Quality Improvements in Public Livestock Services Delivery: Are Farmers Ready to Pay? An Inquiry in South India
Pages 52-62
G. Kathiravan and M. Thirunavukkarasu

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2013.02.02.1

Published: 30 June 2013

Abstract: Farmers Willingness To Pay (WTP) for improving the quality of public livestock services delivery, in terms of Service Provider and Farmer Relationship (SPFR), chance of recovery from ailments and chance of conception following Artificial Insemination (AI), was assessed through Contingent Valuation (CV) in southern peninsular state of India, the Tamil Nadu State. The districts of the state were categorized as ‘Livestock Developed’ (LD) and ‘Livestock Under Developed’ (LUD) based on initial base line developed. Contingent Valuation (CV) approach and Tobit regressions were used to assess variations in the stated Willingness To Pay (WTP) values, and the probability of stating a positive WTP value for respondents who declared that they were not willing to pay. Overall, the respondents in the study area were willing to pay INR 3.91 for improving the SPFR attribute of the public veterinary centre, while they were ready to pay INR 5.84 for augmenting the chances of recovery from illness by the services of public veterinary centres. In order to benefit from improved chance of conception of their bovines after AI, the farmers were willing to pay INR 11.71. An absolute concordance on the levels of attributes and the variations in the stated positive WTP values for quality improvements was noticed. Tobit regression analyses on the improvements of all above attributes indicated that the farmers who were at disadvantaged levels of an attribute were willing to pay more compared to those at an advantaged level.

Production and Reproductive Performance of Bhadawari Buffaloes in Uttar Pradesh, India
Pages 72-77
B.P. Kushwaha, Sultan Singh, N. Das, S.B. Maity, K.K. Singh and J. Jayasankar

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2013.02.02.3

Published: 30 June 2013

Abstract: Bhadawari is one of the recognized buffalo breeds of India and is famous for high fat content in their milk. Data on production and reproductive traits were collected under Network Project on Bhadawari buffaloes, at Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The overall least squares means (±SE) for peak yield, days to attain peak yield, lactation milk yield, lactation length, 305 days milk yield, milk yield per day of lactation, service period, calving interval and dry period were 6.96±0.10 kg, 52.8±4.1 days, 1250.5±24.6 kg, 291.4±4.9 days, 1213.5±21.6 kg, 4.30±0.06 kg, 172.4±7.7 days, 522.1±12.1 days and 241.80±11.3 days, respectively. Period of calving had a significant (p<0.05) to highly significant (p<0.01) effect on all the traits studied except service period and dry period, where it was not significant. Season of calving had a significant (p<0.05) effect or lactation length and highly significant (p<0.01) effect on lactation milk yield, 305 days milk yield and all the reproductive traits under study. The lowest calving interval, service period and dry period were observed in rainy season calvers and they differed significantly (p<0.01) with winter and summer calvers. Parity had a significant effect (p<0.05) on lactation milk yield, 305 days milk yield and milk yield per day of lactation. Pair-wise comparison revealed that lactation milk yield was highest in the 2^nd lactation followed by 3^rd and 4^th lactation. Large coefficient of variation observed for different traits under study indicates that there is enough scope for improvement in the production and reproduction traits. Better breeding management and selection for increased performance is needed for genetic improvement of these traits.

Comparative Analysis of Molecular Structure, Function and Expression of Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)
Pages 63-71
Anju Manuja, Balvinder K. Manuja, Ranjit S. Kataria, Ramesh K. Sethi and Raj K. Singh

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2013.02.02.2

Published: 30 June 2013

Abstract: Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) has been characterized as a receptor that recognizes unmethylated CpG motif and triggers a pro-inflammatory cytokine response that influences both innate and adaptive immunity. Buffalo is an economically important livestock species in many Asian and Mediterranean countries, but there is little information available on its TLR9 structure and response to stimulation with its agonist CpG-ODNs. Hence in this study, we report the analysis of newly sequenced buffalo TLR9 gene fragment. In this study, buffalo TLR9 amino acid sequence revealed close association of TLR9 proteins within other bovines and small ruminants; but high divergence from other species.Multiple alignment of deduced amino acid sequence of Bubalus bubalis TLR9 with other species showed that 156/201 (74.28%) amino acids were conserved in all species. Leucine rich repeat (LRR) motifs in the ectodomain of TLR9 are responsible for molecular recognition of its agonist. The LRR pattern of Bubalus bubalis TLR9 protein was predicted towards N-terminal sequence and was found to be conserved among all species except Rattus norvegicus and Equus caballus. Blast analysis of buffalo TLR9 sequence with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) database revealed 13 SNPs out of which 7 were cds-synonymous and 6 were of the functional significance. Furthermore, kinetics of TLR9 and proinflammatory IL-1βand TNF-α cytokine expression by buffalo PBMCs influenced by CpG-ODN is also discussed.

Some Hematological and Blood Biochemical Profile of Iraqi Riverine Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) During Different Gestation Periods
Pages 78-84
Talal A. Abdulkareem

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2013.02.02.4

Published: 30 June 2013

Abstract: This study was conducted to demonstrate some hematological and blood biochemical profile of Iraqi riverine buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) during pregnancy. Ten out of 22 adult buffaloes of 4.6 ± 0.97 years old were used in this study. Blood samples was collected from each buffalo from mating (day 0), day 22-24 PM, 10-12 days interval during gestation period. Hemoglobin (Hb) was greater (P < 0.05) at days 103 – 106, 133 – 136 and 238 – 241 of pregnancy than those at 32 -34 days PM. The AST was highest at days 133 – 136 of pregnancy. Higher and lower ALP activity was noted at days 178-181 of gestation. A considerable increase in plasma albumin occurred at days 268–271 of gestation in comparison to days 42 – 44 PM. In conclusion, nutritional deficiencies and metabolic disorders during gestation in riverine buffaloes can be detected by monitoring blood alterations.