No abstract

No abstract

This investigation was carried out on 40 advanced pregnant Jafarabadi buffaloes of 2–4 parity equally divided into two groups, viz., control and treatment groups. The control animals were maintained on standard routine farm feeding, and the animals of the treatment group received additional oral supplements of 50 g chelated mineral mixture and 150 g bypass fat daily along with concentrates for 6 weeks prepartum and 8 weeks postpartum. The bypass fat was given @ 15 g/liter of milk produced limiting up to 200 g/head/day from 15–60 days postpartum. Ten animals in each control and treatment group further received Inj. Stimvet 5 mL (micro-minerals) around day 45 prepartum and on day of calving. Half of these Stimvet treated and control subgroups also received ecbolic Exapar (n = 5) 2 boli/day for 4 consecutive days postpartum. Blood samples were obtained from all animals by jugular vein puncture on the day –45, –30, –7 and 0 (day of calving), 7, 15, 30, 45, 60 peripartum for estimation of plasma trace minerals, viz., zinc, iron, copper, cobalt, and manganese. The plasma zinc and copper concentrations were found to be higher on day 30 prepartum and again on day 7 postpartum in Stimvet injected groups.Moreover, the overall pooled mean concentration of zinc was significantly higher in nutrients supplemented than the control group. The plasma concentrations of iron, cobalt, and manganese did not reveal any specific trend or significant variations between groups or between periods within any of the groups. Further, the peripartum oral nutrients supplementation significantly shortened the periods of placental expulsion time and uterine involution, with early onset of postpartum first estrus, apparently shorter service period and enhanced pregnancy rate in comparison to control group. The influence of Stimvet and Exapar alone or in combination, however, did not show a significant beneficial effect on these traits, except shortened placental expulsion time and higher plasma zinc and cobalt status. Hence, the Jafarabadi buffalo keepers may be advised to provide additional oral nutrients supplementation in the form of bypass fat and chelated minerals over routine feeding to their animals during a transitional period for improved postpartum fertility.

Jaffrabadi buffalo is one of the heaviest buffalo breeds of the world (800 kg) and is known for poor reproductive efficiency. There is a scarcity of normal physiological data regarding reproductive parameters of Jaffrabadi buffalo. The primary objective of this study was to elucidate ovarian follicular dynamics, hormonal and biochemical profiles in 10 post-pubertal heifers (n=5 each of age 42±2 and 48±2 months) and five >90 days postpartum lactating buffaloes. Ultrasound monitoring of ovaries of animals was done at weekly interval and all follicles with diameter less than 4 mm (small follicles), 4-8 mm (medium follicles) and greater than 8 mm (large follicles) as well as CLs identified were recorded. Blood samples were also collected soon after each USG from all animals for assay of hormonal and biochemical profiles. The findings revealed that the average number of small, medium and large follicles, total number of follicles per ovary as well as diameters of largest and subordinate follicles varied greatly among periods between three groups. The size of corpus luteum ranged from 13.7 to 21.2 mm, 13.7 to 23.9 mm and 15.3 to 22.7 mm, respectively, in Group-I, II and III. In the first week of study, significantly higher (p less than 0.05) average numbers of small follicles in Group-I and III, and medium follicles and total numbers of follicles in Group-III were observed as compared to other groups. The diameter of largest follicles and subordinate follicles were non-significantly different among all groups at all periods of the study. Plasma estrogen levels were significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in Group-I as compared to Group-III and Group-II on first and second week, however, it increased significantly (p less than 0.05) in Group-II and I on fourth week of study period. Plasma insulin concentrations were significantly (p less than 0.01) lower in buffaloes (Group-III) than in heifers (Group-I and II) throughout the study period, while plasma total cholesterol and total protein levels were higher in Group-III on 3rd to 5th weeks of study. Further, there were no significant differences in the plasma FSH, LH, progesterone and blood glucose levels in animals of three groups between periods at any of the week. The ultrasonographic and endocrine profile suggested establishment of cyclicity with silent ovulation. However, the behavioural estrus was still not manifested by these post-pubertal heifers and postpartum lactating buffaloes. These results are helpful to diagnose anovulatory conditions and/or true anestrus and initiate estrus synchronization protocols for early conception in Jaffrabadi buffaloes.

This investigation was undertaken on 40 transitional Jaffarabadi buffaloes with the objective to evaluate the effect of peripartum nutritional (multiminerals and bypass fat) supplementation without and with micro-minerals (Inj. Stimvet) and oral ecbolic (Boli Exapar) on uterine involution and postpartum fertility including plasma minerals profile. The animals of treatment group (n=20) received additional oral supplements daily with 50 g of chelated mineral mixture and 150 g of bypass fat along with concentrates for 6 weeks prepartum and 2 weeks postpartum over the control farm fed group (n=20). Ten buffaloes in each control and treatment group further received Inj. Stimvet 5 ml (micro-minerals) around day 45 prepartum and on day of calving. Half of these Stimvet treated and control subgroups also received Exapar (n=5) 2 boli/day for 4 consecutive days postpartum. Blood samples were obtained on day –45, –30, –7 and 0 (day of calving), 7, 15, 30, 45, 60 peripartum for estimation of minerals profile. Animals were followed for puerperal events, uterine involution and intervals for postpartum first estrus and conception. The feeding of bypass fat and chelated minerals had significant effect on the time required for expulsion of placenta (3.93±0.24 vs 7.18±0.72 hrs; p Lass Than 0.01), uterine involution (32.75±0.57 vs 37.00±0.56 days; p Lass Than 0.05), intervals for first estrus postpartum (79.05±3.82 vs 100.55±3.47 days; p Lass Than 0.05) and service period (107.10±4.43 vs 133.65±6.04 days; p Lass Than 0.05). The prepartum mean plasma calcium and inorganic phosphorus levels in the buffaloes of both control and treatment groups decreased significantly on the day of calving, and then gradually increased during the days postpartum, again reaching at par with prepartum levels at around day 15-30 postpartum. The mean plasma calcium levels were observed to be higher in treatment than control group at most of the intervals. The mean plasma inorganic phosphorus values on periods closer to calving were apparently higher in treatment group than the control group. Further, the levels during close peripartum period were observed to be apparently higher in untreated subgroup as compared to Stimvet and Exapar alone or its combination subgroups. The mean plasma magnesium concentrations were found to be almost consistent during entire peripartum period studied in both the groups with apparently higher values in treatment than control group at most of the intervals. Very similar trend was also found in subgroups treated with Stimvet and oral Exapar alone or in combination, being little higher in Stimvet injected subgroup.