Milk Progesterone Levels in Different Reproductive States in Lactating Buffaloes Under Farmer Conditons Yadav M.P.S., Yadav S.P.1, Shahu D.S.1, Singh Omkar Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, C.S. Azad University of Agriculture and Tech., Kanpur 1Department of Animal Husbandry, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut-250110 Abstract Sixty dairy buffaloes in the last two months of gestation were selected at seven private peri-urban farms in the Kanpur Distt. Observations were recorded in buffaloes during normal (NBS, August to January) and low breeding seasons (LBS, February to July). After parturition, rectal examination of reproductive organs was carried out. MPL was higher (p < 0.01) at various intervals in NBS calves (1.99 % 0.031 ng/ml) as compared to LBS calves (0.69 % 0.09 ng/ml). During LBS, MPL remained < 0.30 ng/ml up to the third fort night and started rising later, reaching a peak of 1.27 ng/ml during the sixth fortnight. During NBS, there was a sharp rise in MPL during the second fortnight reaching 3.64 ng/ml during the sixth for night. MPL was significantly different on different experimental farms (p < 0.01). MPL reached the lowest levels on the day of estrus (0.10 ng/ml), reached it’s peak on 7th day and started declining on 17th day of estrus. MPL showed two postpartum elevations. In true anestrus buffaloes, MPL remained consistently low. However, in the anestrus period, silent ovulations were also noted, as reflected by increasing MPL without estrus signs. In pregnant buffaloes, MPL remained > 1 ng/ml. Results of the study showed that the low postpartum reproductive performance in dairy buffaloes during LBS was primarily due to inadequate functioning of the corpus luteum in secreting optimum concentrations of progresterone. The higher incidence of silient estrus during LBS indicated improved management for the detection of estrus. Top Key words Buffalo, milk, reproduction, hormone, progesterone.. Top |