Identification of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Y-chromosome Specific DDX3Y Gene in Murrah Buffalo Bulls

Background: Molecular markers based approaches are essential to select fertile bulls for frozen semen production at an early age. The present investigation was undertaken to perform the molecular characterization and identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in Y-chromosome specific DDX3Y gene in Murrah buffalo bulls. Methods: The genomic DNA isolated from the blood samples of 70 Murrah buffalo bulls, covering bulls with normal seminal traits and poor production performance (poor semen quality, freezability, libido), were subjected to PCR amplification. The sequences of DDX3Y gene were analyzed for single nucleotide polymorphism using the seqman module of DNASTAR LASERGENE software. The single nucleotide variations in the sequences with reference to the Bos taurus sequence were determined using Clustal W. The phylogenetic tree and genetic distance were constructed using the MegAlign module. Result: The analysis of sequences revealed that the exons and their adjacent intronic regions of the DDX3Y gene are monomorphic in nature without any variations indicating that the sequences are highly conserved in the studied population of Murrah buffalo bulls. However, a considerable number of single nucleotide variations were observed in the sequences of Murrah buffalo compared with Bos taurus sequences. Furthermore, the phylogenetic tree analysis revealed less divergence and close genetic association between the sequences of Murrah buffalo and other species in the bovinae family than the caprinea species. Further studies on DDX3Y gene in a more extensive and diverse population of Murrah buffalo bulls distributed in different regions could aid to discover substantial SNPs.

The Conventional and Modern Uses of Water Buffalo Milk in the Philippines

In Southeast Asia, milking of livestock is not common. In the Philippines, water buffalo (carabao) milk has been used since the Spanish colonial period of the 16th century. Milk is processed into cheese (kesong puti) or candy (pastillas). These customs are found in a few areas on the Islands of Luzon and Visayas. However, in 1996, following the launch of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), the uses of modern milk have been practiced nationwide using Murrah (buffalo), which produces more milk than a carabao. This paper analyzes the dairy transition currently occurring in the Philippines from the conventional uses of carabao milk to the modern uses of Murrah milk. Intensive fieldwork was broadly conducted in conventional and modern milk use areas of the country, with water buffalo management and milk use systems researched using participatory observation and interview methods. This study delves into how the conventional uses of water buffalo milk have helped support the livelihood of special farmers and whether recent government-backed projects, such as enhancing the ability of water buffaloes to produce milk, have made carabaos dispensable. The shift to modern milk uses, which relies on buffalo milk, has become a national project, in order to improve the subsistence of peasant farmers. This paper concludes that the modern dairy farming of Murrah is becoming popular in farming societies close to the PCC and that the dairy culture has changed from being a minor conventional regional system to a major industrial farming and business system to sustain the lives of local small-scale farmers.

Study on Population Dynamics and Effects of Inbreeding on Performance Traits in Indian Murrah Buffalo

Background: A population is continuously facing the changing environment and its directly influencing the production of animal so to adopt these changes population must be flexible and have sufficient variability to overcome the adverse affects of environment. The evaluation of animals in terms of production performance traits along with impact of inbreeding coefficient is essential to formulate breeding and selection strategies for higher genetic improvement. Methods: Genealogy data of 6429 animals maintained at ICAR-NDRI, Karnal, India was analyzed by web-based POPREP application tool (http:// poprep.tzv.fal.de) and ENDOG V5.8 used to study the population structure and genetic diversity and regression model to study the effect of inbreeding on first lactation productive traits in Murrah buffaloes. Result: The result indicated that 91.91% of the individuals had known pedigree. The maximum generation traced was 13 with mean, full and equivalent complete generation as 5.93, 1.67 and 3.25 respectively. The average generation interval was 8.28 years and longer for the sire-son pathway and 2.16% was average inbreeding in whole population. The average genetic diversity loss was 2.10% indicated that the population has been stable with sufficient diversity. The study also revealed non significant effect of inbreeding on all first lactation traits. The low inbreeding was firstly due to introduction of new genetic variant and culling of animals avoiding mating of related ones and secondly due to incompleteness of pedigree in earlier years. This can be used as a base line information of phenomic needs to be generated before applying genomics tools in particular herd to be used as reference population in future for genomic selection.

Enhancing performance of Murrah Buffalo through improved probiotic feed management in Kapau Village, Agam Regency

This study aims to improve the production performance of Murrah buffalo which covers average weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion by increasing probiotic feed. The research was conducted on the herd of Murrah buffalo at Kelok Rambai, Kapau Village, West Sumatera, Indonesia. Fifteen Murrah buffaloes with three to five years of age were used in the research. There were three treatments conducted including P1 = basal feed + probiotics; P2 = P1 + concentrate (cassava leaf pellet); and P3 = P1 + commercial concentrate (pellet). All three treatments were also given 7 cc/head/month of probiotics. The results of the study with probiotic feeding on Murrah buffalo showed the average feed consumption of P2 (36.55), P3 (35.99), P1 (35.74) and daily weight gain (DWG) P2 (1.09 kg/head/day), P3 (0.91 kg/head/day), P1 (0.55 kg/head/day) did not show a significant difference, while in feed conversion, P2 (0.68 ), P1 (0.46), P3 (0. 31) it showed a significant difference (p>0.05). This study concludes that the provision of basal ration plus cassava leaf pellets showed significant results on feed conversion in Murrah buffalo but did not show significant differences in feed consumption and DWG. However, it showed a substantial enough average of P2 that could be used as a feed supplement in Murrah buffalo.

Superovulatory responses using pregnant mare serum gonadotropin hormone in Murrah buffalo cows

Superovulation plays an important role in embryo transfer program. A preliminary study carried out in the Research Institute for Animal Production evaluated superovulatory responses in Murrah buffalo cows using pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) hormone. The three buffalo cows were estrus synchronized using 5 ml prostaglandin (PGF) twice, with an interval of 11 days. PMSG was injected intra-muscularly 3000 IU on day-10 after estrus. Prostaglandins were administered 48 hours after PMSG injection. Fixed-Time artificial insemination (FTAI) was carried out at 72 hours after the last PGF treatment. Administration of hCG 2 ml/head was given at the time of FTAI. A non-surgery flushing was performed on day 6 after FTAI. Parameters observed using ultrasonography (USG) were diameter of follicle (DFL), total follicle (TFL), and number embryos (NE). Data were analyzed descriptively. The mean of DFL before PMSG treatment was 8.2 mm and after PMSG treatment was 12.5 mm. The mean of TFL before PMSG treatment was 7.7 and after PMSG treatment was 16.1. The NE obtained was one degenerative embryo. Superovulation using PMSG increased TCL and DFL. It can be concluded that the Murrah buffalo cows superovulated by PMSG showed a good response but no transferable embryo was found.

Comparative Signatures of Selection Analyses Identify Loci Under Positive Selection in the Murrah Buffalo of India

India is home to a large and diverse buffalo population. The Murrah breed of North India is known for its milk production, and it has been used in breeding programs in several countries. Selection signature analysis yield valuable information about how the natural and artificial selective pressures have shaped the genomic landscape of modern-day livestock species. Genotype information was generated on six buffalo breeds of India, namely, Murrah, Bhadawari, Mehsana, Pandharpuri, Surti, and Toda using ddRAD sequencing protocol. Initially, the genotypes were used to carry out population diversity and structure analysis among the six breeds, followed by pair-wise comparisons of Murrah with the other five breeds through XP-EHH and FST methodologies to identify regions under selection in Murrah. Admixture results showed significant levels of Murrah inheritance in all the breeds except Pandharpuri. The selection signature analysis revealed six regions in Murrah, which were identified in more than one pair-wise comparison through both XP-EHH and FST analyses. The significant regions overlapped with QTLs for milk production, immunity, and body development traits. Genes present in these regions included SLC37A1, PDE9A, PPBP, CXCL6, RASSF6, AFM, AFP, ALB, ANKRD17, CNTNAP2, GPC5, MYLK3, and GPT2. These genes emerged as candidates for future polymorphism studies of adaptability and performance traits in buffaloes. The results also suggested ddRAD sequencing as a useful cost-effective alternative for whole-genome sequencing to carry out diversity analysis and discover selection signatures in Indian buffalo breeds.

Surgical management of dystocia due to dicephalic sternophagus tetrabrachius tetrapus dicaudatus monster in a murrah buffalo

Successful delivery of a conjoint monster, dicephalic sternophagus tetrabrachius tetrapus dicaudatus monster by caesarean section and partial fetotomy in a Murrah buffalo is reported.