The aim of present study was to determine the changes of sodium, potassium, chloride, copper, and zinc in serum of Nili-Ravi buffalo during pregnancy and lactation. The study was carried out on 25 Nili-Ravi buffaloes during March 2008 to February 2009 at Buffalo Research Institute, Pattoki, District Kasur. Blood samples were taken from each buffalo during early pregnancy (Phase EP), i.e., between 1 and 3 months gestation, mid pregnancy (Phase MP), i.e., between 4 and 6 months gestation, late pregnancy (Phase LP), i.e., between 7 and 10 months gestation, and during lactation (Phase LT). Serum sodium, potassium, and chloride were determined on a clinical chemistry analyzer whereas copper and zinc were determined on an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The mean serum sodium, potassium, and chloride concentrations varied non-significantly (P > 0.05) during pregnancy and lactation. With advancing pregnancy, copper increased and was significantly high (P < 0.05) during late pregnancy whereas during lactation copper concentrations dropped significantly (P < 0.05). The zinc concentrations increased non-significantly during early and mid pregnancy. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in zinc concentrations during lactation compared with late pregnancy. This study demonstrates that concentrations of serum sodium, potassium, and chloride remain unchanged during pregnancy and lactation whereas serum copper concentrations increased and zinc concentrations decreased with advancing pregnancy because of the demand of the fetus at different periods of pregnancy.

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Effects of two maturation media with and without the addition of oestrus buffalo serum (OBS) and hormones (FSH, LH, E2) on the maturation rate of buffalo follicular oocytes were evaluated. The results revealed a signifi cant (P < 0.05) increase in the maturation rate when the OBS and hormones were added to TCM-199 than in Ham's F-12 medium. The percentage of maturation rates in TCM-199 + hormones + OBS, 55.17, 62.28 and 26.62 Reproduction, Bubalus bubalis, TCM-199, Ham's F-12, FSH, LH, E2Riverine buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are hardy dairy animals, resistant to climate, stress and diseases. However, problems like delayed onset of reproductive maturity, seasonality of breeding, long calving interval, latent oestrus, low number of primordial follicles and poor superovulatory response have been attributed to poor reproductive performance of this species (Nandi et al. 2002).In vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures performed on oocytes obtained from slaughter-house derived ovaries have recently provided a practical means for producing large number of bovine zygotes at low cost for research and commercial settings (Hansen 2006). Application of this technology in assisted reproduction of buffalo will not only improve productive and reproductive potential of the buffalo population but will also help rescue the precious germ plasma going to waste by indiscriminate slaughter of this animal.The acquisition of more insights into the buffalo culture requirements is critical to optimize the effi ciency of advanced reproductive strategies in this species. Lack of proper conditions to support in vitro culture of buffalo zygotes to a transferable stage embryo is the major impediment in the successful buffalo IVF system. The direct extrapolation of the methods from cattle to the buffalo resulted in poor fertility. Chauhan et al. (1997) reported that oocyte maturation and cleavage rates in buffalo are lower than those for cattle. There have been reports to enhance early development of in vitro produced embryos in domestic animals by addition of hormones, sera and somatic cells (Pawshe et al. 1996). To optimize in vitro embryo production of buffalo by improving the culture conditions, the present project was designed: 1) to assess the effect of addition of sera and hormones on in vitro maturation of buffalo oocytes and 2) to evaluate media in supporting fertilization of in vitro matured oocytes.