This study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of polypropylene mesh (PPM) for the repair of external abdominal hernias in buffaloes. PPM was used for the repair of external abdominal hernias in ten Jaffarabadi buffaloes having mean weight of 388.5 kg and mean hernial ring size of 117.279 cm2. Clinical, hematological, biochemical and erythrocytic antioxidants parameters were evaluated before and on post-implantation days 7 and 15 to assess efficacy of the repair. With the exception of one case, healing was uneventful. Hematological, biochemical and erythrocytic antioxidants findings were unremarkable. Polypropylene mesh shows excellent repair efficiency for external abdominal hernia repair in buffaloes without serious complications.

Buffaloes were screened for theileriosis by routine microscopic examination and also subjected for characterisation by PCR technique. Blood samples were collected from lactating buffaloes in post partum period from endemic areas of Athagarh block of Cuttack district, Odisha, India. Genomic DNA of Theileria piroplasm was isolated and genus specific primers were used for amplification of small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences. The amplified PCR products of Theileria spp. were sequenced. Out of 86 cases examined, 21 and 31 samples were found positive by Giemsa stained blood smear method and PCR technique respectively. The PCR product was sequenced and analysed for homology. The identified nucleotide sequence had close sequence homology with Theileria orientalis and Theileria buffeli. These findings also support the fact that 18S small subunit rRNA gene is hyper variable among the species. The nucleotide sequence was submitted to NCBI and a new accession number (MN262069) was assigned.

This study focused on finding the critical controlling points in the swamp buffalo milking and storage processes in an intensive farm setting over a 12 months period (between June 2018 and July 2019). The raw milk and pasteurized milk samples were randomly collected once a month for laboratory testing by standard plate count (SPC) and total coliform count (TCC). The model for the investigation and implementation of this study was taken from the dairy cattle industry-which involves similar, though not identical, problems and issues. The first phase of this study was the problem finding phase. The collected raw milk samples showed that both the SPC and the TCC were higher than standard values and both contained environmental bacterial contamination. Escherichia coli contamination was found to be caused by improper hygienic conditions i.e. poor personal hygiene, inadequate techniques and procedures to clean and disinfect the milking equipment and milking area or from after milking issues such as high temperatures during milk storage and transportation. In the problem solving phase, protocols of good hygiene throughout the milking process were suggested and implemented. The collected raw milk and pasteurized milk samples for SPC and TCC decreased to the standard values after hygienic improvements were implemented. The hygiene of the milk workers (such as the hand washing), the lack of staff duty separation and the failure to properly regulate the temperature during, and duration of, the raw milk storage were found to be the critical controlling points of this study. In the follow up phase, the SPC and TCC of the raw and pasteurized milk tested in the standard value range throughout the monitoring period. Our finding suggested that client education and monitoring at least once a month might be necessary in swamp buffalo dairy farms in order to ensure good practices in the milking process. This study could provide guidelines for the development of a hygienic swamp buffalo milk production protocols for private and government farms and as a prototype for future developments in this industry.

The aim of experiment was to evaluate whether biostimulation by mature intact bull to anoestrus buffalo alters breeding performance associated with CIDR based oestrus synchronization protocol during low breeding season. Anoestrus buffalo that had calved 170.0+-10.6 (132 to 208) days before the start of the trial, were either exposed to bull (n=30, BE) or not exposed to bull (n=10, BN) for 12 days after CIDR placement (day 0). Animals received PGF 2 alpha on day 9, CIDR was removed on day 10 and Timed AI (TAI) was performed with frozen thawed semen at 48 and 60 h after CIDR removal. Buffalo were observed for oestrus detection twice daily for three days after CIDR removal. Blood sampling was done on day 9, 12 and 20 of the experiment to monitor the progesterone and cortisol levels (5 per group). Pregnancy test was done 60 days after insemination. Oestrus expression was noted in 68.97 percent (BE) and 60 percent (BN) animals (P GT 0.05). Progesterone rise above 1 ng/ml on day 20 was recorded in 4/5 (80 percent) in BE group and 2/5 (40 percent) in BN group (P GT 0.05). Conception rate was 37.9 percent (11/29) and 30 percent, (3/10) in BE and BN groups respectively (P GT 0.05). It is concluded that CIDR and fixed time artificial insemination can be used to overcome partially the problem of anoestrus and seasonality in buffalo. However, biostimulation in CIDR treated anoestrus buffalo did not increase the number of ovulating/oestrus buffalo during low breeding season probably due to a shorter exposure period (only 12 days) to bull.

Out of the 290 uterine torsion affected buffaloes presented to the Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex Hospital, GADVASU, Ludhiana, gestation period was complete in 88.6 percent buffaloes and its most (66.2 percent) frequent occurrence was observed second to fourth parity. Most of the uterine torsion were post cervical (95.1 percent), on right side (93.4 percent), of GT 180 deg (82 percent) and presented within 36 h from the occurrence of uterine torsion. Sharma's modified Schaffer's method was attempted to detort 87.9 percent uterine torsion affected buffaloes. There were no significant (P GT 0.05) association of successful detorsion with gestation period, parity, side of torsion, position of torsion and degree of torsion. However, the duration of torsion were significantly (P LT 0.05) associated with successful detorsions. The overall survival rate of uterine torsion affected buffaloes presented at TVCC hospital was 63.4 percent, whereas the survival rate among the successfully detorted buffaloes was about 91 percent. The survival rate of the calves delivered was 18.96 percent and most (59.9 percent) of calves delivered were male. Calf survival and dam survival rate decreased with increase in duration of occurrence. The future fertility decreased with increase in duration of torsion. It is concluded that the increased duration from the occurrence of uterine torsion to its treatment decreases the chances of successful detorsion, dam survival and calf survival.

In order to evaluate and compare the properties of type traits in Khuzestani and Azeri river buffaloes, 148 and 336 Khuzestani and Azeri buffaloes were used, respectively. Animals were evaluated for traits such as Height at Withers, Body depth, Body length, Heart girth, Hip width, Pin width and Hip to Pin length. The averages for these traits in Khuzestani breed were 145.2+-6.63, 78.27+-5.43, 140.5+-10.05, 208.87+-13.75, 57+-4.44, 25.29+-3.03 and 44+-2.97 cm and in Azeri breed were 138.93+-6.39, 76.4+-5.61, 136.22+-10.05, 184+-13.66, 54.96+-4.85, 26.43+-3.94 and 43.8+-3.44 cm, respectively. The effect of breed on height at withers, heart girth and hip width was quite significant (P LT 0.001) and values for these traits in Khuzestani breed was higher than Azeri. The effect of parity number for all studied traits was significant (P LT 0.001), except for the heart girth. Heifers had the lowest values among different age groups and differences in this group increased with increasing age and parity. Also, the effects of province as a factor for climate and culture circumstances on studied traits was quite significant (P LT 0.001), except for the heart girth and hip to Pin length. Buffaloes in Guilan province had lowest and buffaloes in Khuzestan and Kermanshah provinces had the highest values.

Distribution pattern of phosphatases, oxidoreductases and non-specific esterases were studied in ovary of prepubertal, follicular phase, luteal phase and in pregnant animals. In the ovary of prepubertal buffaloes, distribution of phosphatases (AKPase and G-6-Pase) was negligible in the surface epithelium, tunica albuginea and stroma in the cortex region while it was weak during the follicular, luteal and pregnant animals. Its activity was strong in the primordial and primary follicles in all the phases of the reproduction. Strong to intense reaction was observed in the theca cells and granulosa cells. The luteal cells and blood vessels in corpus luteum of luteal phase showed moderate reactions while strong reaction was observed in the pregnant buffaloes. The enzyme reaction of dehydrogenases revealed that the steroidogenic cells were more active during follicular phase, luteal phase and pregnancy while weak activity was observed in the surface epithelium and tunica albuginea. Reactivity of diaphorases were weak to moderate in surface epithelium and tunica albuginea, moderate activity in theca cells and oocyte and intense reaction in granulosa cells of tertiary follicles and weak activity in connective tissue septa and intense in luteal cells in parenchyma of corpus luteum of buffalo. Activity of NSE was strong in the granulosa cells and corona radiate cells of secondary and tertiary follicles while it was moderate in the theca cells. Most of the enzymes were more active in pubertal and pregnant buffaloes compared with prepubertal buffaloes and could be correlated with the steroid synthesis. The difference in the intensity of enzyme in different compartments of ovary also correlated with the cells participating in the hormone synthesis.

This study was conducted to evaluate health care and management practices for calves less than or equal to 12 months of age in smallholder production system. Data was collected using household survey technique in Lodhran district, Punjab, Pakistan. 14 villages were selected using stratified proportionate random sampling method and 10 calf keeping households from each village were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Calves were not allowed to free range therefore all farmers practiced stall feeding. Housing facilities were of poor quality in half of farms (50.7 percent). Farmers were not using modern technologies of milk replacer, urea treated wheat straw and urea molasses blocks. All farmers offered colostrum however timings of offering differed. 75.7 percent farmers performed navel cord cutting and disinfection. All farmers offered treatment but majority (87.1 percent) practiced self-medication first. Vaccination rate was good at 94.3 percent. Almost all farmers performed drenching and dipping on their calves but there were vast differences in when and on what conditions they will be performed. Calf mortality rate for the last 12 months was 18.78 percent. Weaning age was high from modern calf rearing perspective. These findings suggest that there have been marked improvements in some parameters but farmers are still following traditional methods and practices of calf rearing due to severe lack of training related to calf rearing. There is a need for improvement in various aspects related to calf rearing including feed, housing, weaning and training.

An attempt was made to know the management system of intensive buffalo farming and buffalo derived -problems under semi-arid area of Bangladesh. Direct interview with farmers, farm observation, community discussion and key informant interview (KII) had been followed over six months in Dinajpur district. It was observed that buffaloes were reared under two types of management system namely household yard intensive (HYI) and completely intensive (CI). In HYI system, farmers purchased heifer or pregnant buffalo from local market and sold mother with calf after one year. Buffaloes were kept shed at night and maintained feeding, showering and other activities in the household yard at day. Those were showered by once-two times/week in cool day, but most of them were showered in a day. On the other hand, in CI system, buffaloes were reared inside the shed all time and maintain feeding, showering and other activities in the shed. Buffaloes were showered twice in a day in winter period while three times in summer period. Average milk production for each buffalo was 5 to 8 liter/day. Major productive and reproductive traits e.g. lactation Length (day), average milk yield (L/day), dry period (day), age at first pregnancy (month) and age at first calving (month) were found better in CI system than that of HYI system and those were found highly significant (P LT 0.001). Significant difference were found on total solids, fat and protein content but no significance difference were observed on SNF, lactose and ash of buffalo milk between two farms. Insignificant difference (P GT 0.05) was found for the value of electric conductivity (ECms/cm) that showed both farms produced healthy milk (3.25+-0.49 vs 3.09+-0.89). Both systems showed as a profitable venture (BCR 1.33 vs 1.25). Problem matrix revealed that the top ranked order of problem were "inadequate knowledge on buffalo rearing", "high price of feed" and "low milk price" mentioned as 1, 2 and 3. Shortage of feeds and fodder, high temperature and lack of cow boy were ranked as 4, 5 and 6. Limited breeder bull, lake of AI workers and inadequate quality semen and credit facilities mentioned as 7 ranked problem. It was concluded that ensuring training and marketing could help to improve intensive system of dairy buffalo that meet up the growing demand of milk in urban people. Simultaneously AI facilities with quality semen, HYV fodder cultivation and credit facilities should be promoted for sustainable dairy buffalo farming.

The current study was conducted to find out the factors affecting to swamp buffalo production in Songkhram wet land area (consisting of 3 districts: Si Songkhram, Tha Uthen, and Na Wa Districts), Nakhon Phanom province, Thailand. The data were collected from 370 farmers and analyzed by using Chi-square to test association of the studied factors between farm groups (Group I: farmers who produced the swamp for fancy buffaloes and showing, and Group II: farmers who produced the buffaloes for power work and meat production) in the study population. The results showed that many factors that affected to buffalo production, such as source of knowledge used for buffalo production, patterns of buffalo production, kinds of land, objectives for buffalo production, record keeping, types of roughage, person who suggest to select buffalo, mating systems, changing sire, information for considering for replacement dams selection, age at first mating, and problem and obstacle related to the achievement of swamp buffalo production (P LT 0.01) excepted for gender of farmers, educational level and type of labor for buffalo production (P GT 0.05). This information implied the need of increasing efficiency of buffalo production, and also improvement of knowledge, understanding and chance in sire selection of the farmers.