Buffaloes in Iraq represent the most productive animal since its domestication in Mesopotamia about pre-historic era. Domestic water buffalo (Babalus Babalis) are common in the marshes of southern Iraq. On Sunday the UN cultural agency, UNESCO, added the marshlands and the ancient Sumerian cities that once flourished among them to its list of sites. The marshes today remain one of the poorest areas. Residents living on tiny floating islands fish, tend water buffalo and gather reeds. Little published research could be found into the numbers or environmental impacts of water buffalo in Basra governorate. One of the research objectives was to survey the water buffalo in this region including Al Dear, Al Hartha, Abu Alkhasib, Shat Alarab, Al Qurna, Al Mdainah, Imam Sadiq, Imam Qaim, Al Faw, Al Nshwa, Al Zubair and in Basra center. This study was conducted to evaluate all aspects of the river buffalo for the period from 2012-2016. Comprehensive knowledge of the breed characteristics, its population size and structure, taxonomy, geographical distribution and most important diseases is required to have effective management. As the marsh Arabs or Maadan complain of problems with some common buffalo diseases, such as those infecting the hoofs and the tongue, providing of veterinary services would be of critical value for buffalo breeding from an economical prospective

Objective: The present work was planned to study the incidence of uterine torsion in Egyptian buffaloes as well as its prognosis after mechanical treatment. Methods: A total number of 35 buffaloes of different ages, parities and stage of pregnancy with complain of colic and anorexia were included in the present study. These animals were examined rectally to detect stage of pregnancy, degree, direction, duration, location of uterine torsion. Mechanical handling of torsion cases and prognosis of recovered cases was performed. After birth, sex of new born was also recorded. Results: The torsion of uterus mostly occurred in pleuriparous buffaloes (100%) in right side (85.7%) during second half of pregnancy (100%). Most cases were postcervical (85.7%) during the early stage (7 and 8 months). Torsion also may occur during labour (17.4%) where the cervix was dilated after correction. Most cases of uterine torsion occur in stabled animals for long period (97%). The uterine torsion associated with male calves (65.7%) as well as with large size calves (40-50kg) and majority of the calves were in normal position. The first foetal sac expelled in majority of cases was amniotic sac (97%) with few cases of placental retention. Uterine torsion with short duration (1-6 h) usually needs 1-2 rolls only for correction and usually takes 0-6h (100%) for cervical dilatation. Occurrence of uterine torsion for above three days usually did not respond for rolling. Conclusion: Uterine torsion usually occurs in old stabled animal with good BCS during green season at last month of pregnancy. The right sever and post cervical torsion were the most common type of torsion. Rapid diagnosis of uterine torsion within 6 h usually results in good prognosis even in severe cases.

Intensification of wild ruminants has resulted in more lameness cases that are presented for medical and surgical intervention. Claw problems in these wild and often dangerous animals, although similar to those seen in domestic bovines often require quick decisions and speedy adaptations of generally accepted treatment and procedure protocols. The arthrodesis of the pedal joint in a buffalo cow is one such example

This study was performed to investigate the effect of rbST treatment on some biochemical parameters in addition to values of thyroid hormones in Kundhi buffaloes. Sixteen Kundhi buffaloes were divided into two groups. Group-A (N=8) served as control and Group-B (N=8) was treated with 250 mg of rbST fortnightly for 1st lactation. Blood samples were collected weekly during lactation period from day one to 60 as pre-treatment values and then from day 61 to completion of 1st lactation in Kundhi buffaloes as post-treatment values. The findings revealed overall non significant variation in the serum biochemical and thyroid hormone values between control and rbST treated buffaloes, whereas, significant differences were observed during various physiological and weather conditions in both groups. Glucose and uric acid values were observed higher during parturition and winter season in Kundhi buffaloes. Protein level was higher in rbST treated buffaloes during open days.

This is the review of original data concerning the effect of some factors on oocyte development in vitro of buffaloes. In vitro fertilization is a multi - step process: oocytes maturation, fertilization and embryo culture. In vitro fertilization is strongly influenced by events occurring during oocyte maturation, fertilization and the subsequent development of the fertilized oocytes. With the advancement of IVF procedures, variability in developmental rate and viability of in vitro produced buffalo embryos so, improving the efficiency and identifying the sources of variations between IVF systems are more important when routinely producing blastocysts from individuals of high genetic merits. Also, the development of specific culture regimes capable of supporting in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro culture (IVC) to the blastocyst stage is highly desirable in breeding systems. This paper discusses the technical aspects of the procedures involved in in vitro fertilization of buffaloes.

Environmental factors place a crucial role in reproductive management of buffaloes by regulating their estrous cycle. Conception occurs if breeding takes place in favorable season where availability of sufficient herbage and water. Influence of parity on selection of breeding seasonal, leads to conception, was not yet reported in murrah buffaloes. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to analyse the influence of parity on selecting an optimal season for breeding among murrah buffaloes in south India. Sixty reproductively active murrah buffaloes belonged to southern part of Indian subcontinent were recruited in the study and grouped based on their parity. Estrus behaviour, date of mating and consequent pregnancy was recorded for every individual buffalo. A conception rate of 81.67% was achieved with natural mating. Among the 49 pregnant animals, 12 were nulliparous (n=19), 15 were primiparous (n=16) and 22 were multiparous (n=25). Conception rate was high during winter (32.65%), followed by autumn (26.53%), monsoon (20.41%) and pre-winter (20.41%). Major factors such as age, low reproductive efficiency during late winter and early autumn, delayed resumption after calving appears to affect the conception rate. Prolonged summer, extended from March to July, noticed in recent years decreases the duration of other seasons like spring and autumn. Effective breeding of nulliparous was witnessed on winter, primiparous during autumn and multiparous was scheduled from monsoon to pre-winter. The present study concludes that selection of optimal season for breeding was rather influenced by the parity of individual buffaloes.

Mozzarella cheese making involves losses of milk constituents, especially during plasticizing stage of cheese curd. Buffalo milk is considered more suitable than cow milk for Mozzarella cheese making, especially in terms of colour, yield and stretch property of resultant product. Homogenization of milk reduces the losses of milk constituents, increases its whiteness and is expected to render superior flavor to cheese. The fat globule size for buffalo milk is larger and the cheese tends to be firmer and chewy as compared to cow milk counterpart. Homogenization of buffalo milk is of significance in this regard since it can improve the color, recovery of milk constituents culminating in higher cheese yield, a mellower product with lower tendency to oil-off during baking applications. Since the conditions of homogenization affects the recovery of milk constituents, it was decided to study temperature and pressure of homogenization on such aspect including cheese yield. Homogenization of standardized buffalo milk at 55 or 65oC and 4.90 MPa (P2) pressure is found beneficial with regard to recovery of milk fat, while use of lower pressure i.e. 2.45 MPa (P1) at above temperatures is found beneficial for protein and TS recoveries. P2 pressure is more beneficial than P1 pressure in improving the fat recovery in buffalo milk Mozzarella cheese. There is an improvement in the yield of Mozzarella cheese with an increase in homogenization pressure. The yield of Mozzarella cheese prepared using buffalo milk homogenized at P2 and P1 pressure (at 65oC) was 17.00% and 16.10% respectively. The recoveries of milk fat, protein and TS and per cent yield for control cheese was 83.68%, 84.10%, 56.74% and 14.53% respectively.

Murrah is one of the best buffalo breed in India. The success of Indian dairy industry is much dependent on productivity and efficient reproduction performance of Murrah buffaloes. The environmental factors are generally influenced the Murrahs performance as well as other breeds. The performance traits reviewed were first lactation 305-days or less milk yield, first lactation length, first lactation average daily milk yield, dry period, growth, age at first calving, first service period, calving interval, age at maturity, age at calving, days to first service, number of services per conception, breeding interval, breeding efficiency, conception rate and daughter pregnancy rate of Murrah buffalo. All the productive and reproductive traits were affected by herd, year and season of calving.

The present study was aimed to isolate and characterize phenotypically as well as genotypically bacterial strain from tracheal froth of a Murrah buffalo on the Government livestock farm (GLF) located at Hisar, Haryana. The isolate showed the cultural, morphological and biochemical properties of Mannheimia haemolytica as per Bergeys manual of determinative bacteriology and as confirmed by GENIII microplate (biolog). However, the isolate was further confirmed as Mannheimia varigena by 16S rRNA sequencing.

The research on biomarkers to detect livestock treated with recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) is still an open issue. In fact, beyond undertaking confirmation methods, there is the need to develop simple and inexpensive screening tests. In this direction, some proposals have been forwarded, mostly involving the measurement of circulating molecules, whereas the possibility of using biomarkers related to gene expression is a field under investigation. The present study was carried out on sixteen buffalos, eight of which treated with rbST. Blood samples were collected six times during the treatment to investigate on the presence of differentially expressed genes in leukocytes. Analysis with the microarray technique was performed on two sampling moments, in order to obtain a first selection of genes. Further analysis was carried out by real time RT-PCR, in order to create a discriminating linear system. A study on the variation of the error related to the number of samples included in statistics was also performed. Results showed that, including an increasing number of samples to build the discriminating algorithm, the b-error grows and tends to stabilize on 6.5%. This study clearly shows the paramount importance of including a proper number of samples to obtain reliable algorithms.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of rbST treatment on some biochemical parameters in addition to values of thyroid hormones in Kundhi buffaloes. Sixteen Kundhi buffaloes were divided into two groups. Group-A (N=8) served as control and Group-B (N=8) was treated with 250 mg of rbST fortnightly for 1st lactation. Blood samples were collected weekly during lactation period from day one to 60 as pre-treatment values and then from day 61 to completion of 1st lactation in Kundhi buffaloes as post-treatment values. The findings revealed overall non significant variation in the serum biochemical and thyroid hormone values between control and rbST treated buffaloes, whereas, significant differences were observed during various physiological and weather conditions in both groups. Glucose and uric acid values were observed higher during parturition and winter season in Kundhi buffaloes. Protein level was higher in rbST treated buffaloes during open days.

The research on biomarkers to detect livestock treated with recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) is still an open issue. In fact, beyond undertaking confirmation methods, there is the need to develop simple and inexpensive screening tests. In this direction, some proposals have been forwarded, mostly involving the measurement of circulating molecules, whereas the possibility of using biomarkers related to gene expression is a field under investigation. The present study was carried out on sixteen buffalos, eight of which treated with rbST. Blood samples were collected six times during the treatment to investigate on the presence of differentially expressed genes in leukocytes. Analysis with the microarray technique was performed on two sampling moments, in order to obtain a first selection of genes. Further analysis was carried out by real time RT-PCR, in order to create a discriminating linear system. A study on the variation of the error related to the number of samples included in statistics was also performed. Results showed that, including an increasing number of samples to build the discriminating algorithm, the b-error grows and tends to stabilize on 6.5%. This study clearly shows the paramount importance of including a proper number of samples to obtain reliable algorithms

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the previous calving intervals (CI) on milk yield (MY) in the current lactation for the Italian buffalo breed population. Data for 86,585 lactation records from the Italian Buffalo Breeders Association database, were analyzed. MY BLUP-estimates were obtained by including in the Animal Model the fixed effects of age-parity, previous CI, and herd-contemporary-group. The MY solutions for the months of CI were analyzed with the linear regression model where CI in months was the explanatory variable. 59.66% of the lactation records had CI between 11 and 14 months. 37.91 % of the lactation records were distributed between 15 and 24 months. The smaller percentage of records showed CI greater than 24 months. This CI distribution may be, in part, the result of herd management strategies. Dairy producers try to shorten the CI of their herd in order to get the most profit from early conceptions of the buffalo. The regression model and its parameters were statistically significant. The coefficient of determination was equal to 0.58. The intercept was equal to 72.42 kg; and the linear coefficient (b) was equal to -3.43. The negative value of b denotes a negative effect of CI on MY. This result indicates that there is a negative linear relationship between previous CI and MY in the current lactation. Therefore, shorten the CI may increase the profits of the farm through higher MY, because it has less of a negative effect on MY than longer CI.

In the current scenario the most of people are well aware with health issues. Food safety is generally related with the quality of food i.e. whether the food product is standardised as according to national or international norms set by the statutory organisations. People can compromise with the nutritive values of food but not with their safety aspects. The meat and meat products carry the burden of harmful agents according to the production methods. Now-a-days the feedlot animals are being reared either through the natural farming (organic farming) or conventional farming method. Those methods produce safe and healthier meat because there is no use of harmful chemical agents viz., pesticides, herbicides, hormones, growth promoters, veterinary drugs and etc. On the other hand, in the conventional farming, all these chemical agents are used to enhance animal growth. Several chemical agents like pesticides and veterinary drugs residues may cause harmful health implications viz., teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, hypersensitivity reactions, gut bacterial resistance, toxicity and many more health problems in human beings. It is the thrust of today to replace the conventional meat with the organic meat to check the use of harmful chemical agents for a healthy social life.

A case of suspected wild boar death due to dynamite blast by poachers was received by us for confirmation. The skin sample was collected and examined histologically for identification based on hair follicle arrangement in the horizontal section of skin. The horizontal sections of skin from both domestic and wild boar was stained in order to study the distribution of hair follicles. Linear arrangement of hair follicles comprising three primary follicles in a row was observed in both domestic and suspected wild boar. Based on circumstantial evidence it was concluded that it may be belonging to wild boar.

The domestic (water) buffalo is not indigenous to Africa. Some buffalo may have been taken to what is now Tunisia in Roman times about 2000 years ago. The species arrived in Egypt from Mesopotamia some 1200 years past and there were attempted introductions to the east coast of Africa by the Portuguese from India in the sixteenth century. The missionary-explorer David Livingstone took four buffalo from India to what is now southern Tanzania in 1866. In the twentieth century, European powers introduced buffalo to many of their African colonies. In addition to Egypt and Tunisia on the Mediterranean coast of north Africa buffalo have been introduced to fourteen subSaharan countries. Information on these introductions is sparse and is obviously incomplete. With the exceptions of Tanzania, where there have been buffalo for 90 years, and Mozambique, where there is documented presence over about 50 years, buffalo have been present for very short periods. They have disappeared without trace in some countries and have been culled in others due to adaptation or disease problems. Suitable ecological niches for buffalo exist in many African countries. Too few animals, failure to provide sufficient public financial resources and lack of private sector interest are among the reasons for the buffalos failure to contribute to African livestock production.

Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is a potential reservoir for Babesia bovis and B. bigemina in tropical regions, but the epidemiological evidence of their reservoir competence is limited, especially due to the lack of diagnostic tests capable of detecting and quantifying the low-level parasitemia present in the carrier animals. In this paper we present the standardization process of a SYBR Green based real-time PCR system (qPCR), consisting of two single qPCR assays, for the detection and quantification of B. bovis and/or B. bigemina. Both assays were optimized in similar protocols, including reagent concentrations and thermocycling parameters, so it is possible its use as a multiple qPCR in a single run. Both single assays showed a suitable analytical performance, especially by allowing detection of a greater number of carrier animals when compared with nested PCR assays (nPCR) against a reference panel of 60 DNA samples extracted from blood of both, infected- and non-infected buffaloes. Furthermore, a mathematical algorithm to convert the qPCR outcomes in percent of infected red blood cell was used, and was found that the estimated parasitemia in carrier buffaloes within the reference sample panels were close to those described in carrier cattle. This method could be a useful tool for epidemiological studies on the participation of the bubaline specie in the epidemic process of bovine babesiosis.

The biology, epidemiology and pathology of sucking louse infestation and Mycoplasma infection of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) herds in Hungarian national parks were studied between 19 December 2011 and 4 May 2012. A total of 333 water buffaloes were examined in buffalo stocks of the Balaton Uplands, Ferto-Hanság and Kiskunság National Parks. The objective was to determine the prevalence and rate of sucking louse infestation and mycoplasma infection among water buffaloes. Always an area of identical size (2 cm2) was examined on the right or left side of the middle part of the animals neck. A total of 3106 eggs, 10 nymphs and 105 adults of the sucking louse Haematopinus tuberculatus were identified with the help of a Conrad USB microscopic camera and a Wild-Leitz-Leica M420 photomacroscope. The data were evaluated using the Quantitative Parasitology software QP 3.0. The prevalence of mycoplasmas was determined in 20 randomly selected buffaloes of two national parks with the help of sterile nasal and vaginal transport swabs (Sarstedt). All of the 10 nasal swabs collected from buffaloes in the Balaton Uplands National Park contained Mycoplasma bovirhinis and three swab samples yielded M. bovis as well. Mycoplasma bovirhinis was cultured from 8 out of 10 swabs taken from the vagina, and three vaginal samples also yielded M. bovis. Similar results were obtained by testing samples collected from buffaloes in the Kiskunság National Park (Mórahalom). All ten nasal swab samples yielded M. bovirhinis. From two samples a mixture of M. bovirhinis and M. bovis was cultured. Nine out of the 10 vaginal swabs yielded M. bovirhinis while two showed a combined infection by M. bovis and M. bovirhinis

To investigate the employment of enteral fluid therapy in continuous flow administered by a nasogastric tube in buffalo calves; toassesstheeffectsof a hypotonic and an isotonic electrolyte solutionon: vital functions, blood count and serum andurinary biochemistry profile of buffalo calves. Seven buffalo calves, clinically healthy, were submitted to two treatments. The solutions were administered in continuous flow through a nasogastric tube at a dose of 15 mL/kg/hr for 12 hours. The serum biochemistry profile showed an increase in chloride concentration, decrease in serumurea and osmolarity. In urine, anincrease in sodium and chloride concentrations and a decrease in calcium, creatinine and urea were observed. Enteral fluid therapy in continuous flow proved to beeasy to use and effective in maintaining volemia and concentration of electrolytes in buffalo calves.

Omphalitis in domestic animals being considered as commonest ailment after birth, are in general, poorly reported for its uneventful recovery. Several previously reported cases endeavoured to highlight involvement of pathogenic organism in progression of the condition with little elaboration to pathologic changes occurred. Moreover, description of omphalitis in buffalo calf was never been attempted. Therefore this report intends to elaborate the pathology noted around umbilical zone in a buffalo calf possibly arisen to infectious etiology with special reference to complicated involvement of urachus, eventual haemoperitoneum and striking acute vascular changes of multi-systemic organs. Intriguingly, this report also attempted to review few recent cases of omphalitis seen in different animals along with their paramount etiologic causes.

Buffaloes are essential part of the economy in many countries and provide sustainable food in addition to being working animals. Inefficiency in reproduction has become problematic in recent years due to a number of factors and although much research concentrates on the female, very little is known about the male buffalo reproductive system. To address this deficiency in the literature, testes were obtained from 20 clinically healthy water buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis) bulls aged 3 years old. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the Sertoli cells were columnar to triangle shaped with many processes. In the middle portion of the seminiferous tubules, the Sertoli cell had two types of processes with sheet like and slender cord like appearances. The sheet like processes had simple smooth margins originating from Sertoli cells, surrounding the surfaces of spermatogonia and spermatocytes. The slender cord like processes formed networks around other spermatogenic cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the Sertoli cells contained a large irregular shaped nucleus with deep nuclear membrane indentations, few mitochondria, aggregates of ribosomes and few rough endoplasmic reticulum which were observed within the indentations. Each nucleus contained a multivesicular nuclear body, containing vesicles, tubules and ribosome like dense structures. The work herein describes the structure and location of key reproductive cells within the water buffalo. Understanding the features of the male reproductive system is essential in order to advance studies into the reproductive decline of this species and the Bovidae family.

It is known that the chemical composition of milk is influenced by several factors and the length of lactation plays a prominent role. In Italy, where the reproductive activity of the herd is aimed at the demand for milk from the market, the chemical composition is influenced not only by the adoption or otherwise by the out-breeding-mating-strategy (OBMS) but also by the severity which characterise these techniques (the length of the interruption of sexual promiscuity). The productions and the chemical composition of the milk of 23 farms (average 9000 buffaloes a year) were processed from 2011 to August 2016. The milk was daily conferred and analysed. We evaluated the milk production (kg), the percentage of fat, protein, lactose, dairy yield calculated with the equation of Altiero (1989), the values of the titratable acidity (°SH) and of pH. For each parameter, the monthly values of each farm were divided by the respective annual average and were expressed as an index (monthly values/annual average) in order to homogenize the graphical representations