The present review addresses summer anoestrus in buffaloes. The condition is a major impediment in the improvement of reproductive as well as productive efficiency in buffalo. Factors affecting summer anoestrus include environment, nutrition and management. The environmental factors especially longer day length and increased temperature with high humidity pre-dispose to the condition when the nutritive status of buffaloes is poor. Buffaloes with summer anoestrus fail to exhibit oestrus as a result of aberration in the endocrine profile leading to ovarian inactivity. Increased day length with high environmental temperature causes hyper-prolactinaemia, suppressing the secretion of gonadotrophins, which leads to an alteration in ovarian steroidogenesis. Heat stress produced during summer also affects folliculogenesis, follicular fluid microenvironment and oocyte quality. A large number of hormonal regimens have been used with varying degree of efficacy in terms of oestrus induction and conception rate. A combined strategy of improvement in environment, nutrition and management is pre-requisite for hormonal manipulation in order to improve productivity in summer anoestrus buffaloes. A brief description of summer anoestrus with special reference to factors responsible, endocrinology, deleterious effects on reproductive system and possible remedial measures is presented in this review.

This investigation was carried out to study the correlation of sperm quality parameters with antioxidant and oxidant status of buffalo bull semen during various stages of cryopreservation. Semen samples were evaluated for sperm parameters (mass motility [MM], concentration [CON], progressive motility [PM], viability [VIB], acrosomal integrity [AI] and hypo-osmotic swelling [HOS] response), antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and total antioxidant capacity [TAC]) and oxidants (Lipid peroxidation [LPO] and reactive oxygen species [ROS]) at fresh, pre-freeze and post-thaw stages. Sperm parameters (PM, VIB, AI and HOS response) and antioxidants (SOD, CAT and TAC) were significantly (p < .05) reduced at fresh stage, and oxidants (LPO and ROS) were significantly (p < .05) increased at pre-freeze and post-thaw stages. At fresh stage, MM was negatively correlated with LPO (p < .05), and CON was positively correlated with SOD, TAC and CAT, negatively correlated with LPO and CAT was positively (p < .01) correlated with VIB and HOS response. At pre-freeze stage, CAT was positively correlated with PM and AI (p < .05), and AI was negatively (p < .05) correlated with ROS. At post-thaw stage, CAT was positively correlated with PM, VIB, HOS response and AI,, and LPO was negatively correlated with HOS, AI and VIB. The study of correlations of these parameters at different preservation stages with bull fertility may play an important role in developing models for predicting future fertility of bulls in the absence of conception rate data.

Gastrointestinal (GI) parasitism in animals is one of the major problems in India causing emaciation, anaemia, oedema, weakness, diarrhoea and death. Present study was designed to generate epidemiological data on GI parasitism of goats of Madhya Pradesh, India. During 8 months study period, a total of 960 samples were collected and examined by sedimentation

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The aim of this study was to document the expression and localization of VEGF system comprising of VEGF isoforms (VEGF 120, VEGF 164 and VEGF 188) and their receptors (VEGFR1 and VEGFR2) in buffalo corpus luteum (CL) obtained from different stages of the oestrous cycle. Real-time RT-PCR (qPCR), Western blot and immunohistochemistry were applied to investigate mRNA expression, protein expression and localization of examined factors. In general, all the components of VEGF system (the VEGF isoforms and their receptors) were found in the water buffalo CL during the oestrous cycle. The mRNA as well as protein expression of VEGF system was highest during the early and mid-luteal phase, which later steadily decreased (p < 0.05) after day 10 to reach the lowest level in regressed CL. As demonstrated by immunohistochemistry, VEGF protein was localized predominantly in luteal cells; however, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 were localized in luteal cells as well as in endothelial cells. In conclusion, the dynamics of expression and localization of VEGF system in buffalo corpora lutea during the luteal phase were demonstrated in this study, indicating the possible role of VEGF system in the regulation of luteal angiogenesis and proliferation of luteal as well as endothelial cells through their non-angiogenic function.

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Aim: The study was conducted to investigate the effect of cholesterol loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) on freezability of buffalo spermatozoa. Materials and Methods:Murrah buffalo bull semen samples with progressive motility of 70% and greater were used. After the evaluation of motility and livability, four equal fractions of semen samples were made. Group I was kept as control and diluted with Tris, whereas Group II, III and IV were treated with CLC solution at the rate of 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mg/ml respectively to obtain 120 × 10 6 sperm/ml as final spermatozoa concentration. The aliquots of all the groups were incubated for action of CLC, followed by dilution and freezing. Evaluation at pre-freeze and post-thaw stage of progressive motility, viability and level of cholesterol and phospholipid was done. Results:The mean cholesterol content (μg/100 × 10 6 spermatozoa) of Group I, II, III and IV at pre-freeze stage was 21.55±0.63, 49.56±1.38, 55.67±0.45 and 47.79±1.01 and at post-thaw stage were 13.18±0.45, 34.27±0.71, 36.21±0.48 and 33.68±0.56, respectively. At pre-freeze stage, cholesterol content was significantly (p<0.01) higher in Group III in comparison to other groups. The mean cholesterol and phospholipids content of fresh sperm was 24.14±0.58 and 51.13±0.66 μg/100 × 10 6 sperm cells, respectively, and C/P ratio of spermatozoa at fresh stage was 0.47±0.067. Conclusion:CLC treatment maintains the C/P ratio and plays an important role in maintaining membrane architecture of spermatozoa. Hence, addition of CLC may be helpful in increasing freezability of buffalo spermatozoa by increasing the C/P ratio of spermatozoa.