This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of parity and body condition score (BCS) pre-calving on oxidative stress indices of 43 milking buffaloes in transition period. The experiment was performed based on completely randomized design with unequal replications, using 3*4 factorial experiments comprising four levels of BCS (2.5-2.99; 3-3.49; 3.5-3.99 and 4-4.5) at two weeks before calving and three groups of parity (1; 2-5 and >5). Blood samples were collected from experimental animals in three stages including: 14 days before parturition, parturition day and 14 days after parturition. The results showed that the serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities in the highest BCS (4-4.5) group were significantly higher than that of other BCS groups; while the serum gamma-glutamyl transaminase (GGT) activity was decreased with increasing BCS. In addition, blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the lowest level of BCS (2.5-3) were significantly lower than that of other groups. The higher serum catalase activity as well as total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was observed in the BCS of 3.5-3.99. At periparturient period, MDA level and GPx and catalase activities at calving day and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and AST at 14 days after calving were increased significantly. Moreover, it is observed that multiparous buffaloes have significantly higher oxidative stress indicators than primiparous animals. Based on the results of this study, activity of oxidative stress factors in dairy buffaloes with a higher BSC at parturition significantly increased in 14 days after calving, which indicates an increase in the metabolism of lipids and proteins in these conditions.

This experimental study was carried out to determine the efficacy of rumen cannulation technique on some rumen metabolic parameters in buffaloes. Four healthy male River (Azari) buffaloes with no previous history of gastrointestinal dysfunction were chosen. There are several surgical techniques that can be used for rumen cannulation in farm animals, including buffaloes. This procedure was performed in a modified two-stage technique. In the first stage, the dorso – lateral portion of the dorsal sac of the rumen wall was sutured to the skin incision in the left para lumbar fossa region. In the second – stage, after six days left, the exposed rumen wall area was incised and the cannula was inserted and fixed manually in the rumenal opening incision site. In order to evaluate the efficacy of rumen cannulation technique on some rumen metabolic parameters, this study was achieved with different levels of NDF, and chewing behavior and their relationship with ruminal acidity, was measured in a change over design. Two diets with 2 levels of NDF were used as treatments. First and second diets had 52 and 47 % of NDF, respectively. Animals fed ad libitum at 09:00 and 21:00. There were no significant differences between chemical composition, particles distribution, geometric mean, its standard deviation and physically effective factor (pef) of diets, dry matter intake (kg/d) and nutrients intake (NDF, ADF, NFC and crude protein) and their digestibility. Increasing NFC reduced ruminal pH at 0.5, 1.0, 4.5, 6.0 9.0 and 10.0 h post feeding. In addition, there were not significant differences on eating time, rumination time and total chewing activity between diets. All data obtained in this study were in normal range may indicating the efficacy of this cannulation method. More investigation should be done to determine the efficacy and comparison of the other surgical rumen cannulation techniques on Azari buffaloes of Iran