Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Reproduction, Fertility and Development Reproduction, Fertility and Development Society
Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
REVIEW

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 E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A 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.


References

Boni R., Roviello S., Gasparrini B., and Zicarelli L. (1997). Pregnancies established after transferring embryos yielded by ovum pick-up and in vitro embryo production in Italian buffalo cows. In ‘Proceedings of the Vth World Buffalo Congress, Caserta, Italy’. (Eds A. Borghese, S. Failla and V. L. Barile.) pp. 787–792. (Royal Palace: Caserta, Italy.)

Boni, R. , Rovelli, S. , Gasparrini, B. , Langella, M. , and Zicarelli, L. (1999). In vitro production of buffalo embryos in chemically defined medium. Buffalo J. 15, 115–120.
Danell B. (1987). Oestrous behavior, ovarian morphology and cyclical variation in the follicular system and endocrine pattern in water buffalo heifers. Ph.D. Thesis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

Das, G. K. , Jain, G. C. , Solanki, V. S. , and Tripathi, V. N. (1996). Efficacy of various collection methods for oocyte retrieval in buffalo. Theriogenology 46, 1403–1411.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Evans K. M., and van Munster E. B. (13 May 2008). High purity X-chromosome bearing and Y-chromosome bearing populations of spermatozoa. US patent no. 7,371,517. Assignees: XY, Inc. Origin: Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Forsberg, E. J. (2005). Commercial applications of nuclear transfer cloning: three examples. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 17, 59–68.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | CAS | Gasparrini B., Neglia C., Caracciolo di Brienza V., Campanile G., Di Palo R., and Zicarelli L. (1991). Preliminary analysis of vitrified in vitro produced embryos. Theriogenology 55, 307. [Abstract]

Gasparrini, B. , Neglia, G. , Di Palo, R. , Campanile, G. , and Zicarelli, L. (2000). Effect of cysteamine during in vitro maturation on buffalo embryo development. Theriogenology 54, 1537–1542.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | Gordon I. (1994). Aspiration techniques: old and new. In ‘Laboratory Production of Cattle Embryos (Biotechnology in Agriculture Series)’. (Ed. I. Gordon.) pp. 71–72. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK.)

Gordon I. (2003). Embryos and oocytes in research and commerce. In ‘Laboratory Production of Cattle Embryos’. (Ed. G. J. Persley.) pp. 322–381. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK.)

Gupta, P. S. , Ramesh, H. S. , Manjunataha, B. M. , Nandi, S. , and Ravindra, J. P. (2008). Production of buffalo embryos using oocytes from in vitro grown preantral follicles. Zygote 16, 57–63.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | CAS | Madan M. L., Singla S. K., Jailkhani S., and Ambrose J. D. (1991). In vitro fertilization in buffalo and birth of first ever IVF buffalo calf. In ‘Proceedings of the 3rd World Buffalo Congress, Varna’. pp. 11–17. (Varna, Bulgaria.)

Madan, M. L. , Chauhan, M. S. , Singla, S. K. , and Manik, R. S. (1994). Pregnancies established from water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) blastocysts derived from in vitro matured, in vitro fertilized oocytes and co-cultured with cumulus and oviductal cells. Theriogenology 42, 591–600.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | CAS | Neglia G., Gasparrini B., Caracciolo di Brienza V., Di Palo R., Campanile G., and Zicarelli L. (2003). First pregnancies established from vitrified blastocysts entirely produced in vitro in Mediterranean Italian buffalo cows (Bubalis bubalis). Theriogenology 59, 374. [Abstract] doi:10.1016/S0093-691X(02)01170-6

Parnpai, R. , Tasrpoo, K. , and Kamonpatana, M. (1999). Development of cloned swamp buffalo embryos derived from fetal fibroblast: comparison of in vitro cultured with or without buffalo and cattle oviductal epithelial cells. Buffalo J. 15, 371–384.
Parnpai R., Tasripoo K., and Kamonpatana M. (2000). Developmental potential of cloned bovine embryos derived from quiescent and non-quiescent adult ear fibroblasts after different activation treatments. Theriogenology 53, 239. [Absract]

Parnpai R., Tasrpoo K., and Kamonpatana M. (2002). Comparison of cloning efficiency in bovines and swamp buffalo embryos using fetal fibroblasts and granulosa cells. Theriogenology 57, 443. [Absract]

Presicce, G. A. (2007). Reproduction in water buffalo. Reprod. Domest. Anim. 42(Suppl. 2), 24–32.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Zhang X., Liang X., Yang B., Chen M., Huang F., Pang C., Qin G., Senatore E. M., and Presicce G. A. (2007). Pregnancies established following transfer of in vitro-produced fresh and frozen–thawed buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 19, 276. [Abstract] doi:10.1071/RDV19N1AB321