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This study involved semen ejaculates with >75 % initial motility of 3 Gir and 3 Murrah bulls split-diluted at 100 million sperm per ml using Tris-citric acid-fructose-egg yolk-glycerol (TFYG) extender without (control) and with fortification of additives Mifepristone (10 µg/ml), Sericin (5 mg/ml) and Taurine (4 mg/ml) and frozen in French mini straws using a programmable biofreezer. The straws were thawed in water bath at 37°C for 30 sec. The frozen semen doses of buffalo (1446) and cattle (495) so prepared were distributed among 18 good to average performing AI technicians of Panchamahals District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited, Godhara (Gujarat). Irrespective of additives, the overall first AI conception rate, and the mean post-thaw percent sperm progressive motility, viability, HOS reactivity, CTC assay (non-capacitated sperm, 'F' pattern) and CASA traits, viz., VAP (µm/s), VCL (µm/s), (VSL (µm/s) and ALH (µm) recorded in Gir bull semen were 47.07, 46.73±0.67, 63.99±0.83, 54.36±0.78, 65.56±0.95, 30.89±0.63, 73.68±1.03, 23.98±0.65 and 1.86±0.04, respectively. The corresponding figures for Murrah bull semen were 50.76, 48.81±0.82, 65.63±0.70, 56.64±0.64, 68.80±0.82, 33.35±0.72, 72.26±0.83, 27.29±0.83 and 1.90±0.04. All values where apparently or statistically better in Murrah than Gir bull semen. The effect of extender-additives was highly significant (p<0.01) on all the parameters studied in both the species. The percent motile, live, HOS reactive and non-capacitated sperm, and conception rates were significantly (p<0.01) higher in semen extender supplemented with Mifepristone than in control extender, and the values for Sericin and Taurine fortified TFYG were intermediary in both the species. However there was no effect of additives on CASA traits in either of the species. The first AI conception rates among 12 technicians involved for buffalo insemination ranged from 44.08 to 56.52% (p<0.01), and among 6 technicians involved for crossbred cattle insemination with Gir bull semen ranged from 40.37 to 54.88% (p<0.05). There was positive association of sperm quality parameters and fertility in both the species. The study concludes that Mifepristone (RU-486, 10 µg/ml) fortified semen extender maximally improves the quality and fertility of bovine frozen semen, followed by Taurine and Sericin over control, and hence addition of Mifepristone should be practiced at all semen stations for the betterment of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the endocrinal and enzymatic alterations in buffaloes suffering from uterine torsion (Gr-I, n=10) in comparison to normal parturient buffaloes Gr-II, n=6) just before as well as 1 hr, 1 day and 1 week after parturition. Serum enzymatic profile revealed that the mean values of serum AST and CPK were significantly higher in torsion affected buffaloes than normal parturient buffaloes at all peripartum intervals, whereas, the mean values of serum ALT were found significantly (p<0.05) elevated in affected buffaloes only during prepartum period. Serum endocrine profile revealed apparently lower serum estradiol 17ß concentrations in uterine torsion affected than normal parturient buffaloes at most periparturient periods, whereas circulatory progesterone and cortisol levels were significantly higher in torsion affected buffaloes than normal ones, before and 1 hr after parturition only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under field conditions, postpartum (>90d) true anestrus Surti buffalo treated with four different hormonal protocols (n=11 each), viz., Doublesynch, Estradoublesynch, Triu-B/PRID, PRID+PMSG and untreated control revealed 81.8-100% estrus induction response. The respective conception rates obtained following AI at induced estrus was 27.3, 27.3, 18.2 and 45.4%, with an overall conception rate of three cycles as 63.6, 54.5, 63.6 and 81.8%, which was much higher than control buffalo (18.2%). Plasma cholesterol between conceived and nonconceived buffalo was different (p<0.05) on day 12 post-AI in Doublesynch and on day of PG injection in PRID protocol. In brief, all four protocols can be used successfully to induce estrus and improve fertility in postpartum anestrus buffalo without altering the plasma protein or cholesterol profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three healthy and mature bulls each of Gir cattle and Surti buffalo were used to evaluate the comparative efficacy of standard Tris-citric acid-fructose-egg yolk-glycerol (TFYG) extender and soybean based commercially available extenders (Optixcell and Andromed) under split-sample technique for sperm motility and leakage of spermatozoal enzymes transferases (AST-ALT) into the extracellular medium during cryopreservation process. The ejaculates with >70% initial motility were divided into three equal aliquots, and extended @ 100×106 sperm/ml at 34°C with three extenders and frozen using biofreezer following 4h of equilibration. Sperm motility was higher (p<0.05) in Optixcell followed by TFYG and was least in Andromed for both Gir and Surti bull semen. However, AST-ALT activity was similar (p>0.05) between both soyabean based commercial extenders and both had much (2-3 times) lower activities of these enzymes than egg yolk based TFYG extender at all the three stages. In brief, Optixcell gave relatively improved performance during cryopreservation process in both Gir cattle and Surti buffalo semen than the egg yolk based TFYG extender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted on early postpartum (25±2 days PP, n=30) and repeat breeder (RB, n=40) crossbred cows to evaluate genital infections, their antibiogram and fertility following use of suitable antibiotics. The puerperal discharges of 19 (63.3%) cows and CVM of 28 (70.0%) RB cows yielded bacterial isolates of mixed infection, Gram-positive bacilli/rods, Streptococcus spp., Gram-negative bacilli/rods, E. coli, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Micrococcus spp. and Anthracoid, whereas the rest of the samples were sterile. The sensitivity of isolates to 13 antibacterial drugs tested ranged between 5.3-63.2% among puerperal cows and between 25.0-50.0% in RB cows, with the highest sensitive to Gentamicin (63.2 and 50.0%) and maximum resistance to Peniclillin (94.7%) in both groups. The cows yielding bacterial isolates in both groups were treated with sensitive antibiotics (i.m.) for 3-5 d and those not yielding bacterial growth served as controls. The animals were inseminated at subsequent estruses and followed for repeating to estrus for three cycles and/or pregnancy. Overall pregnancy rates in PP treated and control cows was 47.4% and 63.6%, respectively. Overall pregnancy rates in RB treated and control cows was 57.1% and 66.7%, respectively. In brief, variable prevalence of genital infections observed in early postpartum and repeat breeder cows indicated bacterial invasion with gentamicin being the highest effective antibiotic. The cows failing to get pregnant in the absence of bacterial growth indicated involvement of other reasons for repeating to estrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]