat after the prostaglandin administration and out of which four animal (33.33 percent) exhibited excellent symptoms, five animals (41.7 percent) showed medium category estrus and only three animal (25 percent) responded with poor estrus symptoms. Similarly in Group 2, all 15 animals that received Modified Co-synch protocol along with progesterone device for 7 days responded to treatment and expressed sign of heat and out of which seven buffaloes (46.7 percent) responded with excellent symptoms, five animals (33.3 percent) showed medium estrus symptoms and only three animals (20 percent) expressed poor estrus signs. In Group 1, out of 12 animals which were inseminated, five animals (33.3 percent) were found to be pregnant after FTAI at induced estrus and three animals (30 percent) got pregnant following AI during second estrus. Thus, an overall conception rate (53.53 percent) with pregnancy of eight buffaloes following induced and subsequent estrous was achieved in this Group. Similarly in Group 2, out of 15 animals, seven buffaloes (46.6 percent) were found to be pregnant following induced estrous and three animals (37.5 percent) got pregnant following AI at subsequent estrous. Thus, an overall conception rate (66.67 percent) with pregnancy of ten buffaloes following induced and subsequent estrous was recorded in this group. Concentration of progesterone in Group 1 was 0.24+-0.04, 1.38+-0.11, 0.31+-0.05, 0.25+-0.04 ng/ml (on Day 0, 7, 9, 10) and in Group 2 was 0.26+-0.04, 3.75+-0.40, 0.24+-0.05, 0.25+-0.05 ng/ml (on Day 0, 7, 9, 10). Therefore, it was concluded that progesterone supplementation in Modified Co-synch protocol treatment during non-breeding season results in very good induction and acceptable conception rate in anestrous buffaloes under field conditions.

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.