• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.275-280
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• 1995

The effect of supplemented high protein diet intake on renal urea regulation in swamp buffalo was carried out in the present experiment Five swamp buffalo heifers weighing between 208-284 kg were used for this study. The animals were fed with a supplementary high protein diet and renal function and kinetic parameters for urea excretion were measured. This was compared to a control period where the same animals had been fed only with paragrass and water hyacinth. For 2 months the same animals were fed a mixed of paragrass, water hyacinth plus 2 kgs of a high protein supplement (protein 18.2% DM basis) per head per day. In comparison to the control period, there were no differences in the rate of urine flow, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), plasma urea concentration and filtered urea. In animals supplemented with high protein intake mean values of urea clearance, excretion rate and the urea urine/plasma concentration ratio markedly increased (p < 0.05) while renal urea reabsorption significantly decreased from 40% to 26% of the quantity filtered. In this same study group urea space distribution and urea pool size increased which coincided with an increase in plasma volume (p < 0.05). Plasma protein decreased while plasma osmolarity increased (p < 0.05). Both urea turnover rate and biological half-life of $^{14}C$-urea were not affected by a supplementary high protein intake. The results suggest that animals supplemented with high protein diets are in a state of dynamic equilibrium of urea which is well balanced between urea excreted into the urine and the amount synthesized. The limitation for renal tubular urea reabsorption would be a change in extra-renal factors with an elevation of the total pool size of nitrogenous substance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 1991

Four male swamp buffaloes weighing $460.5{\pm}44.6kg$ were used to study the effects of different cooling techniques on draught capacity. Each animal carted an 882 kg load on the same asphalt road for one hour during four different time periods: 9:00-10:00 A.M., 10:30-11:30 A.M., 2:00-3:00 P.M. and 3:30-4:30 P.M. Simultaneously, all animals were subjected to five different treatments on five days of similar environmental conditions. In Treatment 1, animals were put stationary in a field and did no work; in Treatment 2, animals were worked without any cooling method; in Treatment 3, fifteen-minute wallow was allowed to animals prior to working; in Treatment 4, animals were covered with wetted jute bags while working, and in Treatment 5, two buckets of water were poured over the buffaloes' trunks just prior to working. The experiment was conducted from April to July 1989, when the weather was very hot. It was found that cooling methods and working times did not affect the draught efficiency of buffaloes during the one hour, but did affect physiological traits. The work load had a larger partial effect on physiological responses of buffalo other than respiration rate than did climatic variables except on the respiration rate of the buffaloes. One cooling technique that seemed to slow the increase of body temperature while working was covering the buffalo's back with wetted jute bags. Animals working at different times had significant differences in the increase of physiological traits except pulse rate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.952-960
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of carbohydrate source and cottonseed meal level in the concentrate on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis in swamp buffaloes. Four, 4-yr old rumen fistulated swamp buffaloes were randomly assigned to receive four dietary treatments according to a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Factor A was carbohydrate source; cassava chip (CC) and CC+rice bran at a ratio 3:1 (CR3:1), and factor B was level of cottonseed meal (CM); 109 g CP/kg (LCM) and 328 g CP/kg (HCM) in isonitrogenous diets (490 g CP/kg). Buffaloes received urea-treated rice straw ad libitum and supplemented with 5 g concentrate/kg BW. It was found that carbohydrate source did not affect feed intake, nutrient intake, digested nutrients, nutrient digestibility, ammonia nitrogen concentration, fungi and bacterial populations, or microbial protein synthesis (p>0.05). Ruminal pH at 6 h after feeding and the population of protozoa at 4 h after feeding were higher when buffalo were fed with CC than in the CR3:1 treatment (p<0.05). Buffalo fed with HCM had a lower roughage intake, nutrient intake, population of total viable and cellulolytic bacteria and microbial nitrogen supply than the LCM fed group (p<0.05). However, nutrient digestibility, ruminal pH, ammonia concentration, population of protozoa and fungi, and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis were not affected by cottonseed meal levels (p>0.05). Based on this experiment, concentrate with a low level of cottonseed meal could be fed with cassava chips as an energy source in swamp buffalo receiving rice straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.281-283
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.471-476
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• 2007

Little is known about the origin and genetic diversity of swamp buffaloes in China. To obtain more knowledge on genetics of the water buffalo in China, the complete mitochondrial D-loop sequences of 30 samples from 6 native types were investigated. The results revealed 12 mitochondrial haplotypes with 50 polymorphic sites. Among these polymorphic sites, there were 49 transitions and 1 transversion. The average nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity estimated from mtDNA D-loop region in 6 Chinese water buffalo types were 0.00684 and 0.798, respectively, showing rather abundant mitochondrial genetic diversity. The Neighbor-Joining (NJ) tree of mtDNA of Chinese water buffaloes was constructed according to the 12 haplotypes. The NJ tree indicated two lineages being designated lineage A and lineage B, in which lineage A was predominant, and lineage B was at low frequency. The new lineage B was first discovered and defined in 6 Chinese water buffalo types. These results showed that two different maternal lineages were involved in the origin of domestic swamp buffaloes in China and the lineage B was probably an introgression from Southeast Asian buffaloes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.287-292
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• 1990

1.86 million (Indigenous river, swamp, and swamp X river type) buffaloes are distributed mainly in the plain land, sugarcane belt and coastal area of Bangladesh and are raised by the small farm holders. Buffaloes per house-hold ranges from 5.79 to 2.12. Height at wither is $123{\pm}3.09$ and $112.5{\pm}2.15cm$ for buffaloes of central and eastern region respectively. Growth rate of buffalo calves ranges from 360 to 340 g/day. Late maturity ($1411.58{\pm}43.01d$) along with long life span facilitates farmers to use buffaloes longer period. Average daily milk yield is $2.32{\pm}0.63L$ with average lactation yield of $730{\pm}90l$ for $328{\pm}28.76d$. Both male and female individuals are used for draught purpose. A pair of buffalo can prepared $0.23{\pm}0.06ha$ of land daily and can work for $6.1{\pm}0.78hr$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.605-612
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• 2000

Four young swamp buffalo cows of similar age ranging in weight between 280 to 380 kg and trained to do physical work were used in a study to determine energy and protein requirements for draught using a $4{\times}4$ Latin square designed experiment. The experiment consisted of field trials employing 4 levels of work load, e.g. no work as control, and loads amounting 450 to 500 Newton (N) pulled continuously for 1, 2 and 3 h daily for 14 consecutive days. Cows were fed king grass (Penisetum purpuroides) ad libitum and were subjected to materials balance trials. Body composition was estimated in vivo by the body density method and daily energy expenditure (EE) was calculated from ME minus retained energy (RE). The results show that EE while not working ($EE_{resting}$) was $0.42kgW^{0.75}MJ/d$ and maintenance ME ($ME_m$) was $0.37kgW^{0.75}MJ/d$. ME requirement increased to 1.65 times maintenance for the work of 3 hours. The energy expended for doing exercise ($E_{exercise}$) was 9.56, 20.0 and 25.86 MJ/cow for treatments 1, 2 and 3 II, respectively. Fat retention was absent in all groups of working cows, but protein retention was only negative for cows undertaking 3 h work. The relationship between $E_{exercise}$ (MJ), work load (F, kN), work duration (t, h) and body mass (W, kg) was found to be: $E_{exercise}=(0.003F^{1.43}t^{0.93})/W^{0.09}MJ$. The maintenance requirement for digestible protein was $2.51kgW^{0.75}g/d$, whereas digestible protein for growth ($DP_{growth}$) and for work ($DP_{work}$) followed the equations: $DP_{growth}=[(258+1.25W^{0.75}){\Delta}Wkg/d]g$ and $DP_{work}=[12.59e^{0.95t}]g$, respectively The coefficients a, b and c for the calculation of $E_{exercise}$ components according to the Lawrence equation were found to be 2.56 J/kgW.m, 5.2 J/kg load carried.m and 0.29, respectively, thus efficiencies to convert ME into work were 0, 16.09, 27.3 and 32.44% for control, 1, 2 and 3 h/d work, respectively. ME and DP requirements for a 250 to 400 kg working buffalo cow allowing to growth up to 0.5 kg/d are presented.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1424-1436
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of banana flower powder (BAFLOP) supplementation on gas production kinetics and rumen fermentation efficiency in in vitro incubation with different ratios of roughage to concentrate in swamp buffalo and cattle rumen fluid. Two male, rumen fistulated dairy steers and swamp buffaloes were used as rumen fluid donors. The treatments were arranged according to a $2{\times}2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement in a Completely randomized design by using two ratios of roughage to concentrate (R:C; 75:25 and 25:75) and 3 levels of BAFLOP supplementation (0, 2 and 4% of dietary substrate) into two different kinds of rumen fluid (beef cattle and swamp buffalo). Under this investigation, the results revealed that the rumen ecology was affected by R:C ratio. The pH declined as a result of using high concentrate ratio; however, supplementation of BAFLOP could buffer the pH which led to an improvement of ruminal efficiency. BAFLOP supplementation affected acetic acid (C2) when the proportion of concentrate was increased. However, there were no effect on total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) and butyric acid (C4) by BAFLOP supplementation. The microbial community was affected by BAFLOP supplementation, especially the bacterial population. As revealed by real-time PCR, the populations of F. succinogenes and R. albus were reduced by the high concentrate treatments while that of R. flavafaciens were increased. The populations of three dominant cellulolytic bacteria were enhanced by BAFLOP supplementation, especially on high concentrate diet. BAFLOP supplementation did not influence the ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) concentration, while R:C did. In addition, the in vitro digestibility was improved by either R:C or BAFLOP supplementation. The BAFLOP supplementation showed an effect on gas production kinetics, except for the gas production rate constant for the insoluble fraction (c), while treatments with high concentrate ratio resulted in the highest values. In addition, BAFLOP tended to increase gas production. Based on this study, it could be concluded that R:C had an effect on rumen ecology both in buffalo and cattle rumen fluid and hence, BAFLOP could be used as a rumen buffering agent for enhancing rumen ecology fed on high concentrate diet. It is recommended that level of BAFLOP supplementation should be at 2 to 4% of total dry matter of substrate. However, in vivo trials should be subsequently conducted to investigate the effect of BAFLOP in high concentrate diets on rumen ecology as well as ruminant production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.451-455
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• 2015

The buffalo is an important livestock resource in several countries of South Asia and the Mediterranean regions. However, reproductive efficiency is compromised due to known problems of biological and management origins, such as lack of animal selection and poor nutrition. Under optimal conditions puberty is attained at 15 to 18 months in river buffalo, 21 to 24 months in swamp buffalo and is influenced by genotype, nutrition, management and climate. However, under field conditions these values deteriorate up to a significant extant. To improve reproductive efficiency, several protocols of oestrus and ovulation synchronization have been adopted from their use in commercial cattle production. These protocols yield encouraging pregnancy rates of (30% to 50%), which are comparable to those achieved in buffaloes bred at natural oestrus. The use of sexed semen in buffalo heifers also showed promising pregnancy rates (50%) when compared with conventional non-sexed semen. Assisted reproductive technologies have been transferred and adapted to buffalo but the efficiency of these technologies are low. However, these latest technologies offer the opportunity to accelerate the genetic gain in the buffalo industry after improving the technology and reducing its cost. Most buffaloes are kept under the small holder farming system in developing countries. Hence, future research should focus on simple, adoptable and impact-oriented approaches which identify the factors determining low fertility and oestrus behaviour in this species. Furthermore, role of kisspeptin needs to be explored in buffalo.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1201-1207
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• 2007

This study compared the recovery rate of intrajugular-administered allantoin in the urine and saliva between swamp buffaloes and zebu cattle to examine whether it could explain the lower excretion rate of urinary purine derivatives (PD) in the buffaloes. Three male swamp buffalo yearlings, with an average body weight of $349{\pm}40.35$ kg, and three Thai native cattle ($154{\pm}3.26$ kg) of similar age and sex were used in the study. Animals were kept in individual pens and fed at a maintenance energy level with a diet containing 65% monk bean husk (Vigna radiata) as roughage and 35% concentrates. Allantoin solution was infused into the jugular vein in four incremental rates equivalent to 0, 5, 10 and 15 mmol/d and urine was collected daily in acidified form. Daily PD excretion was linearly correlated with intrajugular allantoin infusion in both species. The relationship between daily urinary PD excretion (Y, mmol/d) and intrajugular allantoin infused (X, mmol/d) was $Y=0.75{\pm}0.318X+22.45{\pm}2.98$ ($r^2$ = 0.36, n = 12, MSE = 38.02, CV = 21.9, p<0.01) for swamp buffaloes and $Y=0.96{\pm}0.10X+15.93{\pm}0.92$ ($r^2$ = 0.91, n = 12, MSE = 3.60, CV = 8.27, p<0.01) for zebu cattle. The salivary PD concentration was not correlated with intrajugular allantoin infusion in both species, with values for buffaloes numerically lower than those for cattle. The present study reconfirmed previous studies that buffaloes have a lower plasma PD excretion rate via the renal route and a significant proportion (22%) of the plasma PD loss is via the saliva. However, results of our present and previous studies suggest that differences in purine base (PB) metabolism between buffaloes and zebu cattle occur before the purine compounds reach the plasma pool.