Flexor tendons of forelimb play a major role in the locomotion of the animal and also in bearing 45 percent of the body wieght, thus making these tendons prone to several injuries. Current investigation was carried in three post-natal age groups of buffalo bulls to elucidate gross morphological and morphometrical features of superficial (SDFT) and deep (DDFT) digital flexor tendons of forelimb. Morphological studies revealed that they are shiny white fibrous structures bound by tough, durable fibrous sheath the 'flexor retinaculum' on palmar aspect of manus in all three groups (G) i.e., 1 to 3 years (G I), 3 to 6 years (G II) and 6 years and above (G III). SDFT in cross sections at myo-tendinous junction was flat elliptical shaped in G I and G II whereas it was oval in G III specimens. At mid metacarpal region the SDFT was dorso-ventrally compressed and ring-shaped in digital region. Thickness increased in aged specimens at their origin, mid metacarpus and at insertion points. Lengths of the two slips of SDFT in buffalo gradually increased from inter digital space up to their insertion points from G I to G III. Cross sectional profile of DDFT in mid metacarpus was flat elliptical in outline in all groups. Thickness of the tendon steadily increased with age from G I to III. Length of DDFT from origin to its division and from division to insertion steadily increased.

Farm ruminants are responsible for about 15 percent of total global methane emission due to enteric fermentation of feeds. Additives are being used to modify rumen fermentation towards reduced methanogenesis, however, hazards associated with feeding of antibiotics and other chemical compounds to livestock for improving animal performance and methane mitigation are growing public awareness and encourage the research towards exploiting natural products as feed additives. Therefore, an experiment was carried out to examine the potential of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) leaves essential oils in modulating rumen fermentation for reduced methane production in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Essential oils were extracted both from dried and fresh eucalyptus leaves, separately in Soxhlet's apparatus by organic solvent, hexane [15 g leaves extracted in 100 ml n-hexane (mol. wt. 86.18, assay 99.0 percent and density 0.658)] for 72 h and tested at three dose levels (0, 0.5 and 2.0 ml) in buffered rumen fluid (BRF). Oats hay (200+-5 mg) was used as substrate and incubated with 30 ml BRF in 100 ml calibrated glass syringes at 39 deg C for 24 h following standard in vitro gas production protocol. Gas production was recorded by displacement of piston in the syringe. Methane in the gas phase and volatile fatty acids in the fermentation medium were estimated by Gas Chromatograph (GC). The total gas production and dry matter digestibility was increased (P LT 0.05) at low dose (0.5 ml) of eucalyptus leaves extract, irrespective of nature of leaves however, these were reduced (P LT 0.05) at higher dose (2.0 ml). Methane production was reduced (P LT 0.05), irrespective of doses. Volatile fatty acids (VFA) production were increased (P LT 0.05) at low dose but higher dose detrimentally reduced it. Rumen ammonia - N was not affected at low dose however, it was reduced at high dose of extract. Extracts from both dried and fresh leaves behaved similarly in modulating all the rumen fermentation parameters at corresponding dose levels. Results of this study revealed reduced methane production with increased feed digestibility and volatile fatty acids production by dosing extract of eucalyptus leaves. Therefore, it suggests using of either extract of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) leaves (0.5 ml/30 ml rumen fluid) or its corresponding dose of leaves as feed additive in buffaloes.