Relationship of postpartum interval to estrus, body condition score, milk yield and blood biochemical parameters in Surti buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

The aim of the present investigation was to find out the relationship among postpartum interval to estrus, body condition score, milk yield and blood biochemical parameters of Surti buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). The study was conducted on sixteen clinically healthy Surti buffaloes (parity 1-7) with normal parturition. These animals were divided into two groups on the basis of their postpartum interval to estrus (PPIE). Group 1 animals had PPIE ? 50 days whereas group 2 had PPIE > 50 days. Body condition score (BCS), milk yield and Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture on days starting from 6th day after calving thereafter at fortnight interval till 90th day postpartum. Blood serum parameters such as glucose, total protein, blood urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, progesterone and estrogen were measured. Perusal of data revealed that animals having higher BCS on the day of estrus had significantly (P?0.05) shorter PPIE. There was non-significant effect of daily and cumulative 100 days milk yield on PPIE. Serum concentration of glucose and creatinine was significantly (P?0.05) higher for group 1 animals at most of the stages. There was non-significant difference between serum concentration of total protein, blood urea nitrogen and cholesterol between both the groups. Progesterone and Estradiol-17 ? concentrations were significantly (P?0.05) higher in group 1 animals than group 2 animals at different stages of this study

Facets of Estrus Behavior in Surti Buffaloes

<p>The Investigation was undertaken on sixteen healthy Surti buffaloes to document and characterize female sexual/ estrus behavior in Surti buffaloes maintained at Livestock Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat. Perusal of data revealed that in about 56.25 per cent of animals showed estrus during morning while remaining 42.75 percent in the evening time. Result of this study indicated that restlessness, frequent urination and sniffing of vagina, chin resting, chasing, bellowing, being mounted by others, mounting others and tail raising was the estrus specific signs in Surti buffaloes. The overall estrus duration, onset of estrus to ovulation and estrus duration after end of estrus were 22.19 ± 0.75, 31.50 ± 0.87 and 9.31 ± 0.48 hrs, respectively.</p&gt

Post parturient neonatal behaviour and their relationship with maternal behaviour score, parity and sex in Surti buffaloes

Present study was conducted to investigate the post parturient behavioural activities of Surti buffaloes (n = 25) and their calves using low light-intensity cameras and digital video recorder at five stages (I: from calving to half an hour, II: 6–6:30 hours, III: 12–12:30 hours, IV: 18–18:30 hours and V: 24–24:30 hours after calving) over a period of 24 h immediately after calving. Based on their maternal behaviour score (MBS) dams were categorized into two classes that is, group 1 (MBS = 1: very aggressive and 2: very attentive) and group 2 (MBS = 3: indifferent and 4: apathetic) where dam scored MBS 1 represented very aggressive and 4 apathetic. Overall eating time was significantly (P < .05) higher in buffalo cows of group 2 (8.87 ± 1.34 min) than in group 1 (5.37 ± 0.50 min). Dams of both the groups spent significantly (P < .05) longer time in sniffing and licking calf’s body and licking ano-genital area of calf during stage I than later stages. Significantly (P < .05) longer time intervals from birth to standing (53.03 ± 3.04 min) were observed in group 2 calves. A positive correlation (P < .01) was observed between the time interval from birth to suckling and duration of active teat seeking (0.525). It may be inferred that post parturient neonatal behaviour have certain level of relationship with maternal behaviour score, whereas, parity and sex did not show any significant effect on MBS in Surti buffaloes