Buffalo Breeds Research Articles

Genotyping of the κ - casein gene by PCR - RFLP (AcuI digestion) and its relationship to milk yield traits in Anatolian buffaloes, Murrah buffaloes, and their crosses

The aim of this study was to investigate the polymorphism of the κ - casein gene (kappa casein, CSN3) in buffaloes and determine its effects on milk yield traits. Data were obtained from 2016 to 2019 from all animals in the ongoing Anatolian Buffalo Breeding Project. Genomic DNA was collected from a total of 209 buffaloes of different ages and sexes, namely 31 Murrah, 46 Anatolian buffaloes, and 132 of their crosses (Murrah × Anatolian). Genotyping of CSN3 gene by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR - RFLP) technique with restriction enzyme (AcuI) revealed three genotypes: AA (0.689), AB (0.282), and BB (0.028), and the frequencies of A and B alleles were 0.83 and 0.17, respectively. A total of 113 milk yield data and 74 milk component analyses of dairy buffaloes were used to compare CSN3 genotypes for milk yield traits. Statistical analysis showed that there was a significant difference in lactation milk yield between CSN3 genotypes: BB, 1560.3 ± 326.7 kg, AB, 1278.1 ± 111.3 kg, and AA, 1060.9 ± 85.6 kg (p < 0.05). However, the mean values of lactation length and milk components were not significant between genotypes (p > 0.05). These results suggest that these variations (135$^{ThrACC / IleATC}$ /136$^{ThrACC / ThrACT}$) in the buffalo CSN3 gene may be used as genetic markers in dairy buffalo breeding programs.

The ovine HIAT1 gene: mRNA expression, InDel mutations, and growth trait associations.

The hippocampal abundant transcript 1 (HIAT1) gene, also known as major facilitator superfamily domain-containing 14A (MFSD14A), encodes for a transmembrane transporter protein and has been previously shown to be associated with milk production in buffalo and sheep breeds, as well as growth traits in chicken and goats. However, tissue level distribution of the ovine HIAT1 gene, as well as its effect on body morphometric traits in sheep, has yet to be studied. The HIAT1 mRNA expression profile of Lanzhou fat-tailed (LFT) sheep was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). A total of 1498 sheep of three indigenous Chinese sheep breeds were PCR-genotyped for polymorphisms of HIAT1 gene. Student's t-test was used to observe the association between the genotype and sheep morphometric traits. HIAT1 was widely expressed in all examined tissues, and was particularly abundant in the testis of male LFT sheep. Additionally, a 9-bp insertion mutation (rs1089950828) located within the 5'-upstream region of HIAT1 was investigated in Luxi black-headed (LXBH) sheep and Guiqian semi-fine wool (GSFW) sheep. The wildtype allele frequency 'D' was found to be more prevalent than that of the mutant allele 'I'. Furthermore, low genetic diversity was confirmed in all sampled sheep populations. Subsequent association analyses indicated an association between the 9-bp InDel mutation of interest and the morphometric traits of LXBH and GSFW sheep. Furthermore, yearling ewes with a heterozygous genotype (ID) demonstrated smaller body sizes, while yearling rams and adult ewes with the heterozygous genotype were found to have overall better growth performance. These findings imply that functional InDel polymorphism (rs1089950828) has the potential to be utilized for marker-assisted selection (MAS) of growth traits in domestic Chinese sheep populations.

Performance and breeding value of male buffalo production traits as a basis for selection in Jembrana Regency, Bali Province, Indonesia

Efforts to increase the buffalo population must also be balanced with efforts to improve their genetic quality, so that there are many superior breeds available as a substitute for livestock that are no longer productive. The aims of this study were to determine the performance of the production traits of the young bull population and to determine the breeding value of the production traits of the young bull in Jembrana District, Bali Province, Indonesia. The data were analyzed descriptively to obtain the average production traits of young bull, and to calculate the breeding value of the measured production traits. The results showed that the average production characteristics obtained in this study were higher than the standards set by SNI 7706.1:2011, regarding young bull of mud buffalo breeds, for the minimum requirements for quantitative body dimensions (chest girth, shoulder height and body length), as a candidate for sire, especially for age group I-1. The highest breeding value was owned by young bull with code 12 and code 9.The conclusions of the study were: (i) the performance of young bull in Jembrana Regency, Bali Province was very good, because it was higher than the quantitative minimum requirements stipulated by SNI 7706.1: 2011, concerning young bull buffalo breeds and (ii) the highest breeding values ​​are owned by young bulls with code 12 and code 9, so that these two young bull are the best candidate as a sire.

Genetic Diversity Relationship in Azakheli Buffalo Inferred from mtDNA and MC1R Sequences Comparison.

Azakheli is relatively smaller riverine breed with a very peculiar characteristics kept under unique traditional husbandry practices in comparison with rest of the Pakistani buffalo breeds; however, milk production is comparable. The present study was conducted to evaluate the genetic diversity of Azakheli breed. A total of sixty-six blood samples were collected for the amplification of mtDNA D-loop region and MC1R gene sequencing analysis. Median-joining network analysis of 191 mtDNA D-loop sequences of Azakheli and eight Indian riverine buffalo breeds clustered into three clades. Ancient Azakheli Region 1 clade was the oldest with the highest mutation steps and was present close to the root of UPGMA phylogenetic tree. There was 5 mutated lines distance between Pakistan buffalo and Indian riverine buffaloes. The populations of neighboring countries did not share any haplotypes with Azakheli buffalo of Pakistan. Possibly, residing for so long in the cold atmosphere and high elevation regions caused the mutation in mtDNA D-loop, though these conditions did not affect the overall performance of Azakheli as milch buffalo breed of Pakistan. MC1R analyses showed high mutations in Azakheli of Albino phenotype and all the black phenotype individuals of Azakheli buffalo share haplotypes with dominant Chinese and Indian black phenotypes buffaloes in MC1R median-joining network, indicating the reason of black coat color is due to MC1R gene. The haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity was (H. 0.923, Pi: 0.00895) in Azakheli. Current results illustrated Asian ancestry for Azakheli buffalo, and mtDNA and MC1R analyses provided further evidence. Additional genetic analyses and archeological studies may provide further insight into the domestication period and history of Azakheli buffalo breed. The further studies are required on different coat colors with different genes on Azakheli buffalo to understand the phenotype variation.

Association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ARID4A gene and sperm quality of Chinese water buffalo

ARID4A (AT-rich interaction domain 4A) is closely related to animal sperm quality traits. In the present study, the association between ARID4A gene polymorphisms of Chinese water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) with sperm quality traits was examined, including ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, post-thaw sperm motility, and sperm abnormality of buffalo semen. Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ARID4A gene were detected in 156 Chinese water buffaloes by Sanger sequencing and identifying overlap peaks. Among the SNPs, six were associated with at least one sperm quality trait. In brief, g.21192G&gt;C, g.21285C&gt;G, and g.21364A&gt;G could be used as potential markers for selecting semen with low sperm abnormality, high ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, and sperm motility. Furthermore, 10 haplotypes (H1: -CTCGG, H2: GTGGCA, H3: GCGGCA, H4: GCTGCA, H5: GCTCGA, H6: GTGGGG, H7: GCTCCG, H8: -CGGGA, H9: GCGGCG, and H10: GTTGCA) were formed by the six SNPs through linkage disequilibrium analysis, and then 14 different combined haplotypes were collected. Correlation analysis showed that the combined H1H2 haplotype had the highest genotype frequency. Notably, the combined H1H2 haplotype had low sperm concentration, low sperm motility, and high sperm abnormality. The combined H2H3 haplotype could be used as a potential molecular marker for selecting semen with high sperm motility. In general, we illustrated a significant correlation between SNPs in ARID4A and sperm quality traits of Chinese water buffalo, which may be useful in the marker-assisted selection of buffalo breeding. This study was the first to analyze the genetic polymorphisms of ARID4A and association with sperm qualities of Chinese buffalo.

Signatures of selection in riverine buffalo populations revealed by genome-wide SNP data

The detection of selection signatures assists in understanding domestication, evolution, and the identification of genomic regions related to adaptation and production traits in buffaloes. The emergence of high-throughput technologies like Next Generation Sequencing and SNP genotyping had expanded our ability to detect these signatures of selection. In this study, we sought to identify signatures of selection in five buffalo populations (Brazilian Murrah, Bulgarian Murrah, Indian Murrah, Nili-Ravi, and Kundi) using Axiom Buffalo 90 K Genotyping Array data. Using seven different methodologies (Tajima’s D, CLR, ROH, iHS, FST, FLK and hapFLK), we identified selection signatures in 374 genomic regions, spanning a total of 381 genes and 350 quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Among these, several candidate genes were associated with QTLs for milk production, reproduction, growth and carcass traits. The genes and QTLs reported in this study provide insight into selection signals shaping the genome of buffalo breeds. Our findings can aid in further genomic association studies, genomic prediction, and the implementation of breeding programmes in Indian buffaloes.

Performance of Illumina® BovineHD BeadChip in genotyping Indian riverine buffalo breeds

The current study tested the suitability of Illumina® BovineHD BeadChip in genotyping three riverine breeds of buffalo viz. Jaffarabadi, Murrah and Mehsana. Of the 777962 SNPs, 670955 SNPs were called in all animals and only 13150 SNPs were found to be polymorphic at a call rate of 90%, and had Minor Allele Frequency (MAF) greater than 0.05. The average Minor Allele Frequency (MAF) of polymorphic SNPs was 0.23 and average expected heterozygosity (HE) of 0.321. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed 2 different clusters where Murrah and Mehsana breeds clustered together, while Jaffarabadi breed formed a distinct cluster. Result obtained in this study indicated that the SNPs available in Illumina BovineHD BeadChip may not be good enough for studying population structure and genetic analyses in Indian buffalo breeds. Hence it might be necessary to develop a custom SNP marker panel for Indian riverine buffaloes.

Evaluation of type traits in relation to production, and their importance in early selection for milk performance in dairy buffaloes

Type traits (TTs) can contribute to breeding animals with good economic traits such as production, longevity, fertility, and profitability. Dairy buffaloes are the second largest source of milk supply in the world, and their TTs should be taken into consideration in future dairy buffalo breeding programmes. However, the relationship between TTs and milk production traits in buffalo remains largely unknown. The study aimed to establish an early selection method for buffaloes with desirable milk performance by TTs. Using 1 908 records from 678 buffaloes, the relationship between TTs and milk production traits was analysed and the optimal growth curves of TTs related to milk production traits were constructed. We examined the correlations between 45 TTs (33 body structural, 12 udder and teat morphological traits) and three milk production traits (milk yield (MY), milk fat percentage (MF), and milk protein percentage (MP)). The results showed that the highest correlation was found between MY and udder circumference (r = 0.438), teat length (r = −0.380) or heart girth (r = −0.341). The teat distance and teat circumference exhibited a significant negative correlation with MF and MP. Rump length was the only trait that had a significant positive correlation with milk production traits, suggesting that milk performance could be comprehensively improved by including rump length in the selection procedure. Notably, we found that high milk production traits was obtained from the buffaloes with short teats (<6 cm), small heart girth (<200 cm), large udder circumference (>104 cm), long rump (>39 cm), and small distance between teats. Moreover, an early selection method for buffaloes with excellent milk performance was developed based on the non-linear models. Brody model exhibited the best fitting effect for heart girth and rump length, while the Logistic model displayed the best fitting effect for teat length. Our findings provide theoretical basis for the early selection of buffaloes with desirable milk performance.

Identification of novel polymorphism in mammary-derived growth inhibitor gene of water buffalo and its expression analysis in the mammary gland

Mammary-derived growth inhibitor (MDGI), a member of the lipophilic family of fatty acid-binding proteins, plays an important role in the development, regulation, and differentiation of the mammary gland. The aim of the study was to identify polymorphism in the MDGI gene and its expression analysis in the mammary gland at various stages of lactation, in Indian buffalo. Nucleotide sequence analysis of MDGI gene in different breeds of riverine and swamp buffaloes revealed a total of 16 polymorphic sites and one Indel. Different transcription factor binding sites were predicted for buffalo MDGI gene promoter sequence, using online tools and in-silico analysis indicating that the SNPs in this region can impact the gene expression regulation. Phylogenetic analysis exhibited the MDGI of buffalo being closer to other ruminants like cattle, yak, sheep, and goats. Further, the expression analysis revealed that buffalo MDGI being highly expressed in well-developed mammary glands of lactating buffalo as compared to involution/non-lactating and before functional development to start the milk production stage in heifers. Stage-specific variation in expression levels signifies the important functional role of the MDGI gene in mammary gland development and milk production in buffalo, an important dairy species in Southeast Asia.

Identification of Buffalo Breeds Using Self-Activated-Based Improved Convolutional Neural Networks

The livestock of Pakistan includes different animal breeds utilized for milk farming and exporting worldwide. Buffalo have a high milk production rate, and Pakistan is the third-largest milk-producing country, and its production is increasing over time. Hence, it is essential to recognize the best Buffalo breed for a high milk- and meat yield to meet the world’s demands and breed production. Pakistan has the second-largest number of buffalos among countries worldwide, where the Neli-Ravi breed is the most common. The extensive demand for Neli and Ravi breeds resulted in the new cross-breed “Neli-Ravi” in the 1960s. Identifying and segregating the Neli-Ravi breed from other buffalo breeds is the most crucial concern for Pakistan’s dairy-production centers. Therefore, the automatic detection and classification of buffalo breeds are required. In this research, a computer-vision-based recognition framework is proposed to identify and classify the Neli-Ravi breed from other buffalo breeds. The proposed framework employs self-activated-based improved convolutional neural networks (CNN) combined with self-transfer learning. Moreover, feature maps extracted from CNN are further transferred to obtain rich feature vectors. Different machine learning (Ml) classifiers are adopted to classify the feature vectors. The proposed framework is evaluated on two buffalo breeds, namely, Neli-Ravi and Khundi, and one additional target class contains different buffalo breeds collectively called Mix. The proposed research achieves a maximum of 93% accuracy using SVM and more than 85% accuracy employing recent variants.

Effect of Parity, Lactation Length and Season of Calving on Milk Production in Nili Ravi Buffaloes Maintained at Livestock Farm, GADVASU, Ludhiana.

Background: Nili Ravi buffalo breed is one of the best milk-producing buffalo breeds with excellent potential for milk production. In the present investigation, we studied the effect of non-genetic factors on milk production traits in Nili Ravi buffalo. Methods: In the present study, we analyzed the factors affecting milk production traits in 279 standardized lactation records in Nili Ravi buffaloes maintained at the Directorate of Livestock Farm, GADVASU, Ludhiana, from 2009 to 2020. The effect of lactation length (LL), parity and season of calving (SOC) on milk production were analyzed using GLM (General Linear Model) IBM SPSS Statistics 26 version software. Result: The overall 305 days corrected milk yield of Nili Ravi buffalo was 2247.09±26.51 kg with an average lactation length of 274.72±62.78 days. The effect of SOC and parity number was found to be significant (P≤0.05) on the 305 days of corrected milk yield, whereas the effect of lactation length was found significant on lactation milk yield (P≤0.01). It is concluded that the lactation length, parity and calving season significantly affect the milk production trait in Nili Ravi buffalo.

Comparative Study of Casein Protein Content of Milk of Different Domesticated Cow, Buffalo and Goat Breeds from South-West Part of Karjat Tehsil, Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra, India

Comparative Study of Casein Protein Content of Milk of Different Domesticated Cow, Buffalo and Goat Breeds from South-West Part of Karjat Tehsil, Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra, India

Seasonal Variations in the Lipid Profile of the Ovarian Follicle in Italian Mediterranean Buffaloes.

Simple SummaryReproductive seasonality is a major factor affecting buffalo breeding. The rationale of this work derives from the hypothesis that the reduced cleavage and blastocyst rates observed during the non-breeding season could be due to a suboptimal follicular environment. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of season on the lipid profile of the ovarian follicle in the Italian Mediterranean buffalo. For this purpose, abattoir-derived ovaries were collected during the breeding and non-breeding seasons, and the apolar phase of follicular components was analyzed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of seasonal variations in lipid content of the buffalo ovarian follicle, including follicular fluid, follicular and cumulus cells, and oocytes. The results undoubtedly demonstrated significant seasonal variations in the lipid profile, including triglycerides, cholesterol, and phospholipids, in the different biological matrices analyzed. Interestingly, an increased amount in the total level of non-esterified fatty acids in the follicular fluid was also observed during the non-breeding season. The results allow a better understanding of the physiology of the ovarian follicle in buffalo and unveil some causes of reduced oocyte competence during the non-reproductive season, laying the groundwork for further studies and corrective strategies.The reduced oocyte competence recorded during the non-breading season (NBS) is one of the key factors affecting the profitability of buffalo farming and limits the IVEP efficiency. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate whether season influences the lipid content within the ovarian follicle in the Italian Mediterranean buffalo. Abattoir-derived ovaries were collected during the breeding season (BS) and the NBS, and different matrices (follicular fluid, oocytes, cumulus and follicular cells) were recovered. After the extraction of the apolar fraction, all samples were analyzed by H1 nuclear magnetic resonance and FF samples by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Seasonal differences in lipid composition were observed in all matrices. In particular, during the NBS, the triglyceride content was higher in the follicular fluid and in the oocytes but reduced in the follicular cells. Both cholesterol and phospholipids were reduced in the follicular fluid and follicular cells during the NBS. Furthermore, the total amount of non-esterified fatty acids was significantly increased in the follicular fluid. The seasonal variation in lipid profile of the follicle may, in part, account for the reduced buffalo oocyte competence during the NBS, due to the critical role played by lipids in regulating ovarian functions.

Kış Mevsiminde Yarı Açık ve Kapalı Barınaklarda Yetiştirilen Anadolu Mandalarında Barınak İçi Sıcaklık ve Nem Değerlerinin Süt Verimi ve Kompozisyonuna Etkileri

In this study, it was aimed to reveal the effect of temperature and humidity values provided by the semi-open and closed barns in the winter season on milk yield and components and the somatic cell count (SCC) level in milk in Anatolian buffaloes, and for this purpose, to compare both barn types and to reveal their suitability for buffalo breeding. In the study, temperature and humidity values were determined between December 2020 and March 2021 in two types of barns with similar feeding conditions in Bafra district, Samsun, and milk samples taken from buffaloes raised in these barns were analyzed. Temperature Humidity Index (THI) values were determined as 61,09±0,211 and 51.08±0.173 for the closed and semi-open barn type, respectively. In the study, in which the type of barn and therefore the temperature and humidity values provided in the barn environment did not affect the amount of milk yield, the milk fat ratio was determined as 8.89±0.227% and 8.16±0.176% for closed and semi-open barns, respectively. While other milk components were not affected by the barn conditions, the logSCC of milk was lower (4.54±0.071) in the closed barns when compared to the semi-open barns (4.73±0.044). Although no statistical difference was determined in the other milk parameters discussed, it was noted that there is an increasing tendency in the closed barns. It was observed that the changes in temperature and humidity values in both barn environments during the period caused nonlinear changes in milk composition. While indoor conditions were more effective on solids-non-fat (SNF), protein and lactose in the closed barn, the highest effect was on the fat ratio and logSCC in the semi-open barns. As a result, it can be said that both types of barns can be used in buffalo breeding since there is no significant difference in milk yield and other components, although there is a slight difference in milk fat ratio and logSCC level in closed and semi-open barns of Anatolian buffaloes in the climatic conditions of the region where the study was conducted.

Identification of Y chromosome haplogroup and estimation of genetic diversity in Indian buffalo breeds using Y specific STR markers

The present investigation was to identify Y chromosome haplogroup using STR markers and to study genetic diversity in Indian breeds of buffalo. A total of 139 semen samples of five different Indian buffalo breeds were collected from different semen station of India for the study. DNA was extracted using standard phenol chloroform method. Based of Y specific microsatellite UMN1113 and UMN0304, the population was divided in 47 haplo groups. Subsequently, analysis of microsatellites revealed that overall haplogroup diversity in whole population of 139 buffalo bulls was (0.798±0.048), Murrah breed had maximum (0.899±0.024) and Surti had minimum (0.600±0.215) diversity. AMOVA showed that between breeds variation was 16.69% and differed significantly among the breeds (P&lt;0.0001). Further, the pair wise genetic distance (FST value) between different breeds showed that Mehsana lies in between Surti and Murrah, which also signifies the fact that Mehsana breed originated as cross of Murrah and Surti, while Nili Ravi and Jaffarabadi were clustered together sharing Y specific signatures.

Genome-wide SNP analysis reveals the selection signatures of two indigenous buffalo breeds in Sichuan

Sichuan Province spawned abundant of indigenous buffalo varieties, which probably harbor valuable gene resources beneficial to the genetic improvement of buffalo. However, limited genetic information was publicly available. To better understand their selection signatures between different populations, we performed a restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to explore genome-wide SNPs among two indigenous breeds of Sichuan buffaloes. As a result, a total of 2,110,077 high-quality SNPs were finally obtained. Population genetic analysis indicated a obviously genetic differentiation between two breeds. The detection of selective genes showed that 995 and 910 protein-coding genes underwent positive selection in Yibin buffalo (GYBS) and Dechang buffalo (XCS). Further functional analysis revealed distinctly discrepant selection in two breeds. Candidate genes that positively selected from Yibin buffaloes have mainly occurred in functions closely related to meat quality, complex living environment adaption capability, and disease resistance. While they were significantly enriched in cell proliferation and cell components in Dechang buffalo, indicating the selection pressure primarily derived from the requirement of organism growth and development speed during breed formation. Our dataset constitutes a promising reservoir of genome-wide SNP markers of Sichuan buffaloes and provides potentially traits selected in different local populations. Such comprehensive genetic resources offer an unprecedented opportunity for genetic association analysis of economically important traits and precision breeding programs in buffaloes.

Genetic admixture and population structure analysis of Indian water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) using STR markers.

India has a vast riverine and swamp buffalo diversity adapted to various agro-ecological conditions. In the present study, genetic diversity data for 10 different buffalo populations of India, using 20 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers has been generated for the genetic diversity analysis. The buffalo populations of Eastern Odisha state, were the primary focus. The minimal spanning network based on Bruvo's distance, PCA (Principal Component Analysis) based on the Fst (Fixation Index) values, and genetic admixture analysis using both the STRUCTURE and 'snapclust' were performed. The analysis could identify the Manda population as distinct from other Odisha buffalo breeds as well as adjoining Chhattisgarhi buffalo breeds. The total observed number of alleles ranged between 143 (Manda) and 301 (Paralakhemundi) with an average of 204 alleles per breed. The Sambhalpuri buffalo population also clustered into two separate subpopulations, half of the unique sub-population located geographically south-wards, displayed no admixture with any of the adjacent buffalo populations. The Manda buffalo population has shown sufficient allelic richness and heterozygosity under random mating being practiced in the field conditions. The study has led to the identification of the Manda as a distinct buffalo population, and the germplasm has been registered as a new Indian buffalo breed. Whereas, the Sambhalpuri population requires elaborate analysis to confirm the existence of two distinct sub-populations.

Follicular Dynamics during Estrous Cycle of Pubertal, Mature and Postpartum Crossbred (Nili Ravi × Jianghan) Buffaloes.

Simple SummaryThe objective of this study was to observe the follicle dynamics and its relationship with different physiological (pubertal, sexual mature and postpartum) conditions of buffaloes. These data could be beneficial in establishing best reproductive model for future studies and enhancing the efficiency of advanced reproductive technologies (ARTs) in buffalo industry. The present study describes the estrous cycle characteristics (follicular wave pattern, ovulation, follicle growth, regression or atresia) in Chinese crossbred buffaloes during pubertal, sexual maturity and postpartum stages. This study would be helpful to provide the theoretical insight to overcome the poor reproductive performance by employing the ARTs to enhance fertility in crossbred buffaloes.The follicular dynamics is used as a reliable indicator for reproductive management in livestock. However, the follicular dynamics (follicle wave emergence, estrus cycle length, diameter of dominant follicle, follicular growth and atretic phases) during the estrous cycle of crossbred (Nili Ravi-Jianghan) buffalo is still unexplored. Therefore, the present study aimed to observe the follicular dynamics in estrous cycle of crossbred buffaloes at different physiological stages (pubertal; n = 28, sexual mature; n = 22 and postpartum; n = 18). In the present study, the follicular dynamics were ultrasonically examined at 12 h intervals throughout an estrous cycle during the breeding season. The results indicate that about 86.76% (59/68) crossbred buffaloes, irrespective of physiological stage, exhibited two follicular waves in estrous cycle with an average estrus cycle length was 20.7 ± 0.4 days. The estrus cycle length was significantly shorter (p < 0.05) in pubertal buffaloes (19.4 ± 0.4 days) compared with sexual mature (21.5 ± 0.3 days) and postpartum (21.9 ± 0.4 days) buffaloes. The first follicular wave emerged on same day during one- (pubertal vs. postpartum), two- (pubertal vs. mature vs. postpartum) or three-wave (mature vs. postpartum) estrous cycle buffaloes. The maximum diameter of dominant follicle (DF) in pubertal, sexually mature and postpartum crossbred buffaloes was 9.6 ± 2.0 mm, 10.6 ± 0.5 mm and 12.6 ± 0.7 mm with growth rate of 1.08 ± 0.04 mm/day, 0.92 ± 0.04 mm/day, and 0.9 ± 0.07 mm/day, respectively. In conclusion, similar to other buffalo breeds, Nili Ravi-Jianghan crossbred buffaloes showed the two-wave follicular pattern dominantly with an average duration of ~20 days estrous cycle. The observed follicular dynamics can be used as a reliable indicator for synchronization and fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) programs to improve the fertility of crossbred buffaloes.

Whole-Genome-Based Web Genomic Resource for Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), belonging to the Bovidae family, is an economically important animal as it is the major source of milk, meat, and drought in numerous countries. It is mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions with a global population of approximately 202 million. The advent of low cost and rapid sequencing technologies has opened a new vista for global buffalo researchers. In this study, we utilized the genomic data of five commercially important buffalo breeds, distributed globally, namely, Mediterranean, Egyptian, Bangladesh, Jaffrarabadi, and Murrah. Since there is no whole-genome sequence analysis of these five distinct buffalo breeds, which represent a highly diverse ecosystem, we made an attempt for the same. We report the first comprehensive, holistic, and user-friendly web genomic resource of buffalo (BuffGR) accessible at http://backlin.cabgrid.res.in/buffgr/, that catalogues 6028881 SNPs and 613403 InDels extracted from a set of 31 buffalo tissues. We found a total of 7727122 SNPs and 634124 InDels distributed in four breeds of buffalo (Murrah, Bangladesh, Jaffarabadi, and Egyptian) with reference to the Mediterranean breed. It also houses 4504691 SSR markers from all the breeds along with 1458 unique circRNAs, 37712 lncRNAs, and 938 miRNAs. This comprehensive web resource can be widely used by buffalo researchers across the globe for use of markers in marker trait association, genetic diversity among the different breeds of buffalo, use of ncRNAs as regulatory molecules, post-transcriptional regulations, and role in various diseases/stresses. These SNPs and InDelscan also be used as biomarkers to address adulteration and traceability. This resource can also be useful in buffalo improvement programs and disease/breed management.

Efficiency of the chemotherapeutic drug DAC in experimental piroplasmidoses in cattle

The article presents data on the study of the effectiveness of the DAC drug in experimental piroplasmosis in cattle. Piroplasmidoses of cattle are widespread in the North Caucasian republics, all breeds of cattle, buffaloes and zebu are especially susceptible. The causative agent of the disease from sick animals is transmitted by a healthy single-host tick Boophilus annulatus and Ixodes ricinus in the larval stage, francaiellosis, piroplasmosis are more common, and proceeds in the form of 3 enzootic outbreaks. Considering that the carrier of the pathogens of both diseases is the same type of tick under natural conditions, there have been cases of animal diseases with both piroplasmosis and francaiellosis (mixed invasion). The prophylactic efficacy of a 5% DAC preparation was studied under experimental conditions on 20 animals, divided into 4 groups - control and 3 experimental, 5 in each. The animals were observed for 30 days, subjected to daily thermometry and clinical examination. Smears from peripheral blood were examined starting from the first day. The conducted studies showed that the DAC preparation in the indicated doses was effective in experimental piroplasmosis in cattle. In 24-48 hours after the administration of the DAC preparation, the temperature and parasitic response in animals decreased. The therapeutic effect was 100%. With francaiellosis monoinvasion and in association with piroplasmosis, the effectiveness of the treatment, after 2 and 3 times the use of the drug, was 60% and 80%, respectively day. As a result of the studies, a scheme for prolonged chemoprophylaxis of piroplasmidosis in cattle was developed, based on the use of a 5% aqueous solution of DAC in combination with polyethylene glycol. The use of this scheme protects animals from infection with monoinvasions of piroplasmosis for 25 days, francaiellosis for 14, and in association for 12 days.