Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes

Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are central to the dairy and agricultural economy, contributing high-quality milk, meat, draft power, and manure. Rich milk composition, the ability to utilize low-quality roughage, and strong disease resistance make buffaloes indispensable across diverse production systems. Among India’s major dairy breeds—Murrah, Nili-Ravi, Jaffarabadi, Surti, Bhadawari, Mehsana, and Nagpuri, none exhibit the distinctive trait of intermittent milking, which is uniquely observed in the Pandharpuri buffalo, a registered indigenous breed of Maharashtra. Despite coexisting with dominant dairy breeds such as Murrah, Pandharpuri buffalo is considered to possess primitive riverine ancestry and may represent one of the ancestral lineages from which several Indian breeds evolved. Its evolutionary relevance and unique intermittent milking capacity underscore the need to understand its genomic architecture. To address this, we applied whole-genome resequencing and the De-Correlated Composite of Multiple Signals (DCMS) approach to identify within-breed selection signatures. Our analyses identified 1337 candidate genes, including several linked to milk production, particularly those relevant to the physiological capacity for intermittent milking. Notable genes included ERBB4, ESR1, SYK, INSR, PTPN11, VAV3, MAPK3, and PRKG1. These signatures provide insights into genomic regions and biological pathways that may be involved in lactation-related processes relevant to intermittent milking. The identified genomic regions offer promising targets for functional validation and future genome-informed breeding strategies aimed at conserving this unique indigenous germplasm while improving lactation efficiency and resilience.

Mastitis has been a major challenge in dairy industry incurring heavy loss to dairy farmers. Although targeted antibiotic regime is successful for culturable microbes, the non-culturable and novel microbes are often overlooked. Hence, the present study employed a whole-metagenome profiling to investigate and compare the microbial diversity among the milk samples of healthy and affected buffaloes. 16 Milk samples were collected from Murrah buffaloes and classified into three groups based on the somatic cell count and California Mastitis Test score, i.e., Clinical (3), Sub-clinical (6), and Healthy (7). DNA extraction from milk was followed by Whole Meta-Genome Shotgun (WGS) sequencing to study microbial diversity. The study revealed that Proteobacteria as the most abundant phylum in the clinical mastitis cases, which could be related to the severity of the disease, whereas Firmicutes were strongly associated with the healthy group of buffaloes. The genus Acinetobacter was most abundant in clinical cases (79%) and least in healthy animals (33%). The present study provides important insights into the microbial population and composition in the milk of mastitis-affected buffaloes. The findings will aid in investigating potential therapeutic ways for reducing antibiotic resistance and treatment costs.

ABSTRACT Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) serves as a reservoir of wisdom passed down through generations, with rural women in Uttarakhand playing a pivotal role in its preservation and adaptation to meet contemporary challenges, including climate change. This study explores the critical role of rural women in Uttarakhand in maintaining and adapting ITK in response to climate change. A total of 90 women farmers were selected using Multistage random sampling from Tehri Garhwal and Rudraprayag districts of Uttarakhand. The documentation of ITK utilised a combination of descriptive survey and participatory anthropological research methods. Community-level validation of documented ITK practices was conducted using the Quantification of Indigenous Knowledge (QuIK) approach by focusing on three core areas: dietary practices, integrated pest management (IPM), and water conservation. The practices were systematically evaluated through a criteria-based matrix ranking, encompassing six parameters: ease of application, cost-effectiveness, accessibility, efficiency, unintended consequences and overall preference. The top-ranked ITK practices included “Golthiya” for dietary habits, “Dhara” for water conservation, and “Khinda” and “Kandali” for integrated pest management. Additionally, a range of other ITK practices related to traditional storage, forest fire management, ethnoveterinary and medicinal applications, indigenous weather prediction, and traditional farming methods were also documented, illustrating the rich diversity of knowledge held by rural women. The findings highlight the critical role of women’s experiences and traditional knowledge in fostering resilient and comprehensive approaches to address climate challenges.

Despite having strong pedigree records, passing breeding soundness evaluations, and receiving appropriate management and nutrition, some breeding bulls consistently underperform in similar environmental conditions where other bulls thrive. These underperforming bulls are economically unsuitable for semen stations that produce semen doses. Our study aims to predict the performance of breeding bulls based on hair cortisol and testosterone concentrations. We also measured these hormones in buffalo calves. Furthermore, we assessed seminal plasma cortisol and testosterone concentrations in poor-quality and good-quality ejaculates. To evaluate bull performance, we categorized the bulls into two groups based on ejaculate discard rates: consistent (n = 9) and inconsistent semen quality bulls (n = 6). The breeding bulls' hair cortisol and testosterone levels were evaluated at two-month intervals for one year. We analyzed the semen from both groups for motility and kinematic parameters using a computer-assisted semen analyzer and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and superoxide production through flow cytometry. The bulls that exhibited consistent semen quality had higher (P < 0.05) hair testosterone concentrations than those with inconsistent quality; however, there was no difference (P > 0.05) in hair cortisol levels between the two groups. Additionally, the ejaculates from bulls with inconsistent semen quality met minimum standards, showing no differences (P > 0.05) in sperm motility. However, mitochondrial membrane potential and superoxide production were compromised at the subcellular level. Acrosome integrity was also lower (P < 0.05) in bulls with inconsistent semen quality than those with consistent quality. In poor-quality ejaculates, regardless of the bull group, cortisol and testosterone concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) than in good-quality ejaculates intended for cryopreservation. Additionally, hair testosterone concentration increased with age in male calves, while hair cortisol levels were higher during July-August and lower from March to April. In conclusion, bulls that exhibited consistent semen quality appear stress-tolerant, while those with inconsistent quality are more stress-susceptible. Our findings suggest that hair testosterone is a better indicator of stress in breeding bulls than hair cortisol.

Myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, is a critical cardiovascular condition associated with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Despite significant advancements in traditional treatment modalities, there remains a need for innovative approaches to improve the prognosis and treatment outcomes of MI. The emergence of nanotechnology has provided a promising avenue for revolutionizing the management of this life-threatening condition. This manuscript aims to explore the role of nanotechnology in the prognosis and treatment of myocardial infarctions. Nanotechnology offers unique advantages in the field of cardiovascular medicine, including targeted drug delivery, precise imaging and diagnosis, regenerative medicine approaches, biosensors and monitoring, and the integration of therapy and diagnostics (theragnostic). One of the key advantages of nanotechnology is the ability to deliver therapeutic agents directly to the affected site. Nanoparticles can be engineered to carry drugs specifically to damaged heart tissue, enhancing their efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. Additionally, nanoparticles can serve as contrast agents, facilitating high-resolution imaging and accurate diagnosis of infarcted heart tissue. Furthermore, nanotechnology-based regenerative approaches show promise in promoting tissue healing and regeneration after MI. Nanomaterials can provide scaffolding structures or release growth factors to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels and support tissue repair. This regenerative potential holds significant implications for restoring cardiac function and minimizing long-term complications. Nanotechnology also enables real-time monitoring of critical parameters within the heart, such as oxygen levels, pH, and electrical activity, through the utilization of nanoscale devices and sensors. This capability allows for the early detection of complications and facilitates timely interventions. Moreover, the integration of therapy and diagnostics through nanotechnology- based platforms, known as theragnostic, holds tremendous potential. Nanoparticles can simultaneously deliver therapeutic agents while providing imaging capabilities, enabling personalized treatment strategies tailored to individual patients. This manuscript will review the recent advancements, clinical trials, and patents in nanotechnology for the prognosis and treatment of myocardial infarctions. By leveraging nanotechnology's unique properties and applications, researchers and clinicians can develop innovative therapeutic approaches that enhance patient outcomes, improve prognosis, and ultimately revolutionize the management of myocardial infarctions.

Para-aural abscessation refers to the extension of purulent inflammation and infection outside the deeper parts of the external ear canal or the middle ear cavity, into the surrounding soft tissues. It can arise from trauma, neoplasia, foreign bodies, chronic otitis externa and previous ear surgery. Clinical signs of pain upon opening the mouth, para-aural swelling and the development of draining tracts in the region of the ear base and parotid gland can appear followed by signs of otitis interna such as ataxia and head tilt toward the affected side, and of facial nerve paralysis. Otoscopy will usually allow recognition of obstruction; however, large abscesses can be opened and drained if indicated before definitive treatment. Apart from contrast radiography (fistulograms), CT imaging is recommended as a diagnostic technique as it provides useful information with respect to the cause of the condition and the recommended surgical approach. Various diagnostic procedures and surgical approaches recommended for the treatment of para-aural abscessation have been elaborated in this chapter. The success and outcome of a surgical procedure does not only depend on the knowledge, experience and instrument and tissue handling of the surgeon, but also on the best periand postoperative care. In this chapter, peri- and postoperative analgesia, peri- and postoperative antibacterial therapy, postoperative nutritional management and postoperative dressings and wound management of patients undergoing ear surgery will be discussed under different headings.

Hyperammonia-producing bacteria (HAB) are a class of microbes present in the stomach of ruminants, responsible for the rapid rate of ammonia production from protein degradation beyond the capacity of these animals for their utilization. Thus, ruminant nutritionists are interested in decreasing ruminal protein degradation and ammonia genesis by focusing on controlling the activity of HAB. The investigations of the present study were carried out to determine predominant hyperammonia-producing bacteria in the rumen of buffaloes, their isolation and characterization, as well as the inhibition of these isolates with various sources of plant secondary compounds (tannins, saponins, and essential oils). Studies employing high-throughput sequencing of amplicons of the 16S rRNA gene from genomic DNA recovered from enrichment culture of HAB of buffalo rumina indicated that, at the phylum level, Proteobacteria (61.1 to 68.2%) was the most predominant HAB. Acidaminococcus was most predominant among the identified genera. In vitro experiments were conducted with enrichment culture of buffalo rumen contents incubated with different types of feed additives such as essential oils (eucalyptus oil, lemon grass oil, and clove oil) and extracts of plants (Sapindus mukorossi fruits and Ficus bengalensis leaves), each at graded dose levels. The reduction in ammonia production by clove and lemon grass oils was evident due to the presence of major bioactive compounds, especially eugenol and limonene, which have strong antimicrobial activity. However, clove oil and Indian soapberry/reetha (Sapindus mukorossi) fruit were found to be promising and effective in reducing the growth, protease production, and ammonia production of HAB culture.