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The development of reproductive biotechnologies, such as oestrus synchronization (OS) associated with artificial insemination (AI) in buffaloes, could have a significant impact on milk yields obtained at farm level. The aim of this paper was to study the effects of OS and fixed-time AI in buffaloes. Thirty buffalo cows with anoestrus were divided into three groups L1, L2 and L3 (10/group) at the Research and Development Station for Buffaloes Sercaia. The following protocols were applied: L1 - GnRH on day 1, prostaglandins on day 7, GnRH on day 9, followed by AI at 10 days (resulted in 50% pregnancy rate); L2 - GnRH was administered on day 1, prostaglandin was administered on day 7, GnRH was administered on day 9, AI was performed at 48 hours after the prostaglandin administration (resulted in 80% pregnancy rate); L3 - prostaglandin was administered on day 1, GnRH was administered on day 12, prostaglandin was administered on day 19, GnRH was administered on day 21, within 17-24 hours after last administration of GnRH AI was performed (resulted in 50% pregnancy rate). The use of OS techniques in buffaloes can overcome some of the difficulties of detecting oestrus and increase the efficiency of AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large calving intervals in water buffalo cows is attributed to the existence of periods of the year when sexual activity is absent. It is considered that if fertilization did not occur before the buffalo cows entered in the winter season, when kept indoors, then it will take a significant longer time until they enter again in heat and the calving interval will be negatively influenced. The work was conducted over 4 years and consisted of the evaluation of ovarian response following administration of a prostaglandin hormone (PGF2α) during the winter period for a number of 61 buffalo cows, between 5 and 14 years of age. In 22 buffalo cows that showed oestrus within 5 days of PGF2α administration, two artificial inseminations were performed at 12 hours intervals. In 39 buffalo cows that did not show any signs of oestrus, a second dose of PGF2α was administrated 11 days after the first administration, after which they were artificially inseminated at 48 and 78 hours, respectively. Of the 22 buffalo cows that showed oestrus, 19 cows became pregnant, and out of the 39 buffalo cows with prolonged treatment, only 20 heads remained pregnant. The treatment of sexual inactivity in water buffalo cows during indoor hosing by hormonal methods with PGF2α leads to the shortening of the calving interval, the cost of hormonal treatments being balanced by the increase in the number of calves obtained and the milk production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of GnRH and PGF2α administration on the manifestation of estrus and on the conception rate in Romanian buffalo dairy buffaloes. Twenty-eight dairy buffaloes from the Şercaia Buffalo Breeding Research and Development Station, aged between 5 and 12, in the postpartum period, were divided into four batches of seven heads each, as follows: Lot I (between 25 and 30 postpartum days), Lot II (40 to 45 days postpartum), Lot III (55 to 60 days postpartum) and Lot IV (75 days postpartum). Dairy buffaloes were given intramuscularly GnRH (2.5 ml Receptai) on day 0, followed by intramuscular injection of PGF2α (2.5 ml Alfabedyl) on day 7 after GnRH injection. Estrus was observed 24-48 hours after PGF2α injection. Artificial insemination was performed 12-18 hours after visible signs of estrus. The results of the study showed that there were no differences (p> 0.05) between estrus treatments (100%), estrus onset (35.8 to 36.4 hours), estrus duration (17 to 18 hours) and conception rate (100%). In conclusion, in Romanian buffalo dairy buffaloes, estrus can be synchronized from 25-30 days after calving using a combination of GnRH and PGF2α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]