Search

The current study aimed to construct the growth curve and find the best-fitting non-linear model for the Nili-Ravi buffalo calves. The pedigree and monthly body weight data for 6644 calves born between 2010 and 2020 (inclusive) in six herds, maintained in different geographical regions of Punjab were collected. The study was performed under a longitudinal design and various non-linear models were used to associate the age with weight by using the easyreg package in R studio. Finally, the genetic parameters of growth curve were estimated through the bi-variate sire model in ASReml (v4.2). The model with the highest value of coefficient of determination and the lowest values of Akaike’s information criterion, Bayesian information criterion, and root-mean-square error was considered as the best fit for defining the growth curve. The Brody model was found as the best fitted model with the values of 0.6648, 627871.80, 627908.10, and 30.793 for the R2adj, AIC, BIC, & RMSE respectively, for the combined dataset. The values of growth curve parameters for the Brody model were 943.99 ± 101.38Kg (A), 0.96 ± 0.004Kg (B), and 0.0005 ± 0.00Kg (K) for all animals. A higher K-value of females indicates their early maturity compared with male animals in this breed. The heritability estimates for the growth curve traits were low, while the values of genetic correlations were higher than those of phenotypic correlations. The data revealed that Asymptotic weight (A) and birth weight (B) were positively correlated with each other, while the rate of maturity (K) was negatively correlated with initial and final body weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indigenous buffaloes, as the important livestock species contributing to economy of the country, are the lifeline of livelihood in Nepal. They are distributed across diverse geographical regions of the country and have adapted to various feeding, breeding, and management conditions. The larger group of these native buffalo breeds are present in narrow and stiff hilly terrains. Their dispersal indicates a possible environmental adaptation mechanism, which is crucial for the conservation of these breeds. Results: We utilized whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and selection signatures of Nepalese indigenous buffaloes. We compared 66 whole-genome sequences with 118 publicly available sequences from six river and five swamp buffalo breeds. Genomic diversity parameters indicated genetic variability level in the Nepalese buffaloes comparable to those of Indian breeds, and population genetic structure revealed distinct geography-mediated genetic differentiation among these breeds. We used locus-specific branch length analysis (LSBL) for genome-wide scan, which revealed a list of potentially selected genes in Lime and Parkote breeds that inhabit the hilly region. A gene ontology (GO) analysis discovered that many GO terms were associated with cardiac function regulation. Furthermore, complementary analyses of local selection signatures, tissue expression profiles, and haplotype differences identified candidate genes, including KCNE1, CSF1R, and PDGFRB, related to the regulation of cardiac and pulmonary functions. Conclusions: This study is a comprehensive WGS-based genetic analysis of the native Nepalese buffalo breeds. Our study suggested that the Nepalese "hilly" buffaloes, especially the Lime and Parkote breeds, have undergone some characteristic genetic changes and evolved increased cardiac and pulmonary function for their adaptation to the steep hilly terrains of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Buffalo is the principal dairy animal and plays a major role in the economic growth of the dairy industry, contributing nearly 50% of the country’s milk production. The Buffalo core body temperature is typically 38.5°C, but it can rise to 41.5°C in the summer, causing heat stress, which leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species or oxidative stress and affects the reproductive physiology of animals. Curcumin acts as an antioxidant, improves cellular development, and combats the effect of heat stress on in vitro-produced embryos. This study aimed to examine the impact of curcumin on developmental competence and the expression of important genes under normal and heat-stressed conditions during in vitro embryo production in buffalo. Materials and Methods: Group-1: All embryo production steps (i.e., in vitro maturation [IVM], in vitro fertilization [IVF], and in vitro culture [IVC]) were conducted at 38.5°C. The presumed zygotes were cultured in media supplemented with different concentrations of curcumin, that is, 0 µM, 5 µM, and 10 µM of curcumin. Group-2: All embryo production steps (i.e., IVM, IVF, and IVC) were carried out at 38.5°C. The presumed zygotes were cultured in media supplemented with different concentrations of curcumin, that is, 0 µM, 5 µM, and 10 µM of curcumin, but the early cleaved embryos were exposed to heat stress (39.5°C) for 2 h after 48 h of IVF and then cultured at 38.5°C for embryo production. Results: Blastocyst production was 16.63 ± 1.49%, 21.46 ± 0.67%, and 6.50 ± 1.17% at control, 5 µM and 10 µM of curcumin at 38.5°C, respectively, whereas at 39.5°C, it was 8.59 ± 1.20%, 15.21 ± 1.31%, and 3.03 ± 1.20% at control, 5 µM and 10 µM curcumin, respectively. The blastocyst rate was found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) at 5 µM curcumin compared with the control or 10 µM at 38.5°C and 39.5°C. The antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and pluripotency-related genes exhibited higher (p < 0.05) expression in the presence of 5 µM curcumin compared to 10 µM or control at both temperatures. Conclusion: Curcumin supplementation in embryo culture media effectively enhances embryo production in vitro and mitigates the adverse effects of heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mammals, sex determination is governed by the SRY gene on the Y chromosome, redirecting gonadal development from forming ovaries to testes. Mutations or alterations in the SRY gene can significantly affect phenotypic changes and lineage‐specific markers. This study aims to elucidate the role of the SRY gene in buffalo embryos using CRISPR‐Cas9 technology. We designed a crRNA targeting the HMG domain of the SRY gene using the CRISPOR algorithm. Nucleofection of sgRNA‐Cas9 RNPs into buffalo fibroblasts confirmed efficient cleavage at the targeted site. Using this validated guide, we investigated the role of the SRY gene in sexual determination by electroporating CRISPR‐Cas9‐RNPs into single‐stage zygotes of buffalo. Genetic changes in the SRY gene were confirmed through sequencing, revealing mosaic blastocysts with multiple alleles and non‐mosaic mutants. Mutations in SRY gene increased the expression of female lineage‐specific gene Wnt4 whereas decreased the expression of male specific gene SOX9 in blastocysts, suggesting reprogramming towards female sex determination pathways. Our findings provide insights into buffalo sex differentiation mechanisms and potential applications in reproductive strategies for breeding programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the study is to investigate and determine the factors affecting the productivity of the seed obtained from buffalo germplasm. In the research work, different factors affecting the productivity of the seed were identified. These are genotype, fodder and feeding systems, buffalo feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is the causative agent of enzootic bovine leukosis, an oncogenic deltaretrovirus that has emerged as a potential zoonotic infection. The BLV naturally infects cattle and causes economic losses through a slow persistent infection with various clinical symtoms following preleukosis. The main objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of BLV antibodies in cattle and buffaloes in the border provinces of the Eastern Anatolia region, Türkiye, using the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For this purpose, a total of 1,033 serum samples were collected from 982 cattle and 51 buffaloes from the provinces of Ağrı (n = 178), Iğdır (n = 252), Kars (n = 317), Van (n = 221), and Hakkari (n = 65) during 2021 - 2022. In AGID and ELISA tests, seropositivity for BLV-specific antibodies was not detected in cattle and buffaloes from the mentioned provinces. This study revealed that BLV was not circulating in cattle and buffaloes in the easternmost border provinces of Türkiye during the sampling period and contributed to determine the status of BLV in the mentioned region. Due to the presence of virus in other regions of Türkiye and neighboring countries, Iran and Iraq, it is recommended to control animal movements, continue efforts to combat the transmission of the virus, and maintain control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Buffalo is a globally important livestock species, but its reproductive performance is relatively low than cattles. At present, dominant follicle development specific process and mechanistic role of follicular growth related genes in water buffaloes are not well understood. Therefore, we comprehensively performed transcriptomics of granulosa cells and oocytes from different-sized follicles in water buffalo to identify key candidate genes that influence follicle development and diameter, and further explored the potential regulatory mechanisms of granulosa cells and oocytes in the process of water buffalo follicle development. Results: In this study, we found918 granulosa cell transcripts and 1401 oocyte transcripts were correlated in follicles of different diameters, and the expression differences were significant. Subsequent enrichment analysis of the co-expressed differentially expressed transcripts identified several genes targeted by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and associated with follicular development. Notably, the upregulation of BUB1 regulated by MSTRG.41325.4 and interactive action of SMAD2 and SMAD7 might have key regulatory role in follicular development. Additionally, we also detected key differentially expressed genes that potentially influence follicular hormone metabolism and growth, like ID2, CHRD, TGIF2 and MAD2L1, and constructed an interaction network between lncRNA transcripts and mRNAs. Conclusions: In summary, this study preliminarily revealed the differences in gene expression patterns among buffalo follicles of different sizes and their potential molecular regulatory mechanisms. It provides a new perspective for exploring the mechanism of buffalo follicular dominance and improving buffalo reproductive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress typically causes substantial financial losses due to the reduction in animal performance and the increase in morbidity or mortality. It is essential to comprehend the physiological reactions and biochemical alterations through different body homeostasis during various environmental seasons to prevent harmful impacts of heat stress. Objective of this experiment was to evaluate the different seasonal dynamics of the Egyptian buffaloes' oxidative, hormonal, metabolic and physiological responses to the country's summer season climate. Throughout the year, the physiological reactions of twenty lactating water buffaloes were measured. These responses included rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR) and body surface temperature (BST), in addition to serum hormonal, oxidative/antioxidant, and metabolic indices. Significant increases in RR and BST were detected in summer season in relation to winter season when the temperaturehumidity index (THI) was higher (>80). The heat stress during the summer season was associated with lower serum antioxidant enzyme levels and higher oxidative stress. Serum cortisol and hepato-renal functional bio-indicators were also significantly elevated in the summer and autumn. In comparison to former seasons, the levels of growth hormone (GH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) were also much reduced in the autumn and summer. THI was found to have a negative relation with physiological and antioxidant indices, but a positive relation with serum cortisol and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. According to our findings, lactating Egyptian buffaloes have considerable heat stress during the summer season, which necessitates greater managerial measures to prevent animal welfare concerns and economic losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The body weight (BW) of animals at various growth stages is an important piece of information for the decision-making process. In the current "livestock 4.0" or precision livestock farming it becomes necessary to know if body measurements obtained from the dorsal view of an animal are related to its BW. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between BW and dorsal area (DA) of water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) reared in southeastern Mexico. Methods: The BW (340 ± 161.68 kg), hip width (HW), thorax width (TW), and body length (BL) were measured in 215 female Murrah buffaloes aged between 3 months and 5 years. The DA (m2) was calculated using the mathematical formulae for the area of a trapezoid, considering HW, TW, and BL in the calculation. The relationship between BW and DA was assessed with correlation and regression models. Results: The correlation coefficient between BW and AD was 0.96 (p<0.001). The linear equation had the highest determination coefficient (R2 = 0.94) along with the lowest mean square error (MSE = 1716.86), root MSE (RMSE = 41.43), Akaike Information Criterion (AIC = 1603.36), and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC = 1610.10). Conversely, the allometric equation exhibited the highest values of MSE, RMSE, AIC, and BIC. Based on the quality of fit by the k-folds technique, the three proposed equations showed consistent adjustments, with more than 90% accuracy (R2 = 0.92). The quadratic equation exhibited the lowest mean squared prediction error and mean absolute error. Conclusion: The DA can be used as a good predictor of BW in buffaloes, especially when incorporated into first and second-degree linear equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mother–offspring communication is especially crucial for social species in order to synchronize activities essential for early survival including nursing, resting, maintaining proximity during group movements between food or water sources, and locating one another if separated in a large social group. One of the most social ungulate species in North America is the American Bison (Bison bison), formerly known as buffalo. Adult female bison associate with their young for over a year and communication between mother and offspring is likely essential for establishing and maintaining a bond upon which the life of a calf depends. One goal of this study was to quantify and compare the acoustic form of vocalizations of adult female, subadult, and calf bison and to determine how age classes differed in call structure. The other goal was to identify the contexts in which bison vocalized. Vocalizations of 101 bison (53 adult females, 15 subadults, 33 calves) in a semi-free-ranging herd in Montana were analyzed and found to be pulsatile sounds, unlike vocalizations of bison bulls or domestic cows and calves. Vocalizations of bison cows, subadults, and calves differed significantly in total duration, numbers of pulses, pulse duration, and pulse rate. Seven distinct call contexts were identified. The majority of calls were "moving-on calls" (39%), when a cow called and her calf ran to her side and the 2 moved on together, and "contact calls" (21%) when a cow called and her calf called back but neither changed their location. "Imprinting calls" and "nursing calls" were also identified. Mother–offspring acoustic communication in bison appears especially critical for coordinating movements. Understanding the role of acoustic communication in maintaining the bond between bison mothers and their offspring can contribute to the humane management and welfare of this iconic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperammonia-producing bacteria (HAB) are a class of microbes present in the stomach of ruminants, responsible for the rapid rate of ammonia production from protein degradation beyond the capacity of these animals for their utilization. Thus, ruminant nutritionists are interested in decreasing ruminal protein degradation and ammonia genesis by focusing on controlling the activity of HAB. The investigations of the present study were carried out to determine predominant hyperammonia-producing bacteria in the rumen of buffaloes, their isolation and characterization, as well as the inhibition of these isolates with various sources of plant secondary compounds (tannins, saponins, and essential oils). Studies employing high-throughput sequencing of amplicons of the 16S rRNA gene from genomic DNA recovered from enrichment culture of HAB of buffalo rumina indicated that, at the phylum level, Proteobacteria (61.1 to 68.2%) was the most predominant HAB. Acidaminococcus was most predominant among the identified genera. In vitro experiments were conducted with enrichment culture of buffalo rumen contents incubated with different types of feed additives such as essential oils (eucalyptus oil, lemon grass oil, and clove oil) and extracts of plants (Sapindus mukorossi fruits and Ficus bengalensis leaves), each at graded dose levels. The reduction in ammonia production by clove and lemon grass oils was evident due to the presence of major bioactive compounds, especially eugenol and limonene, which have strong antimicrobial activity. However, clove oil and Indian soapberry/reetha (Sapindus mukorossi) fruit were found to be promising and effective in reducing the growth, protease production, and ammonia production of HAB culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reproductive performance of Egyptian buffalo might be determined by genetic variants, but it is also affected by environmental factors. The possible action of L-carnitine (LC) on the maturation of Egyptian buffalo oocytes has not been determined yet. This study aims to estimate the effects of supplementing LC on the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) of Egyptian buffaloes. We evaluated blastocyst and apoptosis rates in order to substantiate the potential development of cumulus oocytes-complexes (COC) and determine the effect of LC in reducing the occurrence of apoptosis under in vitro maturation (IVM) conditions for buffalo blastocysts. The tissue culture media included a control culture medium and other three LC supplemented media (2, 3 or, 4 mM LC). All LC treatments had higher COCs percentages at the metaphase II (MII) compared to the control group. The 2 Mmol LC treatment had the highest percentage of oocytes maturation rate at metaphase (47%) compared to the control group (33.3%). The same treatment had a higher percentage of cleaved embryos (75.4% vs 64.9%) and blastocyst rates (43,4% vs. 31,5%, respectively). Furthermore, the same 2 Mmol LC treatment had a lower apoptotic rate of blastocyst compared to the control group (35,8% vs 58,3%). In conclusion, LC could increase the maturation and blastocyst rates of oocytes and reduce apoptosis in Egyptian buffalo embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rectal thermometers are commonly used to assess animal health, but non-invasive methods like thermal imaging are gaining popularity for their ease. This study explores using infra-red thermography to measure eye temperatures as a proxy for body temperature in buffaloes. Among 280 adult female buffaloes, rectal temperature averaged 38.26 ± 0.38 °C, while eye temperature averaged 36.99 ± 0.47 °C. Statistical analysis showed a significant positive correlation (0.674, p

Buffalo is a rustic animal; it can adapt and survive in various environments with different topography, climate and vegetation, and has a greater longevity than cattle. The high resistance to parasites, as well as the ability to improve the efficiency of feed consumption in case of forage shortage, means that even in marshy territories, where any other type of livestock or agricultural activity is impossible, buffalo farming can develop an economy. This review aims to present the key research topics, the evolution and geographic distribution of literature on buffalo welfare, and to underscore potentiality and existing knowledge gaps. A comprehensive search on the Scopus bibliometric database was carried out using various welfare-related keywords such as: ‘buffalo welfare’, ‘buffalo calf welfare’ and ‘buffalo heifers’ welfare’. The research identified 308 papers published in English from January 1992 to December 2023 that, after filtering, became 148 eligible records. Descriptive statistics revealed a significant exponential increase in studies on buffalo welfare since 2020, particularly in Italy, followed by Brazil. Text mining and topic analysis revealed that the most frequently mentioned terms were ‘milk’, ‘water’, ‘behaviour’, ‘farm’ and ‘stun’, confirming the role and the importance of this species in dairy production. Nine identified topics span diverse subject areas such as ‘slaughter process’, ‘dairy production’, ‘general welfare’, ‘housing system’, ‘heat stress’, ‘reproduction performance’, ‘health status’ ‘breeding management’, and ‘stress evaluation’. Although academia shows an increasing interest in buffalo behaviour and welfare, continued research is necessary to fully comprehend how to ensure the welfare of this important species.

Abstract Background Indigenous buffaloes, as the important livestock species contributing to economy of the country, are the lifeline of livelihood in Nepal. They are distributed across diverse geographical regions of the country and have adapted to various feeding, breeding, and management conditions. The larger group of these native buffalo breeds are present in narrow and stiff hilly terrains. Their dispersal indicates a possible environmental adaptation mechanism, which is crucial for the conservation of these breeds. Results We utilized whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and selection signatures of Nepalese indigenous buffaloes. We compared 66 whole-genome sequences with 118 publicly available sequences from six river and five swamp buffalo breeds. Genomic diversity parameters indicated genetic variability level in the Nepalese buffaloes comparable to those of Indian breeds, and population genetic structure revealed distinct geography-mediated genetic differentiation among these breeds. We used locus-specific branch length analysis (LSBL) for genome-wide scan, which revealed a list of potentially selected genes in Lime and Parkote breeds that inhabit the hilly region. A gene ontology (GO) analysis discovered that many GO terms were associated with cardiac function regulation. Furthermore, complementary analyses of local selection signatures, tissue expression profiles, and haplotype differences identified candidate genes, including KCNE1, CSF1R, and PDGFRB, related to the regulation of cardiac and pulmonary functions. Conclusions This study is a comprehensive WGS-based genetic analysis of the native Nepalese buffalo breeds. Our study suggested that the Nepalese “hilly” buffaloes, especially the Lime and Parkote breeds, have undergone some characteristic genetic changes and evolved increased cardiac and pulmonary function for their adaptation to the steep hilly terrains of the country.

Abstract Background Buffalo is a globally important livestock species, but its reproductive performance is relatively low than cattles. At present, dominant follicle development specific process and mechanistic role of follicular growth related genes in water buffaloes are not well understood. Therefore, we comprehensively performed transcriptomics of granulosa cells and oocytes from different-sized follicles in water buffalo to identify key candidate genes that influence follicle development and diameter, and further explored the potential regulatory mechanisms of granulosa cells and oocytes in the process of water buffalo follicle development. Results In this study, we found918 granulosa cell transcripts and 1401 oocyte transcripts were correlated in follicles of different diameters, and the expression differences were significant. Subsequent enrichment analysis of the co-expressed differentially expressed transcripts identified several genes targeted by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and associated with follicular development. Notably, the upregulation of BUB1 regulated by MSTRG.41325.4 and interactive action of SMAD2 and SMAD7 might have key regulatory role in follicular development. Additionally, we also detected key differentially expressed genes that potentially influence follicular hormone metabolism and growth, like ID2, CHRD, TGIF2 and MAD2L1, and constructed an interaction network between lncRNA transcripts and mRNAs. Conclusions In summary, this study preliminarily revealed the differences in gene expression patterns among buffalo follicles of different sizes and their potential molecular regulatory mechanisms. It provides a new perspective for exploring the mechanism of buffalo follicular dominance and improving buffalo reproductive performance.

The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a pathogen of higher risk to the world community. Livestock and the products it produces, which are frequently raised in subpar conditions, are one of the sources of MRSA emergence. Studies on the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile and prevalence of MRSA in dairy buffaloes were scarce in Jabalpur. Thus, using their antimicrobial pattern as well as phenotypic and genotypic characterization, the current study was aimed to ascertain the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in mastitic buffaloes in the Jabalpur region of Madhya Pradesh. The California Mastitis Test was used to screen 408 buffaloes' milk samples for mastitis (CMT). The mecA gene of methicillin-resistant S. aureus was molecularly characterized using polymerase chain reaction. Overall 25 percent (102/408) of the milk samples tested positive for CMT. 30.39 % (31/102) of the milk samples that tested positive for CMT had S. aureus, according to the results of the biochemical tests. mecA gene was identified in 16.1% (05/31) of the total 31 S. aureus isolates detected as MRSA. Only one S. aureus isolate was found to be multidrug resistant based on the antibiotic sensitivity test results.

Abstract Background Milk is essential for mammalian nutrition because it provides vital nutrients for growth and development. Milk composition, which is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, supports lactation, a complex process crucial for milk production and quality. Recent research has focused on noncoding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), which are present in body fluids and regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. This study comprehensively characterizes miRNAs in milk of four livestock species, namely Bubalus bubalis, Capra hircus, Equus asinus, and Ovis aries and identifies potential target genes. Results High-throughput sequencing of milk RNA resulted in distinct read counts across species: B. bubalis (8,790,441 reads), C. hircus (12,976,275 reads), E. asinus (9,385,067 reads), and O. aries (7,295,297 reads). E. asinus had the highest RNA mapping rate (94.6%) and O. aries the lowest (84.8%). A substantially greater proportion of miRNAs over other small RNAs was observed for the donkey milk sample (7.74%) compared to buffalo (0.87%), goat (1.57%), and sheep (1.12%). Shared miRNAs, which included miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-200c, and miR-23a among others, showed varying expression levels across species, confirmed by qPCR analysis. Functional annotation of predicted miRNA target genes highlighted diverse roles, with an enrichment in functions linked to metabolism and immunity. Pathway analysis identified immune response pathways as significant, with several miRNAs targeting specific genes across species, suggesting their regulatory function in milk. Conclusions Both conserved and species-specific miRNAs were detected in milk of the investigated species. The identified target genes of these miRNAs have important roles in neonatal development, adaptation, growth, and immune response. Furthermore, they influence milk and meat production traits in livestock.

ABSTRACT: Buffaloes are vital contributors to the global dairy industry. Understanding the genetic basis of milk production traits in buffalo populations is essential for breeding programs and improving productivity. In this study, we conducted whole-genome resequencing on 387 buffalo genomes from 29 diverse Asian breeds, including 132 river buffaloes, 129 swamp buffaloes, and 126 crossbred buffaloes. We identified 36,548 copy number variants (CNV) spanning 133.29 Mb of the buffalo genome, resulting in 2,100 CNV regions (CNVR), with 1,993 shared CNVR being found within the studied buffalo types. Analyzing CNVR highlighted distinct genetic differentiation between river and swamp buffalo subspecies, verified by evolutionary tree and principal component analyses. Admixture analysis grouped buffaloes into river and swamp categories, with crossbred buffaloes displaying mixed ancestry. To identify candidate genes associated with milk production traits, we employed 3 approaches. First, we used Vst-based population differentiation, revealing 11 genes within CNVR that exhibited significant divergence between different buffalo breeds, including genes linked to milk production traits. Second, expression quantitative loci analysis revealed differentially expressed CNVR-derived genes (DECG) associated with milk production traits. Notably, known milk production-related genes were among these DECG, validating their relevance. Last, a GWAS identified 3 CNVR significantly linked to peak milk yield. Our study provides comprehensive genomic insights into buffalo populations and identifies candidate genes associated with milk production traits. These findings facilitate genetic breeding programs aimed at increasing milk yield and improving quality in this economically important livestock species.

This prospective study describes the occurrence, morphology and localisation of type 1 abomasal ulcers (AU1) in various diseases of buffaloes and cattle. The carcasses were examined to confirm the cause of death. The abomasa were examined for AU1 and their characteristics. The AU1 were catego-rised into four subtypes, 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d, as per standard procedure. Traumatic reticuloperitoni-tis/pericarditis, reticular diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal obstruction, peritonitis, bronchopneumonia and theileriosis were the common causes for AU1. The overall prevalence of AU1 was 62.9%, which did not differ significantly with species and age. The prevalence of acute ulcers (1a and 1b) was sig-nificantly higher than that of chronic ulcers (1c and 1d). Most AU1 were located in the caudal third of abomasal body on parietal surface along the greater curvature. Most of the 1a ulcers were located in the pylorus, while 1b, 1c and 1d were located in the abomasal body. The overall prevalence of AU1 was lower (P

Objective The objective of the current study was to find out the independent and interactive effects of prilled fat supplementation with protein on the production performance of early lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Methods Sixteen early lactating buffaloes (36.75±5.79 d in milk; mean±standard error) received 4 treatments in 4×4 Latin-square design according to 2×2 factorial arrangements. The dietary treatments were: i) low protein low fat, ii) low protein high fat, iii) high protein low fat, and iv) high protein high fat. The dietary treatments contained 2 protein (8.7% and 11.7% crude protein) and fat levels (2.6% and 4.6% ether extract) on a dry matter basis. Results The yields of milk and fat increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Energy-, protein-, and fat-corrected milk yields also increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Increasing dietary protein increased the protein yield by 3.75% and lactose yield by 3.15% and increasing dietary fat supplies increased the fat contents by 3.93% (p≤0.05). Milk yield and fat-corrected milk to dry matter intake ratios were increased at high protein and high fat levels (p≤0.05). Milk nitrogen efficiency was unaffected by dietary fat (p>0.10), whereas it decreased with increasing protein supplies (p≤0.05). Plasma urea nitrogen and cholesterol were increased by increasing protein and fat levels, respectively (p≤0.05). The values of predicted methane production reduced with increasing dietary protein and fat. Conclusion It is concluded that prilled fat and protein supplies increased milk and fat yield along with increased ratios of milk yield and fat-corrected milk yields to dry matter intake. However, no interaction was observed between prilled fat and protein supplementation for production parameters, body weight, body condition score and blood metabolites. Predicted methane production decreased with increasing protein and fat levels.

Background: Milk is essential for mammalian nutrition because it provides vital nutrients for growth and development. Milk composition, which is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, supports lactation, a complex process crucial for milk production and quality. Recent research has focused on noncoding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), which are present in body fluids and regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. This study comprehensively characterizes miRNAs in milk of four livestock species, namely Bubalus bubalis, Capra hircus, Equus asinus, and Ovis aries and identifies potential target genes. Results: High-throughput sequencing of milk RNA resulted in distinct read counts across species: B. bubalis (8,790,441 reads), C. hircus (12,976,275 reads), E. asinus (9,385,067 reads), and O. aries (7,295,297 reads). E. asinus had the highest RNA mapping rate (94.6%) and O. aries the lowest (84.8%). A substantially greater proportion of miRNAs over other small RNAs was observed for the donkey milk sample (7.74%) compared to buffalo (0.87%), goat (1.57%), and sheep (1.12%). Shared miRNAs, which included miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-200c, and miR-23a among others, showed varying expression levels across species, confirmed by qPCR analysis. Functional annotation of predicted miRNA target genes highlighted diverse roles, with an enrichment in functions linked to metabolism and immunity. Pathway analysis identified immune response pathways as significant, with several miRNAs targeting specific genes across species, suggesting their regulatory function in milk. Conclusions: Both conserved and species-specific miRNAs were detected in milk of the investigated species. The identified target genes of these miRNAs have important roles in neonatal development, adaptation, growth, and immune response. Furthermore, they influence milk and meat production traits in livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During in-vitro maturation, the oocyte experiences stressful conditions that likely compromise its development. Epinephrine is a catecholamine that plays a vital role during cellular stress by scavenging free radicals. The hypothesis is that epinephrine addition in maturation media improves the developmental competence of oocytes in cattle and buffalo. The objectives of the experiments were to investigate the effect of epinephrine addition in maturation media on nuclear maturation, developmental competence, and oocyte mRNA abundance of genes related to antioxidants and growth pathways in cattle and buffalo. In experiment 1, cattle oocytes were matured for 24 h in maturation media supplemented with increasing concentrations of epinephrine 0, 0.01, 1.0, and 100 μ M. Oocytes were cultured to assess cleavage at 48 h and blastocyst on day 7 of the culture. The cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) expansion, nuclear maturation, and oocyte mRNA abundance of genes (SOD1, GPX4, GDF9 , CASP9) were evaluated. In experiment 2, buffalo oocytes were matured and assessed for development and mRNA abundance as described for cattle. In addition, the blastomere number was counted in the hatched blastocyst. The data were analyzed using GLIMMIX and MIXED procedures of SAS. Results revealed that the supplementation of epinephrine increased (P ≤ 0.03) the COCs expansion, nuclear maturation, and developmental competence of oocytes in cattle. Interestingly, all the responses were maximized (quadratic effect; P ≤ 0.08) at 1 μ M concentrations. The mRNA abundance of genes in cattle oocytes was not affected by the treatment. The experiment in buffalo revealed that epinephrine increased blastocyst formation without affecting COCs expansion, and nuclear maturation. The higher blastocyst was achieved at 0.01 μ M concentrations of epinephrine. Interestingly, the addition of epinephrine increased the mRNA abundance of genes related to antioxidant pathways (SOD1 , GPX4). Moreover, supplementation of epinephrine increased the blastomere count of the hatched blastocyst in buffalo. In conclusion, epinephrine addition in maturation media benefited oocyte development in cattle and blastocyst yield in buffalo at 1 and 0.01 μ M concentrations, respectively. It appears that the addition of epinephrine affected different cellular pathways, COCs expansion, and nuclear maturation in cattle and increased antioxidant genes for buffalo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk is a good source of nutrition but is also a source of allergenic proteins such as α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin (BLG), casein, and immunoglobulins. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas technology has the potential to edit any gene, including milk allergens. Previously, CRISPR/Cas has been successfully employed in dairy cows and goats, but buffaloes remain unexplored for any milk trait. In this study, we utilized the CRISPR/Cas9 system to edit the major milk allergen BLG gene in buffaloes. First, the editing efficiency of designed sgRNAs was tested in fibroblast cells using the T7E assay and Sanger sequencing. The most effective sgRNA was selected to generate clonal lines of BLG-edited cells. Analysis of 15 single-cell clones, through TA cloning and Sanger sequencing, revealed that 7 clones exhibited bi-allelic (−/−) heterozygous, bi-allelic (−/−) homozygous, and mono-allelic (−/+) disruptions in BLG. Bioinformatics prediction analysis confirmed that non-multiple-of-3 edited nucleotide cell clones have frame shifts and early truncation of BLG protein, while multiple-of-3 edited nucleotides resulted in slightly disoriented protein structures. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) method was used to produce blastocyst-stage embryos that have similar developmental rates and quality with wild-type embryos. This study demonstrated the successful bi-allelic editing (−/−) of BLG in buffalo cells through CRISPR/Cas, followed by the production of BLG-edited blastocyst stage embryos using SCNT. With CRISPR and SCNT methods described herein, our long-term goal is to generate gene-edited buffaloes with BLG-free milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Camis cheese may be an interesting dairy product with potential bioactivities and postconsumption health effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Camis cheeses produced by two different traditional methods, differing in heat processing of the milk and boiling the curd, and to reveal the changes that occur depending on 90 days of ripening time. For this purpose, physicochemical and sensory analyses were performed, and antimicrobial and antioxidant activity analyses of the water‐soluble extracts (WSEs) of Camis cheeses (B1 and B2) were conducted. WSEs of both cheeses (800 μL mL−1) had remarkable antimicrobial effects on Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (Staph. aureus), with a higher inhibitory effect on E. coli. The Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values (0.12–2.24 μM Trolox) and % inhibition rates as 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (8.54–26.34%) of the cheeses indicate limited antioxidant activity. The curd boiling process was found to have a favorable effect on the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the Camis cheeses. However, the panelists' perceptions of flavor, texture, and total acceptability did not align with this positive outcome. The results of this study reveal that the consumption of traditional Camis cheese and its extracts or the use of purified bioactive peptides in functional food products may constitute an important alternative in terms of eliminating the negative effects encountered with the use of synthetic antimicrobial and antioxidant components to provide the desired health effect from natural sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloride channels (ClCs) have received global interest due to their significant role in the regulation of ion homeostasis, fluid transport, and electrical excitability of tissues and organs in different mammals and contributing to various functions, such as neuronal signaling, muscle contraction, and regulating the electrolytes' balance in kidneys and other organs. In order to define the chloride voltage-gated channel (CLCN) gene family in buffalo, this study used in silico analyses to examine physicochemical properties, evolutionary patterns, and genome-wide identification. We identified eight CLCN genes in buffalo. The ProtParam tool analysis identified a number of important physicochemical properties of these proteins, including hydrophilicity, thermostability, in vitro instability, and basic nature. Based on their evolutionary relationships, a phylogenetic analysis divided the eight discovered genes into three subfamilies. Furthermore, a gene structure analysis, motif patterns, and conserved domains using TBtool demonstrated the significant conservation of this gene family among selected species over the course of evolution. A comparative amino acid analysis using ClustalW revealed similarities and differences between buffalo and cattle CLCN proteins. Three duplicated gene pairs were identified, all of which were segmental duplications except for CLCN4-CLCN5, which was a tandem duplication in buffalo. For each gene pair, the Ka/Ks test ratio findings showed that none of the ratios was more than one, indicating that these proteins were likely subject to positive selection. A synteny analysis confirmed a conserved pattern of genomic blocks between buffalo and cattle. Transcriptional control in cells relies on the binding of transcription factors to specific sites in the genome. The number of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) was higher in cattle compared to buffalo. Five main recombination breakpoints were identified at various places in the recombination analysis. The outcomes of our study provide new knowledge about the CLCN gene family in buffalo and open the door for further research on candidate genes in vertebrates through genome-wide studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) in ameliorating adverse effects of aflatoxin on in vitro rumen fermentation, five treatment groups, viz., T1: control (wheat straw; 0.2 g); T2: T1+300 ppb Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1); T3: T2+0.33% HSCAS; T4: T2+0.5% HSCAS and T5: T2+ 1.0% HSCAS were prepared and incubated in vitro. The results revealed that truly degradable dry matter (TDDM), truly degradable organic matter (TDOM), gas production (GP), microbial biomass production (MBP) and partitioning factor (PF) values in aflatoxin contaminated group (T2) were lower (p<0.05) than those of other treatment groups. The TDDM, TDOM, GP, MBP and PF values in control group (T1) were higher than those of other treatment groups, i.e., T2 to T5. These parameters improved with increasing concentration of HSCAS. The total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), acetate (A), propionate (P) and butyrate (B) values in control group (T1) were higher (p<0.05) than those of other treatment groups, i.e., T2 to T5. The TVFA, A, P and B values in aflatoxin contaminated T2 group were lower (p<0.05) than those of other treatment groups. The A:P value among various dietary treatments did not vary significantly. It was concluded that aflatoxin contamination of feed (wheat straw) at 300 ppb level significantly affected the in vitro rumen fermentation in terms of reduced TDDM, TDOM, GP, MBP, PF, TVFA concentration. Inclusion of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate to the aflatoxin contaminated feed partially ameliorated the adverse effects of aflatoxin on in vitro rumen fermentation parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by haemo-protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia with four main species, viz., Babesia bigemina, Babesia bovis, Babesia major and Babesia divergens and is characterized by significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of B. bigemina in water buffaloes of North Gujarat. Ticks mostly present in the study area are Rhiphicephalus (Boophilus) spp. and Hyalomma spp., etc. A total of 223 blood samples were drawn from buffaloes of different age groups during October 2022 to September 2023 and analysed by microscopic and PCR techniques. The overall prevalence of Babesia bigemina infection in buffaloes was 6.72 (15/223) % by conventional microscopic method and 9.86 (22/223) % by PCR. No blood samples were found positive for other Babesia spp. by microscopic as well as by PCR based assay. Babesiosis was found to be more common in age group of 1-3 years old followed by 3-5 and > 5 years old buffaloes, with calves below < 1 year showed the least infection. Summer season had highest prevalence followed by monsoon and winter seasons. The haematological and biochemical parameters were found to be non-significantly altered, except the levels of Hb, TEC, PCV, which were found to be significantly decreased and the levels of WBC, granulocytes were found significantly elevated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Buffaloes are vital contributors to the global dairy industry. Understanding the genetic basis of milk production traits in buffalo populations is essential for breeding programs and improving productivity. In this study, we conducted whole-genome resequencing on 387 buffalo genomes from 29 diverse Asian breeds, including 132 river buffaloes, 129 swamp buffaloes, and 126 crossbred buffaloes. We identified 36,548 copy number variants (CNV) spanning 133.29 Mb of the buffalo genome, resulting in 2,100 CNV regions (CNVR), with 1,993 shared CNVR being found within the studied buffalo types. Analyzing CNVR highlighted distinct genetic differentiation between river and swamp buffalo subspecies, verified by evolutionary tree and principal component analyses. Admixture analysis grouped buffaloes into river and swamp categories, with crossbred buffaloes displaying mixed ancestry. To identify candidate genes associated with milk production traits, we employed 3 approaches. First, we used Vst -based population differentiation, revealing 11 genes within CNVR that exhibited significant divergence between different buffalo breeds, including genes linked to milk production traits. Second, expression quantitative loci analysis revealed differentially expressed CNVR-derived genes (DECG) associated with milk production traits. Notably, known milk production-related genes were among these DECG, validating their relevance. Last, a GWAS identified 3 CNVR significantly linked to peak milk yield. Our study provides comprehensive genomic insights into buffalo populations and identifies candidate genes associated with milk production traits. These findings facilitate genetic breeding programs aimed at increasing milk yield and improving quality in this economically important livestock species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of riverine and swamp buffaloes in India, utilizing complete mitochondrial genome sequences. Through comprehensive sampling across varied agro-climatic zones, including 91 riverine buffaloes from 12 breeds and 6 non-descript populations, along with 16 swamp buffaloes of the Luit breed, this study employed next-generation sequencing techniques to map the mitogenomic landscape of these subspecies. Sequence alignments were performed with the buffalo mitochondrial reference genome to identify mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variations and distinct maternal haplogroups among Indian buffaloes. The results uncovered the existence of 212 variable sites in riverine buffaloes, yielding 67 haplotypes with high haplotype diversity (0.991), and in swamp buffaloes, 194 variable sites resulting in 12 haplotypes, displaying haplotype diversity of 0.950. Phylogenetic analyses elucidated the genetic relationships between Indian buffaloes and the recognized global haplogroups, categorizing Indian swamp buffaloes predominantly into the SA haplogroup. Intriguingly, the haplogroup SB2b was observed for the first time in swamp buffaloes. Conversely, riverine buffaloes conformed to established sub-haplogroups RB1, RB2, and RB3, underscoring the notion of Northwestern India as a pivotal domestication site for riverine buffaloes. The study supports the hypothesis of independent domestication events for riverine and swamp buffaloes, highlighting the critical role of genetic analysis in unraveling the complex evolutionary pathways of domestic animals. This investigation contributes to the global understanding of buffalo mitogenome diversity, offering insights into this important livestock species' domestication and dispersal patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospective study describes the occurrence, morphology and localisation of type 1 abomasal ulcers (AU1) in various diseases of buffaloes and cattle. The carcasses were examined to confirm the cause of death. The abomasa were examined for AU1 and their characteristics. The AU1 were categorised into four subtypes, 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d, as per standard procedure. Traumatic reticuloperitonitis/pericarditis, reticular diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal obstruction, peritonitis, bronchopneumonia and theileriosis were the common causes for AU1. The overall prevalence of AU1 was 62.9%, which did not differ significantly with species and age. The prevalence of acute ulcers (1a and 1b) was significantly higher than that of chronic ulcers (1c and 1d). Most AU1 were located in the caudal third of abomasal body on parietal surface along the greater curvature. Most of the 1a ulcers were located in the pylorus, while 1b, 1c and 1d were located in the abomasal body. The overall prevalence of AU1 was lower (P<0.05) in the fundus than in other anatomical regions of the abomasum. Type 1b ulcers were more numerous than other subtypes. It was concluded that AU1 may be an important cause of slow recovery/poor prognosis under clinical situations and hence, the therapy protocol for such cases should include treatment for probable gastrointestinal bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buffalo bulls are backbone of Indian dairy industry, and the quality of semen donating bulls determine the overall production efficiency of dairy farms. Seminal plasma harbor millions of lipid bilayer nanovesicles known as extracellular vesicles (EVs). These EVs carry a heterogenous cargo of essential biomolecules including fertility-associated proteins which contribute to fertilizing potential of spermatozoa. In this study, we explored size, concentration, and complete proteome profiles of SP EVs from two distinct fertility groups to uncover proteins influencing bull fertility. Through Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) it was found that purified EVs were present in 7-14 size exclusion chromatographic (SEC) fractions with sizes ranging from 146.5 to 258.7 nm in high fertile (HF) and low fertile (LF) bulls. Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) confirmed the size of seminal EVs up to 200 nm, and concentrations varying from 2.84 to 6.82 × 1011 and 3.57 to 7.74 × 1011 particles per ml in HF and LF bulls, respectively. No significant difference was observed in size and concentration of seminal EVs between two groups. We identified a total of 1,862 and 1,807 proteins in seminal EVs of HF and LF bulls, respectively using high throughput LC-MS/MS approach. Out of these total proteins, 1,754 proteins were common in both groups and about 87 proteins were highly abundant in HF group while 1,292 were less abundant as compared to LF bulls. Gene ontology (GO) analysis, revealed that highly abundant proteins in HF group were mainly part of the nucleus and involved in nucleosome assembly along with DNA binding. Additionally, highly abundant proteins in EVs of HF group were found to be involved in spermatogenesis, motility, acrosome reaction, capacitation, gamete fusion, and cryotolerance. Two highly abundant proteins, protein disulfide-isomerase A4 and gelsolin, are associated with sperm-oocyte fusion and acrosome reaction, respectively, and their immunolocalization on spermatozoa may indicate that these proteins are transferred through EVs. Our evidences support that proteins in EVs and subsequently their presence on sperm, are strongly associated with sperm functions. Altogether, our investigation indicates that SPEVs possess crucial protein repertoires that are essential for enhancing sperm fertilizing capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlation between peripheral and seminal hormones and biochemical parameters with sperm kinematics across seasons in buffalo bulls were studied. Semen from buffalo bulls (n = 13) during different seasons viz. summer, comfort (spring and autumn) and winter was collected. Sperm kinematics of ejaculates (n = 39) (three ejaculates per bull) were carried out during each season and simultaneously blood (10 mL) was collected and serum was separated for hormones (leptin, testosterone and kisspeptin) and biochemical [heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), ascorbic acid and total antioxidant capacity] estimation. Total motility (TM, %), progressive motility (PM, %) and rapid motility (RM, %) showed significant differences across seasons with the highest TM, PM and RM during winter. HSP70 was higher in seminal plasma levels during summer and TAC was higher in serum than seminal plasma during all seasons. In conclusion, seminal leptin and ascorbic acid showed an association with sperm kinematics across seasons in buffalo bulls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimum fertility is a pre-requisite for enhancing productivity as well as life time production of dairy bovines. However, increasing evidences indicate that with increasing milk yields, fertility has been declining. Analysis of the existing information indicates that dairy animals in our country calve at a later age, conceive at very later stage of post-partum period and the conception rate is low. Among the several reasons for extended service period (in turn calving interval), postpartum uterine infection alone accounts to around 30 per cent. Infectious diseases affecting reproductive organs can create losses throughout the reproductive cycle by decreasing ovulation rates, fertilization rates, embryonic survival rates and fetal survival rates. Understanding the molecular basis of uterine disease and identification of bio-molecules to detect uterine infection at an early stage besides developing effective preventive and therapeutic strategies is the need of the hour to realize the dream of obtaining a calf per cow per year. It is in this regard, the developments in the field of diagnosis and treatment of uterine infection, with special reference to subclinical uterine infection, are compiled, analysed and presented in this paper to provide the readers with the updated information on these aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infectious diarrhea of newborns calves is one of the biggest health problems in beef and dairy industries in Basrah, Iraq, Group A rotavirus considers major cause of gastroenteritis in newborn calve of buffalo in the world, leading to serious economic losses specifically in developing countries. The infection has short incubation period, non-viremic, and profuse diarrhea. Methods: Buffalo calves with diarrhea were carefully examined and a sample of their excrement was collected for this particular study. The calves ranged in age from one to thirty days and were equally split between males and females. We found out whether the calves were girls or boys. The calves' ages were considered throughout the sorting process; they originated from different regions of Iraq's Basrah governorate. Moreover, they were further separated into four separate age groups. Blood samples were collected from calves infected with rotavirus so that the objectives of this research could be fulfilled. Biochemical and hematological studies were the intended purposes of the blood sample collection. Finding out how these samples fared in comparison to the control samples in the group was the next stage. Laboratory diagnostics used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), while field diagnostics used a rotavirus antigen fast test kit. Both techniques were used in tandem. Results: With the use of a field-based rotavirus antigen fast detection kit and real-time polymerase chain reaction, 19 out of 30 samples tested positive for rotavirus antigen. Nineteen out of one hundred samples came back positive. Along with it, the highest infection rates were recorded in January (30.7%) and among children aged five to fourteen (27.5%). The afflicted males and females did not vary significantly from one another statistically. The clinical signs of infected calves were also documented. Symptoms included anorexia with or without a loss of suckling ability, lose or somewhat solid stools, mucous, and a milky or light-yellow color. Some of the other symptoms included signs of dehydration, although to varying degrees. Nothing stood out while comparing the patients' vital indicators. In the infected group, sodium levels dropped significantly, and monocyte and lymphocyte production skyrocketed. If we look at potassium levels, we see that there was no statistically significant difference between the infected and control groups. Infected calves had substantially greater levels of red blood cell count, panel C viral load, hemoglobin B, and total lipid content (TLC) when compared with healthy calves. Conclusion: The study record and suggests the role of rotavirus group A as a serious cause of diarrhea in newborns buffalo calves in Basrah governorate, Iraq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of the current study was to find out the independent and interactive effects of prilled fat supplementation with protein on the production performance of early lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Methods: Sixteen early lactating buffaloes (36.75±5.79 d in milk; mean±standard error) received 4 treatments in 4x4 Latin-square design according to 2x2 factorial arrangements. The dietary treatments were: i) low protein low fat, ii) low protein high fat, iii) high protein low fat, and iv) high protein high fat. The dietary treatments contained 2 protein (8.7% and 11.7% crude protein) and fat levels (2.6% and 4.6% ether extract) on a dry matter basis. Results: The yields of milk and fat increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Energy-, protein-, and fat-corrected milk yields also increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Increasing dietary protein increased the protein yield by 3.75% and lactose yield by 3.15% and increasing dietary fat supplies increased the fat contents by 3.93% (p≤0.05). Milk yield and fat-corrected milk to dry matter intake ratios were increased at high protein and high fat levels (p≤0.05). Milk nitrogen efficiency was unaffected by dietary fat (p>0.10), whereas it decreased with increasing protein supplies (p≤0.05). Plasma urea nitrogen and cholesterol were increased by increasing protein and fat levels, respectively (p≤0.05). The values of predicted methane production reduced with increasing dietary protein and fat. Conclusion: It is concluded that prilled fat and protein supplies increased milk and fat yield along with increased ratios of milk yield and fat-corrected milk yields to dry matter intake. However, no interaction was observed between prilled fat and protein supplementation for production parameters, body weight, body condition score and blood metabolites. Predicted methane production decreased with increasing protein and fat levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the present study, we aimed to explore the potential local regulatory role of the cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) signaling pathway in granulosa cell (GC) apoptosis, which is a key mechanism promoting follicular atresia in several animal species, including buffalo. Our results showed how CART activity adversely influences buffalo GC viability by affecting estradiol production and enhancing apoptosis. The regulatory mechanism by which CART can affect GC apoptosis entails the modulation of the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway, a key intracellular signaling pathway essential for cell viability. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms governing ovarian follicle development and granulosa cell function. These findings have implications for reproductive biology not only for buffalo but also for different species. Atresia is a process in ovarian follicles that is regulated by hormone-induced apoptosis. During atresia, granulosa cell (GC) apoptosis is a key mechanism orchestrated through diverse signaling pathways. Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) signaling within ovarian GCs has been demonstrated to play a key role in the regulation of follicular atresia in cattle, pigs, and sheep. The present work aimed to investigate the potential local regulatory role of CART in GC apoptosis-induced follicular atresia in buffalo, focusing on the modulation of the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathways, which are the intracellular signaling pathways involved in cell viability. Our findings revealed increased expression of CARTPT and BAX and decreased levels of AKT, β-catenin, and CYP19A1 genes in atretic follicles compared to healthy follicles. Subsequently, CART treatment in the presence of FSH inhibited the FSH-induced increase in GC viability by reducing estradiol production and increasing apoptosis. This change was accompanied by an increase in the gene expression levels of both CARTPT and BAX. At the protein level, treatment with CART in the presence of FSH negatively affected the activity of AKT, β-catenin, and LEF1, while the activity of GSK3β was enhanced. In conclusion, our study shows how CART negatively influences buffalo GC viability, underlying the modulation of the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway and promoting apoptosis—a key factor in follicular atresia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of non-contrast-enhanced 4D MR angiography (NCE-4D-MRA) compared to contrast-enhanced 4D MR angiography (CE-4D-MRA) for the detection and angioarchitectural characterisation of brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs). Utilising a retrospective design, we examined 54 MRA pairs from 43 patients with bAVMs, using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as the reference standard. Both NCE-4D-MRA and CE-4D-MRA were performed using a 3-T MR imaging system. The primary objectives were to evaluate the diagnostic performance of NCE-4D-MRA against CE-4D-MRA and DSA and to assess concordance between imaging modalities in grading bAVMs according to four main scales: Spetzler–Martin, Buffalo, AVM embocure score (AVMES), and R2eDAVM. Our results demonstrated that NCE-4D-MRA had a higher accuracy and specificity compared to CE-4D-MRA (0.85 vs. 0.83 and 95% vs. 85%, respectively) and similar agreement, with DSA detecting shunts in bAVMs or residuals. Concordance in grading bAVMs was substantial between NCE-4D-MRA and DSA, particularly for the Spetzler–Martin and Buffalo scales, with CE-4D-MRA showing slightly higher kappa values for interobserver agreement. The study highlights the potential of NCE-4D-MRA as a diagnostic tool for bAVMs, offering comparable accuracy to CE-4D-MRA while avoiding the risks associated with gadolinium-based contrast agents. The safety profile of imaging techniques is a significant concern in the long-term follow up of bAVMs, and further prospective research should focus on NCE-4D-MRA protocol improvement for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have established trophoblast cell lines, from parthenogenesis-derived buffalo blastocysts. The buffalo trophoblast cells were cultured continuously over 200 days and 21 passages. These cells were observed by phase-contrast microscopy for their morphology and characterized by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence against trophoblast-specific markers and cytoskeletal proteins. Trophoblast cells showed positive staining for CDX2, a marker of these cells at both blastocyst and cell line levels. Epithelial morphology of these cells was revealed by positive staining against cytokeratins and tubulin but not against vimentin and dolichos biflorus agglutinin. Gene expression profiles of many important placenta-specific genes were studied in the primary trophectoderm outgrowths, which were collected on days 0, 5, 9, 12 and 15 of culture and trophoblast cell line at passages 12–15. Therefore, the trophoblast cell line derived can potentially be used for in vitro studies on buffalo embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastitis is one of the most serious diseases that threatens the health of dairy animals. The somatic cell count (SCC) in milk is widely used to monitor mastitis. This study aimed to reveal the diversity of microorganisms in buffalo milk with high somatic cell count (SCC ≥ 3 × 105 cells/mL, n = 30) and low somatic cell count (SCC ≤ 5 × 104 cells/mL, n = 10), and identify the dominant bacteria that cause mastitis in a local buffalo farm. We also investigated the potential method to treat bacterial mastitis. The V3-V4 region of 16 S rDNA was sequenced. Results showed that, compared to the milk with low SCC, the high SCC samples showed lower microbial diversity, but a high abundance of bacteria and operational taxonomic units (OTUs). By in vitro isolation and culture, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were found to be the leading pathogens, which is consistent with the 16 S rDNA sequencing data. We further isolated 3 of the main pathogens and established a pathogen detection method based on ELISA. In addition, the antibacterial effects of 10 antimicrobials and 15 Chinese herbal extracts were also investigated. Results showed that the microbial has developed tolerance to several of the antimicrobials. While the water extracts of Chinese herbal medicine such as Galla Chinensis, Coptis chinensis Franch, Terminalia chebula Retz, and Sanguisorba officinalis L can effectively inhibit the growth of main pathogens. This study provides novel insight into the microbial diversity in buffalo milk and a reference for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mastitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) is an acute, fatal, and septicemic bacterial disease of cattle and buffaloes caused by Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida). The present study aimed to carry out HS surveillance through multi-stage random sampling constituting 692 cattle and buffalo serum samples sourced from two Indian states, four districts, eight clusters, 56 epiunits, and 306 households (HHs) by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). Significantly higher (p < 0.0001) iELISA positives were observed in Gujarat compared to Karnataka state. Of the 306 households visited, 9 of 27 epiunits (33.33%) in Karnataka and 24 out of 29 epiunits in Gujarat were iELISA positive (82.75%) and an association was found to be significant (p = 0.0002). However, a non-significant association to species, age, or lactation was recorded, although indigenous cattle breeds had a higher HS sero-prevalence compared to crossbreeds. This study highlights important baseline data on HS sero-prevalence in two major milk-producing states of India at different strata. Hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) is a highly contagious and fatal disease of cattle and buffaloes caused by P. multocida. Both conventional and molecular methods are applied in parallel for rapid diagnosis of HS outbreaks and the periodical surveillance strategy to identify risk areas for HS is ignored. The current cross-sectional study aimed to estimate sero-prevalence and associated risk factors for HS in cattle and buffaloes in non-vaccinated regions of two Indian states. HS surveillance was carried out through the multi-stage random sampling technique at different strata. The study employed a questionnaire incorporating host factors (species, breed, sex, age, and lactation) and demographic parameters (state, district, block/cluster and village/epiunits, and household). First, two Indian states known for high milk production were selected followed by two districts within each state, subsequently four clusters within each district, finally 5–10 epiunits within clusters and 5–8 households within clusters were randomly selected to collect cattle and buffalo samples. The chi-square/p values and maps were prepared to represent disease prevalence and to correlate disease risk factors at different strata. A total of 692 cattle and buffalo serum samples were sourced from two states of the country (Karnataka-285 and Gujarat-407). In the first strata, antibodies to P. multocida were high in Gujarat (14.49%, CI: 11.22–18.30) compared to Karnataka (3.85%, CI: 1.94–6.80) with significant (p < 0.0001) association between the states. In the second strata, one of the four districts investigated revealed the highest sero-prevalence (18.61%, CI: 13.81–24.24) with statistical significance (p = 0.01) between the districts. Among clusters, one out of eight clusters showed the highest sero-prevalence (23.02%, CI: 16.59–30.54) with statistical significance (p = 0.03) between the clusters in the third strata. At epiunit level (fourth strata), 9 out of 27 epiunits (33.33%) visited in Karnataka and 24 out of 29 epiunits sampled in Gujarat were sero-positive (82.75%) in iELISA. At the household level, out of 306 HH visited, 40 HH had at least one positive animal (13.07%) and the p value between HH in the two states was highly significant (p = 0.0002). Chi-square analysis did not find any association of HS sero-prevalence to species, age, and lactation. However, significantly higher (p < 0.05) sero-prevalence was recorded in indigenous cattle breeds (16.56%) compared to crossbreeds (6.59%). Various immunoprophylactics and antibiotic therapies are effective against HS, but inappropriate disease reporting and failure to implement adequate vaccination control measures are the gaps identified. The present study highlights the current scenario of HS sero-prevalence in two of the high milk-producing states of India, which will be useful for stakeholders for undertaking the implementation of surveillance and control strategies for the regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live yeasts have favorable characteristics for use in animal feed, and may become a beneficial tool to improve digestive efficiency in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). The productive performance, feed efficiency, and digestion ability of buffaloes fed diets supplemented with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain KA500) were evaluated. Eighteen male Murrah buffaloes, with initial weight 250± 31kg (mean± standard deviation), and aged approximately 12months, were randomly assigned to one of two treatments. The treatments included experimental feed containing 10g of the live yeast capable of forming 2×1010 colony forming units (CFU) and control (feed with no added yeast). The daily weight gain tended to be lower (p = 0.07) in buffaloes supplemented with yeast. There was a reduction in daily dry matter intake (DMI) and in % yield of live weight in buffaloes supplemented with yeast. There was no effect of live yeast supplementation on weight gain/kg dry matter intake, height at withers or rump, body condition score, total weight gain, carcass yield, plasma urea nitrogen concentrations, purine derivatives, and plasma glucose concentrations. The digestibility of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) were lower (p < 0.05) with the supplementation of live yeast, although live yeast supplementation did not affect the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and non-NDF OM. The strain and dosage of live yeast used did not have a positive effect on buffalo performance and digestibility of dietary nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buffalo is a dominant dairy animal in many agriculture-based economies. However, the poor reproductive efficiency (low conception rate) of the buffalo bulls constrains the realization of its full production potential. This in turn leads to economic and welfare issues, especially for the marginal farmers in such economies. The mammalian sperm surface proteins have been implicated in the regulation of survival and function of the spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract (FRT). Nonetheless, the lack of specific studies on buffalo sperm surface makes it difficult for researchers to explore and investigate the role of these proteins in the regulation of mechanisms associated with sperm protection, survival, and function. This study aimed to generate a buffalo sperm surface-specific proteomic fingerprint (LC-MS/MS) and to predict the functional roles of the identified proteins. The three treatments used to remove sperm surface protein viz. Elevated salt, phosphoinositide phospholipase C (PIPLC) and in vitro capacitation led to the identification of N = 1,695 proteins (=1 high-quality peptide-spectrum matches (PSMs), p < 0.05, and FDR<0.01). Almost half of these proteins (N = 873) were found to be involved in crucial processes relevant in the context of male fertility, e.g., spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and protection in the FRT, and gamete interaction or fertilization, amongst others. The extensive sperm-surface proteomic repertoire discovered in this study is unparalleled vis-à-vis the depth of identification of reproductionspecific cell-surface proteins and can provide a potential framework for further studies on the functional aspects of buffalo spermatozoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aimed to study the nutritional components of three unconventional feedstuffs (brewer's grains, Siraitia grosvenorii pulp, and pineapple peel) and their degradation characteristics in the buffalo's rumen. The experiment selected three healthy Murrah crossbred female buffaloes with permanent rumen fistulas and conducted in vivo tests using the nylon bag method. The results showed that the degradation rates of DM, CP, NDF, and ADF of the three unconventional feedstuffs gradually increased in the buffalo's rumen over time. The DM, NDF, and ADF ruminal degradation rates of pineapple peel were significantly higher than those of brewer's grains and Siraitia grosvenorii Pulp at various time points (P<0.05). Except for 12 h and 72 h, the CP degradation rate of pineapple peel at various time points was significantly higher than that of brewer's grains and Siraitia grosvenorii pulp (P<0.05), and the rapid degradation part of DM and CP of pineapple peel was significantly higher than brewer's grains and Siraitia grosvenorii pulp (P<0.05). The effective degradation rates of DM, NDF and ADF of the three roughages were ranked as pineapple peel > brewer's grains > Siraitia grosvenorii pulp. The study suggests that pineapple peel and brewer's grains have higher nutritional value and can serve as high-quality roughage for buffaloes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection of the most stably expressed reference genes is key to monitoring accurate target gene expression across any tissue or cell type. The mRNA in spermatozoa stores valuable information related to changes in spermatogenesis due to variations in environmental conditions, especially during heat stress, which affects various sperm functions. Semen quality in buffalo bulls is significantly influenced by the seasons. In the study, a panel of nine genes was evaluated to identify the most stably expressed internal control gene (ICG) for the normalization of real-time gene expression data generated across various seasons for Murrah buffalo bulls' spermatozoa. Sperm cells were purified from the semen samples collected during different seasons, with temperature-humidity index (THI) ranging from 80.80 ± 1.47 (hot summer) to 55.88 ± 1.98 (winter), using the BoviPure™ gradient purification method. The RNA isolated from the purified spermatozoa fraction was quality checked prior to reverse transcription and subjected to qPCR (quantitative real-time PCR) based expression analysis. An automated 'endoGene' pipeline was employed to apply the geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper algorithms for data analysis. The result indicated that GAPDH and PP1A were the most stably expressed among the gene panel, whereas ATPSF1 and ACTB were the two least stable expressed reference genes. Further, the most suitable ICGs identified were validated by normalization of real time expression data of heat stress and sperm quality genes, HSFY2 and AKAP4, respectively. The genes identified would help in generating the most reliable results for the expression profiling of the genes dictating sperm quality and heat stress cope-up mechanism in buffalo spermatozoa, collected during different seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to determine the incidence and extent of uterine adhesions following uterine torsion in Mehsana buffaloes. A total of 109 uterine torsion-affected buffaloes were recorded for treatment during the January, 2020 to December, 2022, and they are included in the present work. All the buffaloes were scanned by per-rectal, trans-abdominal ultrasonography and grossly inspection of the uterus during the caesarean section for the presence of adhesions and its nature of extensiveness to the uterus. The uterine adhesions through ultrasonography were predicted by the presence of fibrin bands and absent of anechoic fluid between the omentum and uterine serosa layer. Grossly, the extent of the uterine adhesions was classified as either localized or widespread type flimsy to dense in nature during the caesarean operation. The intra-operative in-situ detorsion was achieved in buffaloes with flimsy type uterine adhesions. The overall incidence of adhesions was recorded to be 29.36%. Among them, the incidence of localized type was observed in 21 buffaloes (65.62%) and widespread variety in 11 buffaloes (34.38%), either flimsy or dense. The majority of adhesions were found between the uterus and the inner omental layer. It is concluded that the incidence of uterine adhesions in uterine torsion-affected buffaloes was reported to be 29.36% using different techniques to identify the localized to widespread uterine adhesions. Further, ultrasonography can be helpful in the prediction and early detection of uterine adhesion in buffaloes with uterine torsion, which helps in better obstetrical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from gram‐negative bacteria has reportedly been associated with infectious diseases like metritis, which has a substantial adverse effect on animal reproductive performance and causes serious financial losses for the dairy sector. The current work aimed to establish the impact of LPS on in vitro oocyte maturation and subsequent in vitro developmental competence of oocytes, as well as to investigate the explanatory molecular mechanism underlying this effect. Method of Study: Buffalo cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) were challenged with 0, 5, 10 and 20 µg/mL LPS during IVM followed by IVF and IVC. Cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation, cleavage and blastocyst rate, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, ΔΨm) and transcript abundance of genes related to inflammation, antioxidation and apoptosis were evaluated. Results: The maturation and subsequent embryonic development competency were found to be significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced with the addition of 10 and 20 µg/mL LPS to IVM media. ROS production accompanied by a decreased ΔΨm was recorded in LPS‐treated oocytes in comparison to the control group (p ≤ 0.05). Our results were further supported by the transcriptional expression of proinflammatory (TLR4, CD14 and RPS27A) and apoptotic gene (Caspase 3) which were found to be significantly increased while antioxidant genes (SOD2 and GPX1) were decreased significantly in matured oocytes and blastocyst after LPS exposure. Conclusions: The deleterious effects of LPS are mediated through ROS generation, which triggers inflammatory processes via the TLR4 pathway and impairs oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a widely prevalent zoonotic protozoan parasite in humans and warm‐blooded animals worldwide. Infection of humans by this parasite can result in severe clinical symptoms, particularly in individuals with congenital toxoplasmosis or immunocompromised patients. Contamination mainly occurs through foodborne routes, especially the consumption of raw or undercooked meat from animals. Objectives: The aim of this study was to use PCR to detect T. gondii in tissues and organs of buffaloes and cattle slaughtered at Tabriz slaughterhouse, in Iran. Methods: Fifty grams of heart, thigh, diaphragm and tongue from 50 buffaloes and 100 cattle slaughtered at the Tabriz industrial slaughterhouse were selected for sampling using a combination of convenience sampling. The samples were tested using a previously published PCR method. Results: Out of the 150 animal samples, T. gondii was detected in 10 (6.7%, 95%CI: 3.2–11.9), including one buffalo (2%, 95%CI: 0.1–10.6) and nine cattle (9%, 95%CI: 4.2–16.4). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of T. gondii infection among cattle based on age and sex (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The results indicated a potential risk of T. gondii transmission to humans through the consumption of infected meat. Therefore, appropriate and effective preventive measures should be taken to limit the transmission of this parasite to humans, and the consumption of raw and undercooked meat should be discouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity of vertebrate farm animals like cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and fowls are playing an important role in the economy of farming industry as well as the economy of the state and in turn the economy of country. Therefore to take care of health and hygiene of all farm animals and related stakeholders in this industry becomes important. By considering this, the present survey work was undertaken at small area level for the Helminths (Gut Parasites) like Nematode, Cestode, Trematodes, Protozoans and Ectoparasites (Arthropods) like lice, ticks and mites. The data obtained from this study is important to literate the farm owners, farmers and other stakeholders about health, hygiene and the impact of this on animals as well as on themselves. The data obtained can also help the stakeholders' to take precautionary step to prevent the animals from getting infected with parasites as well as to provide medical help to animals with the help of farmers. For the present study 12 no of villages were selected from Bhadgaon and Pachora Tahasil from North Maharashtra. From these villages farm animals like buffaloes, cattles, goats, sheeps and fowls were studied for their different types of infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]