• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2010

A meta-analysis was conducted to summarize the results of studies which have described the profiles of hormones during the oestrous cycle in buffalo using a fixed effect model and a random effect model. Plasma progesterone concentrations were lowest (0.30${\pm}$0.06 ng/ml) during the peri-oestrous phase and increased (p = 0.067) through the early luteal phase to a maximum concentration (1.94${\pm}$0.03 ng/ml) during the mid-luteal phase. Circulating plasma inhibin and estradiol concentrations were lowest (0.31${\pm}$0.01 and 11.04${\pm}$0.13 ng/ml) during the mid-luteal phase, increased through the late luteal phase to maximum concentrations (0.44${\pm}$0.02 and 22.48${\pm}$0.32 ng/ml) during the peri-oestrous phase. Plasma FSH concentrations were lowest during the early luteal phase and increased through the mid-luteal phase to a maximum concentration during the peri-oestrous phase. Peripheral prolactin concentrations were lowest during the late luteal phase and increased to a maximum concentration during the peri-oestrous phase which then declined (p = 0.716) during the early luteal phase. Peripheral plasma cortisol concentrations decreased from 2.68${\pm}$0.14 ng/ml during the early luteal phase to 1.43${\pm}$0.27 ng/ml during the mid-luteal phase (p<0.001) which then increased to 2.06${\pm}$0.17 ng/ml during the late luteal phase. Plasma $T_{5}$ concentrations decreased from the late luteal phase to the peri-oestrous phase (p<0.001) which then increased during the early luteal phase. $T_{4}$ concentrations increased from the late luteal phase to the peri-oestrous phase which then decreased during the early luteal phase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.825-830
• /
• 2006

Status of blood minerals and their absorption by neonate calves as influenced by fat soluble vitamins supplementation in their respective mothers, mineral supplementation in calves themselves has been evaluated. The objective was to know the impact of antioxidant vitamin supplementation to advance pregnant buffaloes, on enhanced acquired immunity during first few hours after birth, in relation to weight gain in buffalo calves. Advance pregnant buffaloes (n = 30) consisting of average body weight of $550{\pm}15$ kg and of 4-6 parity were fed on 25 kg green (green Jawar-Sorghum bicolor), 2-3 kg wheat straw and 3-4 kg concentrate mixture individually per day. Intramuscular injections of vitamin triplex A $D_3$ E consisting of -2,500,000 IU of vit A -Palmitate; 2,500,000 IU of vitamin $D_3$ and 1,000 IU of vit E (dl-alpha tocopherol acetate) were given per dose, a month prior to parturition, twice at 15 days interval to 15 dams. Rest of the 15 pregnant buffaloes served as negative controls. Secretion of immune proteins, immunoglobulin (Ig) enhanced by 80% in colostrum. The blood serum levels of Zn, Cu, Ca, Mg were measured from birth to 90 days in calves. A significant (p<0.05) difference between the blood serum Zn levels of calves born to vitamin supplemented and non-supplemented dams was measured and a positive correlation between blood serum Zn levels and injections of vitamins was identified. Association of Zn and Cu with passive immunity status has been identified in these calves. A significant positive correlation between Zn and Cu was also identified which showed a change under the impact of vitamin supplementation in buffaloes. The study signifies the role of micronutrients supplementation in dams prior to parturition, in calf immunity development. The study indicates significant mineral - vitamins interactions during this process.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.519-522
• /
• 1997

Buffalo heifers weighing from 400 - 500 kg and having a history of reproductive problems like anestrus, irregular estrus or failure to conceive after repeated inseminations were administered subcutaneously with estradiol-$17{\beta}$ and progesterone in two dosage rate 0.1 mg and 0.25 mg, respectively, per kg body weight per day for 7 days in experiment-I and 0.1 mg and 0.125 mg, respectively, per kg body weight per day for 7 days in experiment II. In experiment-I, 9 out of 10 buffaloes responded positively to the hormonal treatment. Milk secretion started between 14-20 days after the start of the treatment. The total milk yield in the successfully induced animals varied from 471.98-625.40 kg. The average daily milk yield varied from 2.08-2.76 kg and peak yield from 3.6-5.3 kg. The time taken to reach peak yield varied from 12-14 weeks. In experiment - II, the established lactation response was absent, although milk secretion process was initiated, the yield could not reach more than 50 - 100 gm at each milking. In experiment - I, the first estrus occurred between days 87 - 231 following the hormonal treatment. Four animals in which lactation was established successfully got pregnant after one or two services. In experiment - II the first estrus occurred between 85 - 173 days following the treatment and only one animal got pregnant.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.58 no.7
• /
• pp.25.1-25.6
• /
• 2016

Background: The current study was designed to investigate the effect of supplementation of Flaxseed (Linumusitatisimum) oil on libido and semen quality of Nilli-Ravi buffalo bulls. Methods: In this study, 12 adult healthy bulls kept at the Semen Production Unit, Qadirabad district Sahiwal, were used. These bulls were divided into three equal groups, A, B and C. Group A was kept as control, while in groups B and C supplementation of feed was provided by using flaxseed oil @125 ml/day and 250 ml/day,respectively for 12 weeks. Two ejaculates per animal were collected at 0 day then 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th week of treatment. In this way a total 216 samples were taken, and each semen sample was evaluated for color, volume, mass activity, percent motility, sperm cell concentration per ml, percentage of live sperm, and plasma membrane integrity. Libido of bulls was also evaluated before every collection. Results: Analysis of data revealed that these parameters were significantly (P < 0.01) increased in flax oil treated animals as compared to control. Conclusion: It was concluded from the present study that flax seed oil has beneficial effects on reproductive health of buffalo bull.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.91-94
• /
• 2011

We report 2 cases of Thelazia rhodesii infection in the African buffaloes, Syncerus caffer, in Zambia. African buffalo calves were captured from the livestock and wildlife interface area of the Kafue basin in the dry season of August 2005 for the purpose to translocate to game ranches. At capture, calves (n = 48) were examined for the presence of eye infections by gently manipulating the orbital membranes to check for eye-worms in the conjunctival sacs and corneal surfaces. Two (4.3%) were infected and the mean infection burden per infected eye was 5.3 worms (n=3). The mean length of the worms was 16.4 mm (95% CI; 14.7-18.2 mm) and the diameter 0.41 mm (95% CI; 0.38-0.45 mm). The surface cuticle was made of transverse striations which gave the worms a characteristic serrated appearance. Although the calves showed signs of kerato-conjunctivitis, the major pathological change observed was corneal opacity. The calves were kept in quarantine and were examined thrice at 30 days interval. At each interval, they were treated with 200 ${\mu}g/kg$ ivermectin, and then translocated to game ranches. Given that the disease has been reported in cattle and Kafue lechwe (Kobus lechwe kafuensis) in the area, there is a need for a comprehensive study which aims at determining the disease dynamics and transmission patterns of thelaziasis between wildlife and livestock in the Kafue basin.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.17-32
• /
• 2018

This paper explores the function of a structural skin with an embossed surface applicable to use for tall building structures. The major diagrid system with a secondary embossed surface structure provides an enhanced perimeter structural system by increasing tube section areas and reduces aerodynamic loads by disorienting major organized structure of winds. A parametric study used to investigate an optimized configuration of the embossed structure revealed that the embossed structure has a structural advantage in stiffening the structure, reducing lateral drift to 90% compared to a non-embossed diagrid baseline model, and results of wind load analysis using computational fluid dynamics, demonstrated the proposed embossed system can reduce. The resulting undulating embossed skin geometry presents both opportunities for incorporating versatile interior environments as well as unique challenges for daylighting and thermal control of the envelope. Solar and thermal control requires multiple daylighting solutions to address each local façade surface condition in order to reduce energy loads and meet occupant comfort standards. These findings illustrate that although more complex in geometry, architects and engineers can produce tall buildings that have less impact on our environment by utilizing structural forms that reduce structural steel needed for stiffening, thus reducing embodied $CO^2$, while positively affecting indoor quality and energy performance, all possible while creating a unique urban iconography derived from the performance of building skin.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.339-347
• /
• 2005

IL-17 (IL-17A or CTLA-8) is the founding member of a novel family of inflammatory cytokines, and emerging evidence indicates that it plays a central role in inflammation and autoimmunity. IL-17 is made primarily, if not exclusively by T cells, but relatively little is known about how its expression is regulated. In the present study, we examined the requirements and mechanisms for IL-17 expression in primary mouse lymphocytes. Like many cytokines, IL-17 is induced rapidly in primary T cells after stimulation of the T cell receptor (TCR) through CD3 crossinking. Surprisingly, however, the pattern of regulation of IL-17 is different in mice than in humans, because "costimulation" of T cells through CD28 only mildly enhanced IL-17 expression, whereas levels of IL-2 were dramatically enhanced. Similarly, several other costimulatory molecules such as ICOS, 4-1BB and CD40L exerted only very weak enhancing effects on IL-17 production. In agreement with other reports, IL-23 enhanced CD3-induced IL-17 expression. However, IL-17 production can occur autonomously in T cells, as neither dendritic cells nor IL-23 were necessary for promoting short-term production of IL-17. Finally, to begin to characterize the TCR-mediated signaling pathway(s) required for IL-17 production, we showed that IL-17 expression is sensitive to cyclosporin-A and MAPK inhibitors, suggesting the involvement of the calcineurin/NFAT and MAPK signaling pathways.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.277-282
• /
• 1997

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of thiol compounds, $\beta$-mercaptoethanol($\beta$-ME) and cystearrone with buffalo rat liver cell(BRLC) co-culture on the development and intracellular glutathione(GSH) concentrations of bovine embryos produced by in vitro inaturation(IVM) and in vitro fertilization(IVF). Bovine IVM /IVF embryos developed to 2~8 cell stage were co-cultured with BRLC in GRlaa with or without thiol compounds. The developmental rate beyond morulae stage in CRlaa containing 0, 10,25 and 50$\pi$M $\beta$-ME with BRLG were 63.0, 74.0, 72.3 and 77.1%, respectively. And the developmental rate with 0, 25, 50 and 75$\pi$M cystearnine with BRLC were 69.6, 77.6, 81.0 and 76.8%, respectively. The developmental rate beyond morulae stage of GRlaa containing thiol compound with BRLG group was higher than that of control group. The intracellular GSH concentrations of blastocysts cultured for 5 days in GRlaa containing 0 and 50$\pi$M $\beta$-ME or cysteamine with BRLG were 81.2 and 86.4, 83.2 and 84.2pM, respectively. The intracellular GSH concentrations of blastocysts in GRlaa containing thiol compounds with BRLG was slightly higher than that of control group The cell numbers of blastocysts were not difference in all experimental groups. These results indicate that thiol compounds with BRLG co-culture was increased the percentage of developed into morulae and blastocysts, and intracellular GSII concentrations of blastocysts embryos.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.891-895
• /
• 2019

Objective: Aim of present study was the set up of a fast and reliable protocol using species-specific markers for the quali-quantitative analysis of DNA and the detection of ruminant biological components in dairy products. For this purpose, the promoter of the gene coding for the ${\alpha}$-lactoalbumin (LALBA) was chosen as possible candidate for the presence of short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs). Methods: DNA was isolated from somatic cells of 120 individual milk samples of cattle (30), Mediterranean river buffalo (30), goat (30), and sheep (30) and the gene promoter region (about 600/700 bp) of LALBA (from about 600 bp upstream of exon 1) has been sequenced. For the development of a single polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol that allows the simultaneous identification of DNA from the four species of ruminants, the following internal primers pair were used: 5'-CACTGATCTTAAAGCTCAGGTT-3' (forward) and 5'-TCAGA GTAGGCCACAGAAG-3' (reverse). Results: Sequencing results of LALBA gene promoter region confirmed the presence of SINEs as monomorphic "within" and variable in size "among" the selected species. Amplicon lengths were 582 bp in cattle, 592 bp in buffalo, 655 in goat and 729 bp in sheep. PCR specificity was demonstrated by the detection of trace amounts of species-specific DNA from mixed sources ($0.25ng/{\mu}L$). Conclusion: We developed a rapid PCR protocol for the quali-quantitative analysis of DNA and the traceability of dairy products using a species-specific marker with only one pair of primers. Our results validate the proposed technique as a suitable tool for a simple and inexpensive (economic) detection of animal origin components in foodstuffs.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.105-114
• /
• 2022

Objective: This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of pasture (PA) feeding on buffalo meat quality compared with buffaloes reared intensively with the use of corn silage as a forage base or alternatively with polyphite meadow hay (PH). Methods: Thirty Mediterranean bull buffaloes were distributed into three experimental diet groups: maize silage (MS), PH, and PA. The animals were slaughtered at a live weight of 250 kg, and carcass and meat quality were evaluated. After 7 days of ageing, physical and chemical parameters of longissimus thoracis muscle were determined. To evaluate lipid oxidation the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was tested at 7 and 14 days, and also the fatty acid profile was recorded by gas chromatography. Results: The PA group, even if it showed carcass parameters lower than those of the silage maize group, reported a good meat percentage (60.59% vs 58.46%, respectively) and lower fat percentage (p<0.001). PA-fed animals showed meat redness, and even if only on raw meat, shear force was higher than the others. Low values of conjugate linoleic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and n-3 were reported in the silage maize group. Principal component analysis (PCA) clearly showed the influence of different diets on meat quality, and PCA1 and PCA2 explained 82% of the variability. Conclusion: Buffaloes reared on PA had meat with high nutritional value even if they showed poor carcass performance compared to the animals fed on MS. Buffaloes fed on polyphite hay were in an intermediate position, similar to grazing animals, according to the same nutritional determinations.