This study revealed that amphistome infection with Ceylonocotyle scoliocoelium in buffaloes was associated with the development of persistent diarrhoea and death in seven animals. At postmortem the immature parasites were found to be responsible for duodenitis and severe hepatic damage. Hepatic lesions caused by the amphistome fluke are described and discussed.

Buffalo diseases were the same as those of cattle with few differences in their prevalence, pathogenicity and symptomatology. Parasitic diseases are the most prevalent. Neoascaris vitulorum is the most common helminthosis of young buffalo calves. Coccidial infection, louse infestation, psoroptic mange, trypanosomiasis, haemorrhagic cutaneous filariasis has been diagnosed in the Amazon Valley. Among the infections and contagious disease to which buffaloes are subjected, the following can be detected: foot-and-mouth disease, haemorrhagic septicaemia, brucellosis, tuberculosis, rabies and blackleg. Also present in this region were the non-infections diseases: hypophosphataemia, hypocalcaemia and plant poisoning. Details related to categorization of these diseases are discussed.

Study was undertaken to investigate the fertility of frozen semen from three Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls using three different extenders. Semen was extended in milk-yolk-glycerol, lactose-yolk-glycerol and fructose-lactose-yolk-glycerol, kept in 0.5 ml straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Only normal cyclic buffaloes were inseminated with the post-thaw semen. Fertility was based on pregnancy test through rectal palpation at 45 to 50 days post insemination. Milk-yolk-glycerol extender showed the best fertility result (49.82 percent) among all the extenders (45.68 percent for lactose-yolk-glycerol and 39.01 % for fructose-lactose-yolk-glycerol)

Study was carried out to find out the association between physical traits and production characteristics in 25 Surti buffaloes. Out of the six traits studied only height at withers (r=-0.446) and distance between pin-bones (r=+0.455) were found to be significantly related the milk yield but their regression coefficient was of little practical value. None of the other characters studied showed any association with milk yield or fat percent in Surti buffaloes.

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 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.

In the present investigation, plasma levels and pharmacokinetics of cephaloridine were investigated in buffalo calves following intramuscular administration (10 mg/kg) 6 h after its iv injection (10 mg/kg). The appreciable plasma concentration of 2.78+-0.28 ug ml-1 was recorded at 1 min and the peak plasma level (31.6+-1.50 ug ml-1) was measured at 30 min. The absorption half-life and elimination half-life were 0.037+-0.011 and 2.24+-0.30 h, respectively. In general the disposition behaviour of cephaloridine when given by repeated administration did not vary significantly from its single intramuscular dose.

Dry matter requirement was estimated on 24 growing Indian buffalo calves fed concentrate and wheat straw to supply two levels (75 and 100 %) of protein and three levels (90, 100 and 110 %) of energy as per NRC (1976) for 500 g daily gain in a 2x3 factorial design. The dry matter intake (DMI) recorded at about 100 kg and 250 kg mean body weight was used for deriving multiple regression using DMI (Y) an independent variable and body weight or metabolic body weight (X1) and average daily gain (X2) as dependent variables. The prediction equations were: 1) Y= -0.9956+0.1036 X1 +0.0015 X2, 2. Y= -0.0489+0.02344 X1 +0.0015 X2, 3) Y= -4.9946+0.1315 X1 +0.002665 X2 and 4) Y= -1.782+0.019 X1 +0.00355 X2. There was positive correlation between DMI with body weight or metabolic body weight and ADG for all the 4 equations and R2 was 0.32; 0.32; 0.66 and 0.56 respectively. In spite of great differences in correlation coefficients, equations 2, 3 and 4 were found to be useful for predicting dry matter requirement from 100 to 400 kg body weight and from zero to 750 g ADG. However, equation 1 may be useful for 100 to 200 kg body weight