• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.137-141
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• 1991

Rumen liquor characteristics and disappearance rate of dry matter were studied in Kedah-Kelantan cattle and swamp buffaloes fed grass of rice straw-based diet. Cobalt-EDTA and chromium mordented fibres prepared from the faecal material were used to determine the liquid and solid particles movement in both animal species fed with rice straw. Swamp buffaloes showed a more intense rumen fermentation activity than Kedah-Kelantan cattle when both species were fed straw-based diet. The buffaloes also demonstrated faster rates of grass and straw degradation in situ. The fluid outflow rate from the rumen of buffalo ($1.06{\pm}0.19l/h$) was observed to be slower than that of cattle ($1.55{\pm}0.01l/h$). No significant differences between cattle and buffaloes were observed in rumen fluid volume and passage rate of small particles from the rumen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.329-335
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• 1992

Degradation of rice straw was observed to be higher (p<0.01) in the buffaloes than in cattle. At 48 h, the dry matter (DM) loss of straw for buffaloes was 53.6 0.8% and that for cattle was 48.7 2.6%. Palm press fibre (PPF) was poorly degraded in the rumen of both animal species. A loss of about 21% DM was observed in both cattle and buffaloes after 48 h of incubation in the rumen. The pattern of bacterial and fungal colonization of straw and PPF seemed to be similar in both cattle and buffaloes. Microbial colonization was restricted by plant structures like the silica crystals in both straw and PPF. The predominant bacteria colonizing both straw and PPF fragments were the rods. Eroded zones and digestion pits were pronounced in straw fragments after 1 h of incubation. The PPF fragments appeared undegraded even after 6 h of incubation. Fungal colonization of straw was rapid and extensive in both cattle and buffaloes. The sporangia observed in straw were mainly spherical or oval in shape, but fusiform sporangia with acuminate tip were predominantly seen in PPF fragments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.60-67
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• 2000

A survey involving 71 cattle and buffalo farming households under coconut plantations was carried out in three districts (Pannala, Bingiriya and Kuliyapitiya) with the aim of assessing the status of livestock farming. Also, 24 households (eight from each district) were visited monthly for period of one year to collect information on feeding practices. Apart from milk, animals were reared for selling, draught, bio-gas and for manure. Due to difference in system of management of cattle and buffaloes, manure from buffaloes (46%) was more frequently used for coconuts than that from cattle (10%). Majority of cattle were improved breeds (temperate origin) or their crosses, as compared to buffaloes (mainly indigenous). The most predominant management system was tethered grazing during the day, and stall feeding during the night. Coconut land (own or others) and paddy fields were the major grazing areas for the animals. The grass from coconut land was lower in crude protein (8.2%) and digestibility (48%) compared to those from paddy fields (12.1 and 57%, respectively). Of the 288 rations analysed, grass was included in 280 of the daily rations for cattle as compared to 251 for buffaloes. Straw was more commonly included in mixed rations for buffaloes (137 out of 288) than for cattle (53 out of 288). The frequency of use of straw for buffaloes was high in Pannala (75 out of 137 cases). There was wide variation among the improved breeds of cattle and buffaloes in milk production (2 to 9 litres/day), lactation length (6 to 10 months) and calving interval (13-21 months).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.427-438
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• 1996

The suitability of female cattle ($Brahman{\times}Holstein$) and buffaloes (Murrah / Jafarabadi) for work on a sugarcane crusher was tested. The animals were fed chopped sugarcane tops and elephant grass supplemented with rice bran and urea-molasses blocks. In experiment 1, six cattle and six buffaloes, (with three animals seven to eight months pregnant at the start of the experiment in each group), worked individually, alternate weeks for 90 minutes a day for 6 d/week. Within the 90 min, cattle did more work than buffaloes (p < 0.05), and non-pregnant animals did more than pregnant animals, but cattle crushed significantly (p < 0.05) more cane per day than buffaloes. During work animals lost weight, but gained the weight back during resting weeks, when fodder intakes were higher. There were no significant differences in live weight change and fodder intakes between pregnant and non-pregnant animals during the six weeks. In experiment 2, four pairs of lactating cows and buffaloes crushed sugarcane for 3 h/d, 6 d/week for three weeks. Work done was higher in cattle than buffaloes, but cane crushed was marginally lower. All animals lost weight during work, particularly in the first week, but gained weight during the week after work. Daily milk yield was lower during the working weeks ($-0.55{\pm}0.15kg$) than in the week before work. Butter fat yield showed no significant change. One buffalo showed ovarian activity and oestrus behaviour during the work. Two cows showed ovarian activity within one month after the work. It was concluded that pregnant and lactating cows and buffaloes can effectively operate a cane crusher, however a temporary reduction in milk yield can be expected in the working period, and ovarian activity may be suppressed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제20권8호
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• pp.1201-1207
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• 2007

This study compared the recovery rate of intrajugular-administered allantoin in the urine and saliva between swamp buffaloes and zebu cattle to examine whether it could explain the lower excretion rate of urinary purine derivatives (PD) in the buffaloes. Three male swamp buffalo yearlings, with an average body weight of $349{\pm}40.35$ kg, and three Thai native cattle ($154{\pm}3.26$ kg) of similar age and sex were used in the study. Animals were kept in individual pens and fed at a maintenance energy level with a diet containing 65% monk bean husk (Vigna radiata) as roughage and 35% concentrates. Allantoin solution was infused into the jugular vein in four incremental rates equivalent to 0, 5, 10 and 15 mmol/d and urine was collected daily in acidified form. Daily PD excretion was linearly correlated with intrajugular allantoin infusion in both species. The relationship between daily urinary PD excretion (Y, mmol/d) and intrajugular allantoin infused (X, mmol/d) was $Y=0.75{\pm}0.318X+22.45{\pm}2.98$ ($r^2$ = 0.36, n = 12, MSE = 38.02, CV = 21.9, p<0.01) for swamp buffaloes and $Y=0.96{\pm}0.10X+15.93{\pm}0.92$ ($r^2$ = 0.91, n = 12, MSE = 3.60, CV = 8.27, p<0.01) for zebu cattle. The salivary PD concentration was not correlated with intrajugular allantoin infusion in both species, with values for buffaloes numerically lower than those for cattle. The present study reconfirmed previous studies that buffaloes have a lower plasma PD excretion rate via the renal route and a significant proportion (22%) of the plasma PD loss is via the saliva. However, results of our present and previous studies suggest that differences in purine base (PB) metabolism between buffaloes and zebu cattle occur before the purine compounds reach the plasma pool.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.733-736
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• 1992

Different parameters of subclinical mastitis were compared in 327 cattle and 493 buffaloes and the effect of immunopotentiating agents on subclinical mastitis in these animals was studied. Subclinical mastitis was detected in 8.2 percent buffalo and 24.0 percent cow quarter by modified whiteside test (MWT). In both the species there was decrease in lactose contents with increase in the degree of MWT reactivity i.e. $4.8{\pm}1.14$ to $2.31{\pm}0.82$ in cattle and $5.01{\pm}1.47$ to $2.36{\pm}1.02$ in buffaloes. While the chloride contents of the milk increased with increase in the MWT reactivity i.e. $0.19{\pm}0.4$ to $0.30{\pm}0.06$ in cattle and $0.20{\pm}0.04$ to $0.31{\pm}0.13$ in buffaloes. Micro-organisms belonging to Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Bacillus, Streptococcus, Enterobacteria, Corynebacterium groups and yeasts were isolated from subclinical mastitis cases. Vitamin E and Levamisole cured 64.5 and 60.0 percent cases of subclinical mastitis in buffaloes but only 32.0 and 24.0 percent cases in cattle. Cure was not affected by the degree of MWT and the type of organisms involved.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.261-264
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• 1994

The lactation milk yields of 209 buffaloes and cattle were measured on farms in Taplejung and Dhankuta Districts in East Nepal. This includes local and crossbred buffaloes and cows. The average milk yield (${\pm}\;SD$) of 97 local buffaloes was $833\;{\pm}\;94.6\;kg$ whereas that for 83 local cows was only $455\;{\pm}\;61.5\;kg$. The milk yield of buffaloes decreased with number of calvings, but that for the cows increased. The milk yields of 18 Murrah crossbreds were on average 215 kg higher than the yields of local buffaloes, and the yields of 11 Jersey crossbred cows averaged 247 kg more than the local cows. Lactation length (${\pm}\;SD$) which averaged $326\;{\pm}\;100$ days for the buffaloes and $292\;{\pm}\;98$ days for the cows, was not affected by crossbreeding. The milk yields of the crossbreds were more variable than the local buffaloes and cows. In addition to milk yield the overall productivity of a milking animal depends on calf mortality, age at first calving, calving interval, longevity, food intake, the work performance of male cattle and the meat production of male buffaloes. Among these parameters, the work performance of Jersey crossbred and local male cattle was studied later. However, other factors could not be measured.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제20권9호
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• pp.1389-1396
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• 2007

Twelve swamp buffaloes and Brahman cattle heifers (6 animals each) were randomly assigned to two treatments, control (grazing only) and supplementation of cassava hay (CH) at 1-kg dry matter per head per day (DM/hd/d), in a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement according to a cross-over design. The cassava hay contained a high level of protein (19.5% of DM) and a strategic amount of condensed tannins (4.0% of DM). As a result it was revealed that supplementation of CH at 1-kg DM/hd/d significantly (p<0.05) improved the nutrition of both swamp buffaloes and Brahman cattle in terms of DM, organic matter (OM), protein and energy intake and digestibility, ruminal NH3-N and rumen ecology. Supplementation significantly (p<0.05) reduced weight losses in both species and improved the health, in terms of reduced number of parasite eggs in feces (p<0.05), of both buffaloes and cattle. There tended to be a difference in term of response to CH between the two species. The DM, OM, protein intake and digestibility and total digestible energy intake tended to be higher for buffaloes as compared to cattle. Moreover, the percentage reduction of parasite eggs tended to be higher for buffaloes as compared to cattle (57.6 and 45.0%, respectively). However, there were no significant interactions between species and treatments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.6-10
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• 2003

The present study investigated peripheral plasma immunoreactive inhibin (ir-inhibin) concentrations in relation to the stage of oestrous cycle and progesterone concentrations in cycling Sahiwal cattle (Bos indicus) and Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). Blood samples were collected once daily for thirty-two consecutive days from cattle and buffaloes (5 each) during winter months of January and February. Mean (${\pm}$S.E.M.) plasma ir-inhibin concentrations ranged from $0.40{\pm}0.01$ to $0.59{\pm}0.03ng/ml$ in cattle and from $0.29{\pm}0.03$ to $0.52{\pm}0.05ng/ml$ in buffaloes. In cattle, ir-inhibin concentrations increased from $0.47{\pm}0.07ng/ml$ on day -4 (day 0=day of oestrus) to reach a maximum value of $0.59{\pm}0.03ng/ml$ on day -2. Thereafter, ir-inhibin concentrations showed a decline to reach a low of $0.40{\pm}0.01ng/ml$ on day 11 of the oestrous cycle. In buffaloes, ir-inhibin concentrations increased from $0.38{\pm}0.04 ng/ml$ on day -4 to reach a maximum concentration of $0.52{\pm}0.05ng/ml$ on day -2. Ir-inhibin concentrations then declined to reach a low of $0.29{\pm}0.03ng/ml on day 9 of the cycle. In both cattle and buffaloes, ir-inhibin concentrations which were lowest ($0.43{\pm}0.02$ and $0.34{\pm}0.02ng/ml$, respectively) during the mid-luteal phase of the oestrous cycle increased (p<0.05) to $0.52{\pm}0.03$ and $0.44{\pm}0.04ng/ml$, respectively, during the late luteal phase, and then further to the highest value of $0.53{\pm}0.02$ and $0.49{\pm}0.04ng/ml$, respectively, during the perioestrus phase, following which these declined to $0.50{\pm}0.02$ and $0.39{\pm}0.03ng/ml$, respectively, during the early luteal phase. The variations in peripheral plasma ir-inhibin profile in both the species appear to be related to the changes in characteristics of follicular populations during the oestrous cycle. Peripheral plasma ir-inhibin concentrations were negatively correlated with progesterone concentrations in cattle (r=-0.51, p<0.01) and buffaloes (r=-0.30, p<0.01) indicating that the corpus luteum is not a source of peripheral ir-inhibin in these species.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권11호
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• pp.1523-1526
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• 2001

To study the secretion of trace elements during early lactation, twelve lactating Murrah buffaloes were selected from the herd of the institute. The buffaloes were divided into two groups of six each. Buffaloes of group I were not injected and served as control. Buffaloes of group II received oxytocin injection (2.5 I.U.) intramuscularly for a period of five days for let down of milk. Milk samples were collected from both groups of buffaloes five days before, during and after the administration of oxytocin. Aliquots of milk samples from each buffalo were composited in proportion to their milk yield and used for analysis of trace elements in milk. In both the groups of buffaloes Cu, Mg, Fe, Zn and Mn contents did not vary significantly between animals. However, Ca levels varied significantly (p<0.01) between animals. Administration of oxytocin influenced (p<0.01) Cu, Mg, Zn, Fe and Mn secretion in milk. However, Ca secretion was not affected by oxytocin administration. Secretion of these elements also varied significantly during different days of the study. Zinc content of milk in the control group also varied significantly (p<0.01) during different days and periods of study indicating thereby no effect of oxytocin. The study indicated that administration of oxytocin increases Cu and Mn content and decreases Mg, Fe and Zn content without altering the Ca concentration of milk.