The present study investigated the occurrence of 2 autosomal recessive genetic diseases, bovine citrullinaemia and deficiency of uridine monophosphate synthase (DUMPS), in Indian Holstein cattle. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was performed on a group of 642 animals, mainly HF and HF crossbred cattle, to identify carriers of these diseases. None of the animals were carriers of citrullinaemia or DUMPS. It is possible that with the mounting selection pressure, the international gene pool may diminish, and consequently the risk of dissemination of inherited defects will increase. It is therefore recommended to screen breeding bulls for their breed-specific genetic diseases before they are inducted in artificial insemination programmes, to minimize the risk.

BLAD is an autosomal recessive genetic disease that affects Holstein-Friesian (HF) cattle worldwide. It is a disease characterized by a reduced expression of the adhesion molecules on neutrophils. The disease is caused by a mutation that replaces adenine at 383 with guanine, which causes an amino acid change from aspartic acid to glycine. Blood samples and a few semen samples were collected from 1250 phenotypically normal individuals, including HF (N=377), HF crossbred (N=334), Jersey (105), other breeds of cattle (N=160) and water buffalo Bubalus bubalis (N=274) belonging to various artificial insemination stations, bull mother farms (BMFs) and embryo transfer (ET) centres across the country. PCR-RFLP was performed to detect a point mutation in CD18, surface molecules of neutrophils. The results indicate that out of 1250 cattle and buffaloes tested for BLAD, 13 HF purebreds out of 377 and 10 HF crossbreds out of 334 appear to be BLAD carriers. In the HF and HF crossbred population, the percentage of BLAD carriers was estimated as 3.23%. The condition is alarming as the mutant gene has already entered the HF crossbred cattle population and therefore, the population of HF and its crossbreds needs regular screening to avoid the risk of spreading BLAD in the breeding cattle population of India.

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Though CH is considered as the most common neonatal metabolic disorder, it is also easily treatable compared to other metabolic or hereditary diseases. The outcome of CH treatment depends on the compliance of parents early in life and by patients themselves during later part of life.

Cytogenetic investigations of a phenotypically normal Mehsana river buffalo calf (Bubalusbubalis) revealed an XXY chromosome complement due to X;X-translocation in all screened metaphase plates. The chromosomal anomaly was identified by GTG-banding while CBG- and RBG-banding revealed two heterochromatin blocks and that one of the two X chromosomes was late replicating, respectively. The normal cytogenetic profiles of sire, dam and relatives of the calf suggest that the anomaly could have arisen spontaneously during oogenesis. This is the first report on a male river buffalo calf having an XXY chromosome complement with translocation between the two X chromosomes.