• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.187-190
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• 1993

A study was conducted to compare and determine the incidence of ultrastructural alterations in the testes of Philippine carabaos and crossbred buffaloes. Thirteen Philippine carabao bulls and twenty five crossbred male buffaloes were used in this study. Testicular biopsy was used to get tissue samples which were prepared for histologic evaluation using the electron microscopy method. There was no significant difference in Sertoli cell alterations between Philippine carabaos and crossbred buffaloes. However, more crossbred buffaloes (40%) had both Sertoli cell and spermatogenic cell alterations which were significantly higher compared to the 7.7% occurrence in Philippine carabaos. Sertoli cells of crossbred buffaloes exhibited intracavitary structures and exaggerated infoldings of the nuclear envelope (36%), nuclear bleb (16%), and intracytoplasmic vacuolations (16%). Philippine carabaos exhibited few ultrastructural alterations which were mainly intracytoplasmic vacuolations in Sertoli cells (15%).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.261-264
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• 1994

The lactation milk yields of 209 buffaloes and cattle were measured on farms in Taplejung and Dhankuta Districts in East Nepal. This includes local and crossbred buffaloes and cows. The average milk yield (${\pm}\;SD$) of 97 local buffaloes was $833\;{\pm}\;94.6\;kg$ whereas that for 83 local cows was only $455\;{\pm}\;61.5\;kg$. The milk yield of buffaloes decreased with number of calvings, but that for the cows increased. The milk yields of 18 Murrah crossbreds were on average 215 kg higher than the yields of local buffaloes, and the yields of 11 Jersey crossbred cows averaged 247 kg more than the local cows. Lactation length (${\pm}\;SD$) which averaged $326\;{\pm}\;100$ days for the buffaloes and $292\;{\pm}\;98$ days for the cows, was not affected by crossbreeding. The milk yields of the crossbreds were more variable than the local buffaloes and cows. In addition to milk yield the overall productivity of a milking animal depends on calf mortality, age at first calving, calving interval, longevity, food intake, the work performance of male cattle and the meat production of male buffaloes. Among these parameters, the work performance of Jersey crossbred and local male cattle was studied later. However, other factors could not be measured.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.577-580
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• 1993

Six lactating crossbred cows and six Murrah buffaloes, maintained under similar conditions of feeding and management were studied for body composition by the antipyrine dilution technique. Measurements were made at the start of the experiment when the animals had completed about 50 days in lactation and thereafter at monthly intervals up to 90 days of the experimental period. The percent body water estimates in both species at different time intervals did not change significantly. Percent body fat and protein content also remained unchanged. The correlation coefficient between body composition parameters and various hormones (growth hormone, insulin, $T_3$ and $T_4$) were generally low and non-significant. It was concluded that body composition studies using body water are not sufficiently sensitive to predict changes in body composition of lactating cows and buffaloes and/or the changes in body composition during lactation are not very drastic.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.65-70
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• 1998

To understand the caused for poor response to superovulation in water buffalo compared to crossbred cows, follicular events, before start of superovulation, during superovulation and after superovulation were compared. Follicular development was monitored a day before start of superovulation, daily upto superestrus and on the day of flushing. A real time B mode diagnostic instrument equipped with a linear array, 5 MHz transducer was used in five crossbred cows and five Murrah buffaloes. Crossbred cows yielded significantly (p < 0.01) higher number of corpora lutea than buffaloes (21 vs 10). The mean number of small size (2 to 5 mm); medium size (6 to 9 mm) and large size $({\geq}10mm)$ follicles, a day before start of superovulation were almost similar or even slightly higher in buffalo. Though initial shift in the mean number of follicles was higher in buffalo than cow, yet, from Day 2 to Day 3 of the treatment, the average increase in medium (3.2 vs 1.2) and large size (5.0 vs 2.0) follicles was higher in cows than buffaloes. The mean number of medium and large size follicles was 9.8 and 14.4 in cows and 6.4 and 7.6 in buffaloes. On the day of flushing, the number of large size follicle was more in buffaloes than cows, indicating the ovulation problem in this species. The major conclusion from this investigation was that, a day before start of superovulatory treatment, the number of small and medium size follicles was slightly higher in buffaloes, even then superovulatory response was better in cows, due to shift, recruitment and passage of follicles from smaller size to larger size from Day 2 of treatment. Ovulation problem in buffaloes was also responsible for lower superovulatory responses as revealed by the presence of higher number of large size follicles on the day of flushing.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제3권4호
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• pp.319-322
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• 1990

The studies were conducted on 12 lactating animals comprising of six Karan Swiss (KS) cows and six Murrah buffaloes in second and third lactation. At the start of experiment the cows had completed on an average 51 days in lactation and were yielding an average of 15.1 kg milk a day. The buffaloes had completed 53 days in lactation and were yielding an average of 11.6 kg milk a day. At fortnightly intervals jugular blood samples were drawn at morning, noon, evening and night hours. Plasma growth hormone concentrations were highest during morning and thereafter decreased. In both the species there was a definite trend in the change of growth hormone concentrations during the day. In general growth hormone concentration decreased as the stage of lactation advanced. The overall average values of plasma growth hormone in cows and buffaloes were 2.95 and 2.48 ng/ml which were not statistically different. With the advancing lactation, the decline in milk yields in both the species was positively correlated with the growth hormone concentrations.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.621-628
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• 1997

This study aimed to quantify the impact of crossbreeding at farm level, in mixed farm systems in Gujarat. Households with crossbred cattle did not differ from households without crossbreds in terms of farm resources, crop gross margins and off-farm income. The use of crossbred animals did increase livestock gross margins by 64% and household income by 22%. The three agro-ecological zones included in this study differed considerably according to farm system and household income. However, in all three zones, households with crossbreds had higher livestock gross margins than households without crossbreds. There was no real difference in work load and labour division between households with and without crossbreds. There was also no difference in the use of bullocks for draught purposes between the two types of households. In particular buffaloes are being replaced by crossbred cattle. There was a large variation in farm income, largely because of land area. The milk offake per average cow and the number of buffaloes also related positively to farm income in both types of households. Crossbreeding has proved technically and financially viable in different Gujarat mixed farming systems. It can be concluded that crossbreeding is an important development option for landless farmers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권9호
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• pp.1240-1244
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• 2006

The complete coding region sequence of the SRY gene in Chinese swamp buffalo was determined by PCR product sequencing. Comparison of swamp and river buffalo SRY gene sequences revealed a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP, C/G) at the 202 bp site of the coding region. Further, a total of 124 male domestic buffaloes were genotyped at this SNP site using the PCR-SSCP method, and it was found that all Chinese indigenous swamp buffaloes had a guanine (G) at this site, while introduced river buffaloes and crossbred buffaloes showed a cytosine (C). Our findings suggested that this Y-linked SNP displayed type-specific alleles differentiating swamp and river buffaloes, and could be used as an effective marker to detect crossbreeding of swamp buffaloes with introduced river buffaloes in native buffalo populations, and thereby assess genetic diversity status and make proper conservation decisions for indigenous swamp buffaloes. In addition, this SNP can be potentially applied in the study of Asian water buffalo phylogeny from a male perspective.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.239-248
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• 1994

To study the relationship between certain hormones and metabolites and between hormones and milk yield during different stage of lactation, six lactating Karan Swiss cows and six Murrah buffaloes were maintained. Growth hormone, insulin, $T_3$, $T_4$, glucose, BHBA, NEFA and milk yield were studied. Highly negative relationship of growth hormone with insulin and triiodothyronine in cows and marginally negative in buffaloes suggest that insulin and triiodothyronine aid in the process of partitioning of nutrients towards milk production through reducing the demands of nutrients by peripheral tissue. The significant and negative correlation of growth hormone with dry matter intake in both the species suggest that the availability of nutrients from the digestive tract play a role in the regulation of growth hormone secretion. Positive relationship of growth hormone with non esterified fatty acids in both the species suggest that high growth hormone levels may result in fat mobilization and thereby increase the availability of energy precursors for milk synthesis. Insulin was negatively correlated with milk yield and lactose content and positively with milk fat and protein but the degree of relationship varied. In both the species the relationship between triiodothyronine and milk yield was negative and between thyroxine and milk yield was positive. However, it was significant only in cows and not in buffaloes. Thyroxine was positively correlated with beta-hydroxybutyrate and non-esterified fatty acids with milk yield in both the species.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제15권10호
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• pp.1517-1522
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• 2002

The effect of post milking teat dipping on somatic cell count (SCC) of milk was determined in 20 Crossbred cows and 20 Murrah buffaloes selected from institute's herd. The animals were divided into two groups of 10 each. Animals of Group I (control) were teat washed with water before the milking while Group II animals were applied teat dipping solution after the completion of milking. The cows were milked 3 times a day while buffaloes were milked twice a day. The milk samples were collected from control and treated animals on day 0, 5, 10, 15, respectively. The milk samples were analyzed for milk constituents like fat, protein, lactose, chloride, IgG, NEFA, pH and EC and total and differential somatic cell counts. The changes in milk composition and somatic cell counts were significantly different (p<0.01) between the animals and between the breeds. However SCC, chloride content (p<0.05) and epithelial cells (p<0.01) varied during different days of study. The alterations in SCC, epithelial cells, TLC, lymphocyte, neutrophil, IgG, and protein content were significantly different (p<0.01) between control and treated groups. The pH, EC, protein, SCC, epithelial cells, lymphocyte and neutrophil cells of milk declined significantly (p<0.05) after the application of teat dipping, the respective values were 6.5 vs 6.40, 2.28 vs 2.37 mhos, 3.33 vs 4.04%, 1.00 vs $0.87{\times}10^5cells/ml$, 0.39 vs 0$0.34{\times}10^5cells/ml$, 0.36 vs $0.31{\times}1,000cells/ml$ and 0.17 vs $0.14{\times}1,000cells/ml$ in cows. However in buffaloes, epithelial cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils, EC and SCC declined (p<0.05) after application of teat dipping, the values being 0.37 vs $0.29{\times}10^5cells/ml$, 0.37 vs $0.25{\times}1,000cells/ml$, 0.14 vs $0.11{\times}1,000cells/ml$, 2.56 vs 2.37 mhos and 0.94 vs $0.73{\times}10^5cells/ml$, respectively. The study indicated that post milking teat dipping could be used as an effective method for the lowering of SCC in milk of crossbred cows and buffaloes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.580-586
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• 2000

Data collected between 1981 and 1991 at the Philippine Carabao Center at Central Luzon State University (PCC-CLSU) were used for the comparison of growth, milk yield and draughtability of Murrah-Philippine crossbred and Philippine native buffaloes. Body weights and body measurements were available at 3-month intervals from birth to 36 months of age for a total of 34 $Murrah{\times}Philippine$ native buffalo F1 crossbreds (CBB; 21 cows, 13 bulls) and 32 Philippine native buffaloes (PNB; 16 cows, 16 bulls). Lactation records were available for 14 CBB and 19 PNB cows. Data for draughtability under wet and dry ploughing conditions were available for 4 CBB and 4 PNB steers. The results indicate that crossbreds grow faster (0-9 months of age: cows $442{\pm}19$ vs. $301{\pm}21g/day$, bulls $305{\pm}23$ vs. $296{\pm}21g/day$; 9-36 months of age: cows $227{\pm}10$ vs. $147{\pm}12g/day$, bulls $282{\pm}13$ vs. $138{\pm}12g/day$), mature earlier and produce more milk (1st lactation: $1139{\pm}153$ vs. $450{\pm}112kg$; 2nd lactation: $1115{\pm}132$ vs. $488{\pm}136kg$) than native buffaloes, but have a poorer draughtability (wet ploughing; force as % of body weight $8.8{\pm}0.2$ vs. $12.2{\pm}0.6$; dry ploughing: cut depth $10.98{\pm}0.25$ vs. $11.92{\pm}0.13cm$, velocity $0.50{\pm}0.03$ vs. $0.60{\pm}0.02m/sec$, force as % of body weight $9.0{\pm}0.6$ vs. $11.3{\pm}0.7$). The correlation coefficients between body weight and body measurements at birth and at 3-month intervals indicate that heart girth has a relatively high correlation with body weight, especially in crossbreds. It is concluded that in Philippine smallholder farming systems in which meat and milk production are secondary to draught power, the native buffalo is preferable from the point of view of input needed to maintain the number of animals kept for a required draught force.