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Editor’s Choice : Lactation Persistency in Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo Cows
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Abstract: With the objective to establish the lactation persistency and its variability as affected by different factors, the study assigned 953 lactations of 310 Bulgarian Murrah buffalo cows bred on the farm of Agricultural Institute – Shumen within the period 1967-2009. The main method of measurement was the mean post-peak milk yield reduction. The data were processed by the conventional statistical procedure, as well as by the software products LSMLMWandMIXMDL. The persistency of milk yield after reaching peak was established to be relatively high (89.22%). Its variance is to a great extent explained by the factors days in milk (P<0.001) and parity (P<0.001), defining favorable effect of increased lactation length, and adverse effect of advancement in lactation order. The significant effect of season of calving (P<0.001) is expressed in higher lactation persistency in the autumn and winter calvers. The other environmental factor, period, and the genetic factor (individual) are significant at P<0.01, while the effect of productivity level is not. The portion of the peak yield was estimated to be 15.75% of the lactation productivity, the percentage of the greatest yield drop – 11.38%, the persistency ratio between the first and second lactation half – 73.60%. Keywords: Buffaloes, lactation persistency, post-peak drop, effects.Download Full Article |
Editor’s Choice : Physiological Changes and Blood Flow in Murrah Buffaloes during Summer and Winter Season
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Abstract: Present study was designed to investigate the changes in physiological reactions and blood flow during different seasons in Murrah buffaloes. Six Murrah buffalo heifers of 18-24 months were selected as experimental animals. The respiration rate (RR), heart rate (HR) and blood pressure was measured through BPL-Excello multi parameter monitor. Rectal temperatures were recorded with electronic thermometer. Skin surface temperatures at the different body sites were recorded using infrared thermometer (Metravi MT-2). The blood flow was measured on Perimed Multichannel Laser Doppler system using skin perfusion probe 408 at dorsal region, abdomen region and middle ear. Results showed a significant difference for respiration rate (P<0.001); rectal temperature (P<0.05) and heart rate (P<0.001) during summer and winter season. The mean blood pressure was 93.74/186.36 mmHg in summer and 97.40/198.08 mmHg in winter, respectively. In the present experiment, both diastolic and systolic pressure differed significantly (P<0.001) during different seasons. The mean skin surface temperature in summer was 37.03±0.39, 36.12±0.27 and 33.15±0.98°C at dorsal, abdomen and middle ear, respectively; whereas, during winter it was 29.87±0.69, 29.92±0.40 and 23.82±1.12°C at dorsal, abdomen and middle ear, respectively. The skin surface temperature among the different parts of the body differed significantly (P<0.001). During summer, the mean blood flow was 4.71±0.49, 14.85±1.63 and 16.72±1.47 PU; whereas, during winter, it was low, 1.10±0.16, 8.96±0.58 and 12.16±0.95 PU at dorsal, abdomen and middle ear, respectively. The difference in the blood flow among the different parts of the body differed significantly (P<0.001) in summer and winter. The results indicated that blood flow was positively correlated with temperature of the body parts and it varied in different seasons. This study concluded that, summer stress evokes a series of physiological changes in the Murrah buffalo’s, which affects productionduring summer season. Keywords: Blood flow, Murrah buffalo, Physiological responses, Summer, Winter. |
Editor’s Choice : Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Detected and In Silico Analysis of the 5’ Flanking Sequence and Exon 1 in the Bubalus bubalis Leptin Gene
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Abstract: The leptin plays a critical role in the regulation of reproductive and immune function in humans, it is at the centre of the complex networks that coordinate changes in nutritional state with many diverse aspects of mammalian biology. In this study, we have sequenced the 5’ flanking region and exon 1 of the leptin gene in buffalo, and have detected eight single nucleotide polymorphisms; we have made evidence, through in silico analysis that many of them fall within putative binding sites for transcription factors. Starting from the bovine whole genome shotgun sequence, that encodes the complete sequence of the leptin gene, we had designed primers to amplify two amplicons, so to cover the 5’ flanking and exon 1 of the leptin gene of 41 non related buffaloes. The newly sequenced buffalo fragment was submitted to profile search for transcription factor binding sites, using the MATCHTM program, focusing on the areas where the single nucleotide polymorphisms had been detected. Our analysis shows that the majority of the identified single nucleotide polymorphisms fall into the core sequence of transcription factor binding sites that regulate the expression of target genes in many physiological processes within mammalian tissues. Because the leptin gene plays an important role in influencing economic traits in cattle, the novel detected single nucleotide polymorphisms might be used in association studies to assess their potential of being genetic markers for selection. Keywords: Genetic markers, promoter,transcription factor binding sites.Download Full Article |
Editor’s Choice : Prepubertal Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Leydig Cells: Isolation, Culture and Characterization
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Abstract: Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is an economically important livestock species in India. Male buffaloes display delayed sexual maturity as compared to the bulls (Bos taurus). Serum testosterone level, the key regulator of sexual maturity of males, is reported to be low in male buffaloesin comparison to bulls. Testosterone secretion and progression of spermatogenesis is mediated essentially by Leydig cells in the males. Establishment of primary culture for buffalo Leydig cells can provide an excellent tool to investigate the factors which regulate testicular steroidogenesis. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to isolate, culture and characterize buffalo Leydig cells. Immunohistological analysis revealed that cytochrome P450, family 11, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP11A1) specifically mark the Leydig cells in prepubertal buffalo testis. Using enzymatic digestion and Percoll density gradient centrifugation, a cell population that consisted of approximately 95% pure Leydig cells was obtained as indicated by CYP11A1 staining. Purified Leydig cells were cultured in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS) for 72 h. The cultured Leydig cells proliferated, expressed Leydig-cell specific transcripts (STAR, HSD3B1, HSD3B6, and CYP17A1) and proteins (CYP11A1, HSD3B and LHCGR), and secreted testosterone. It was concluded from the present study that buffalo Leydig cells can be maintained in culture for 72 h. The primary culture of buffalo Leydig cells can be used for studying acute responses, biochemical properties and other factors regulating testicular steroidogenesis, independent of other testicular cell types. Keywords: Male buffalo, testis, Leydig cells, cell culture, CYP11A1, testosterone.Download Full Article |
Editor’s Choice : Studies on Thyroid Hormones and some Biochemical Constituents of Follicular Fluid in Buffalo
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Abstract: Present study investigated the levels of some biochemical constituents and thyroid hormones in follicular fluid and serum and compared their concentrations in different size follicles of buffaloes. Buffalo ovaries with unknown reproductive status were collected from abattoir. The follicles visible on its surface were classified based on their diameter as small (<5 mm), medium (5-10 mm) and large (>10 mm) follicles. Twenty four samples from follicles along with blood samples of buffaloes belonging to respective category were collected. The follicular fluid and the serum samples were analyzed for total proteins, albumin, cholesterol, glucose and hormones tri-iodothyronine and thyroxine. The results of the present study revealed that, there was no specific trend observed in the levels of total proteins and albumin according to the size of the follicles but there was significant difference (P<0.01) in the levels of total proteins in follicular fluid and serum. The levels of total cholesterol showed increasing trend as the size of the follicle increases but the variations are not statistically significant. The serum total cholesterol concentration was significantly higher (P< 0.01) than that of follicular fluid. There was increasing trend of glucose concentration in the follicular fluid and also in the serum of respective buffalo with increase in the size of the follicle but the difference was non-significant. The serum glucose concentrations were significantly higher than the levels in the follicular fluid. There was no variation in the serum levels of triiodothyronine between buffalo bearing small and medium sized follicle while, highest serum level was observed in buffalo bearing large sized follicle. The significant (P≤0.01) increase in the levels of T3 in large sized follicle may attribute to the increase in the activity of monodeioniase enzyme. The follicular fluid thyroxine level showed increasing trend with the size of the follicle but the variation was not significant. There was no significant variation in the levels of T4 in serum and follicular fluid in all the groups. Keywords: Biochemical constituents, thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), follicular fluid.Download Full Article |