Reproductive biotechniques in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis): status, prospects and challenges
B. Singh A F , M. S. Chauhan B , S. K. Singla B , S. K. Gautam C , V. Verma D , R. S. Manik B , A. K. Singh B , M. Sodhi E and M. Mukesh EA Animal Biotechnology Group, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Regional Station, Palampur 176 061, India.
B Animal Biotechnology Centre, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal 132 001, India.
C Division of Biotechnology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra 136 119, India.
D AgResearch Ltd, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand.
E DNA Fingerprinting Unit, National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal 132 001, India.
F Corresponding author. Email: bsbpalampur@yahoo.co.in
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 21(4) 499-510 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD08172
Submitted: 12 August 2008 Accepted: 24 December 2008 Published: 7 April 2009
Abstract
The swamp buffalo holds tremendous potential in the livestock sector in Asian and Mediterranean countries. Current needs are the faster multiplication of superior genotypes and the conservation of endangered buffalo breeds. Recent advances in assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro embryo production methodologies, offer enormous opportunities to not only improve productivity, but also to use buffaloes to produce novel products for applications to human health and nutrition. The use of molecular genomics will undoubtedly advance these technologies for their large-scale application and resolve the key problems currently associated with advanced reproductive techniques, such as animal cloning, stem cell technology and transgenesis. Preliminary success in the application of modern reproductive technologies warrants further research at the cellular and molecular levels before their commercial exploitation in buffalo breeding programmes.
Additional keywords: assisted reproduction, embryo biotechnology, genomics applications.
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