Indian Journal of Animal Research

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Research Article

Indian Journal of Animal Research, volume 54 issue 1 (january 2020) : 16-19

Changes in Teat Morphology (Doka Phenomenon) and Estrus Prediction in Riverine Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

S.K. Joshi, T.K. Mohanty, A. Kumaresan, M. Bhakat, S. Sathapathy
1Division of Livestock Production Management, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal-132 001, Haryana, India.
Cite article:- Joshi S.K., Mohanty T.K., Kumaresan A., Bhakat M., Sathapathy S. (2019). Changes in Teat Morphology (Doka Phenomenon) and Estrus Prediction in Riverine Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) . Indian Journal of Animal Research. 54(1): 16-19. doi: 10.18805/ijar.B-3517.

ABSTRACT

The objective of the study was to characterize the term Doka and to capture morphological changes in teat to find out the relationship between Doka and onset of estrus in Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). The Murrah buffaloes maintained at of Livestock Research Centre (LRC), ICAR-NDRI, Karnal were classified into two groups based on the lactation number for the study of Doka characteristics. In group I, twenty animals up to 3rd lactation were incorporated, whereas thirty animals from 4th to 5th lactation were included in group II. The period when buffaloes showed teat engorgement was called as Doka period, is the local term used by the farmers in North India that can be taken as a visual sign for prediction of estrus. The length and diameter of teats, before and after milking were measured, for both the groups during morning and evening milking and subsequently analyzed. The present study confirmed that the teat diameter (mm) before milking during Doka was significantly (p<0.05) higher as compared to pre Doka period in both the groups (group-I - 37.01 ±2.13 vs 28.42 ±1.64, group-II - 53.49 ±2.82 vs 41.096±2.16). The teat diameter (mm) during Doka period after milking was significantly (p<0.05) more in both the groups (group-I - 26.65 ±1.26 vs 24.44 ±1.16, group-II - 39.27 ±2.41 vs 35.31 ±2.17) as compared to pre Doka period. So, it can be concluded that the changes in teat diameter can safely be considered as a sign of Doka and the forthcoming heat in Murrah buffaloes. However, the difference in teat length between different stages of Doka was found to be non significant.

INTRODUCTION

India is leading milk producer country in the world and buffalo is contributing maximum milk in the countries milk pool. Murrah among the thirteen recognized breed of buffalo is most recognized breed due to its better adoptability, disease resistance, availability and milk production potential (Thomas, 2004). However, the productivity of buffaloes are affected due to reproductive efficiency, poor estrus expression and prolonged intercalving intervals are the major contributing factors (Suthar and Dhami, 2010). So, in order to improve productivity and reproductive life in dairy buffaloes, acurate and timely heat detection is the need of hour. Successful estrus detection not only improves the reproductive efficiency, but also raises the herd’s milk production (Diskin and Srennan, 2000; Tsai et al., 2014). Silent heat which is common in dairy buffaloes, causes difficulty of heat detection. This is because of the reason that here ovulation occurs without visual signs of heat. Another factor which accounts for poor heat detection is the time of expression of heat symptoms and their observation.
        
However, Doka phenomenon can serve as an effective way for timely heat detection since, reading and interpreting the subtle behavior of animal is not necessarily required in this method. It also excludes continuous observation to rule out missed heat symptom at any hour of the day. Therefore, the study was planned to characterize the Doka phenomenon to detect estrus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study was conducted on fifty Murrah buffaloesmaintained at Livestock Research Centre of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, Haryana from June, 2015 to February, 2016. The animals were classified into two groups viz. group I and group II based on the lactation number as there were some morphological changes in the udder and teats of buffaloes with increasing lactations. In group I, animals up to 3rd lactation were incorporated, whereas the animals from 4th to 5th lactation were included in group II. There were 20 buffaloes under group I and 30 buffaloes under group II. The experimental animals were maintained in loose housing system under group management practice. The feeding mangers and resting area were covered with asbestos sheets with low slope inclination. At one corner of paddock, there was provision of drinking water trough with running fresh tap water. There were trees shades within the paddock for shelter of the animals as per their preferences. The flooring of the paddock was “brick on edges” and the manger area concrete with grooves. Buffaloes were fed as per requirements using available green fodders (Maize, Jowar, berseem, Lucerne and Oats) with concentrates based on their body weight and milk yield. Milking buffaloes were given additional concentrate at the rate of 1.0 kg for every 2.5 kg milk production, above 5.0 kg milk yield and maintenance ration. The concentrate was fed to the milking animals in divided allowances during times of milking.
       
The period when buffaloes showed teat engorgement was called as Doka period which is the local term used by the farmers in North India that can be taken as a visual sign for prediction of estrus. Further, the period before the teat engorgement, i.e. 4 days before was termed as pre Doka period and that 4 days after the disappearance of teat engorgement was called as post Doka period. Measurements like the length and diameter of teat before and after milking were taken for both the groups during morning and evening milking. The length of teat was measured in mm from the point of attachment of udder to the tip of the teat before and after milking and the diameter of teats was measured in mm at the mid-point of the length of the teat with the help of a digital Vernier’s caliper. The buffaloes were initially examined per-rectally for different signs of estrus like reddening of vulval mucous membrane, tumefaction etc. Blood samples were collected from these buffaloes in vacutainer tubes. After the collection of blood, samples were kept at 4°C, till the oozing out of serum. Then they were centrifuged at 4°C at 3000 rpm for 20 minutes to separate the serum. The separated serum samples were stored in cryo-vials at -20°C till the assay for Progesterone hormone (P4). Estrus stage was confirmed by serum progesterone concerntration, i,e. if the serum progesterone concerntration was < 0.1 ng/ml, then the animal was said to be in heat (Vukovic et al., 2016). The data were analysed statistically by using the standard statistical methods of Snedecor and Cochran (1994) and by doing two way ANOVA and post hoc test with Systat Software Inc, USA and SPSS 16.0 version software.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The length and diameter of teat before and after milking for both the groups of buffaloes were measured and analysed.
 
Change in teat length during different stages of Doka
 
The length of teat was measured before and after milking during different stages of Doka. In group I animals, the decrease in teat length during Doka stage in comparison to pre Doka stage was from 46.73 ± 6.66 mm to 43.55 ± 6.18 mm, whereas, in group II animals, the increase in teat length was from 90.50 ± 4.30 mm to 92.66 ± 4.40 mm for before milking measurements is morning. In the post Doka stage for group I animals, there was an increase in teat length from 43.55 ± 6.18 mm during Doka stage to 46.40± 6.65 mm during post Doka stage but for group II animals the decrease in teat length was from 92.66 ± 4.40 mm during Doka stage to 90.63 ± 4.32 mm during post Doka stage for measurements before milking in morning.
       
The decrease in teat length for group I animals during evening milking was from 46.80 ± 6.68 mm during pre Doka stage to 44.65 ± 6.36 mm during Doka stage and for group II animals the increase in teat length was from 90.56 ± 4.28 mm during pre Doka stage to 95.58 ± 4.53 mm during Doka stage. This difference between the two groups may be due to the difference in parity and lactation number of buffaloes. The anatomical changes occur in udder and teat with increased parity and lactation number, which ultimately influences the teat elasticity and the difference, may be attributed to the changed elasticity. The increase in teat length for group I animals from 44.65 ± 6.36 mm during Doka stage to 46.5 ± 6.66 mm during post Doka stage for evening milking for group II animals for evening milking, the before milking measurements decreased from 95.58 ± 4.53 mm to 90.80 ± 4.31 mm. However, the difference in teat length for both the group of animals was found to be non-significant for before milking measurements, both for morning and evening milking. For group I animals the total teat length decreased from 53.19 ± 7.24 mm during pre Doka stage to 48.59 ± 6.77mm during post Doka stage for after milking measurements in the morning for group II animals, a decrease was seen from 99.42 ± 4.49 mm during pre Doka to 96.54 ± 4.30 mm during Doka stage for morning milking. For evening milking in group I animals the teat length decreased from 53.33 ± 7.46 mm from to 50.29 ± 7.03 mm and for group II animals, there was a decrease from 99.50 ± 4.42mm from pre Doka to 95.73 ± 421mm during Doka period. There was an increase in teat length from 48.59 ± 6.77mm during Doka stage to 52.25 ± 7.27mm during post Doka stage for group I animals during morning milking. For group II animals, there was an increase in teat length from 96.54 ± 4.30mm during Doka stage to 98.90 ± 4.42mm during post Doka stage during morning milking. During evening milking for group I animals teat length increased from 50.29 ± 7.03mm to 52.42 ± 7.29mm during post Doka and for group II animals, there was an increase from 95.73 ± 4.41mm to 98.97 ± 4.40mm during post Doka stage.
       
However, the difference in teat length between different stages of Doka for both the groups of animals was found to be non significant. There is no literature available in this area, so comparison with other scientific reports is not possible. The change in teat length before milking in both groups was found to be non-significant for both morning as well as evening milking. The change in teat length may be associated with the change in teat diameter. The decrease in teat length during Doka period and subsequent increase in teat length during post Doka period may be because of the compensatory changes in teat diameter due to accumulation of milk due to let down  in teat which is being discussed in the later part of the paper.
 
Changes in teat diameter during different stages of Doka
 
The teat diameter of group I animals increased significantly from 28.42 ± 1.64mm during pre Doka stage to 37.01 ± 2.13mm during post Doka stage and subsequently decreased to 30.21 ± 1.72mm during post Doka stage. For evening milking for group I animals the teat diameter increased significantly from 28.73 ± 1.64mm to during pre Doka stage to 36.50 ± 2.07mm during Doka stage and there was a significant decrease in teat diameter from 36.50 ± 2.07mm during Doka to 30.23 ± 1.71mm during post Doka stage. For group II animals during the morning milking the teat diameter increased significantly from 41.10 ± 2.16mm during pre Doka stage to 53.49 ± 2.82mm during Doka stage and then subsequently decreased to 44.39 ± 2.23mm during post Doka stage. Similar trend was also observed during evening milking in group II animals, where the teat diameter increased significantly from 41.19 ± 2.16mm during pre Doka stage to 54.11 ± 2.83 mm during Doka stage and then subsequently decreased to 44.75 ± 2.26mm during post Doka stage.
       
For group I animals, for morning milking the teat diameter after milking increased significantly from 24.44 ± 1.16mm during pre Doka stage to 26.65 ± 1.26mm during Doka stage. There was a significant decrease from 26.65 ± 1.26mm during Doka stage to 24.83 ± 1.16mm during post Doka stage for morning milking. For evening milking for group I animals, the teat diameter after milking increased significantly from 24.65 ± 1.16mm during pre Doka stage to 28.52 ± 1.35mm during Doka stage. There was a significant decrease is teat diameter from 28.52 ± 1.35 mm during Doka to 25.35 ± 1.2mm during post Doka stage for evening milking. For group II animals, for morning milking, the teat diameter after milking increased significantly from 35.31 ± 2.17mm during to pre Doka stage 39.27 ± 2.41mm during Doka stage. There was a significant decrease in teat diameter from 39.27 ± 2.41mm during Doka stage to 35.95 ± 2.19mm during post Doka stage to morning milking. For evening milking in group II animals, there was a significant increase in teat diameter from 35.6 ± 2.16mm during pre Doka stage to 41.4 ± 2.51mm during Doka stage. There was a significant decrease in teat diameter from 41.4 ± 2.51mm during Doka stage to 36.64 ± 2.2mm during post Doka stage for evening milking. The decrease in length and increase in teat diameter during this period may be due to the already accumulated milk due to let down. Much work has not been done in this area, so literature is not available for comparison. The actual physiological mechanism of change in teat diameter is not yet confirmed, but this change could be attributed to the increased secretion of PGF2α from the corpus luteum. It causes the release of luteal oxytocin, which ultimately causes the natural milk letdown in teat without any external stimulus (Grizelj et al., 2010). Due to the milk letdown and accumulation of milk in teat canal, there is engorgement of teat which accounts for the increased diameter of teat during the Doka period.

Duration from disappearance of Doka symptom to estrus
 
The animals on an average came to heat on 5th day after the disappearance of Doka signs for group I animals and group II animals came to heat 4.96 days after the disappearance of Doka signs. Each animal under the study was followed for Doka and estrus behavior. Out of 20 animals under group I, four animals did not show any signs of Doka and out of 30 animals under group II, 3 animals did not show any sign of Doka. So, the percentage of animals showing Doka as sign was 80% for group I and 90% for group II animals. The overall animals showing Doka was 86%. Brar and Nanda (2004) also reported that with increase in lactation number, the proportion of buffaloes showing Doka signs also increases. The results of the present study confirmed the general belief of the farmers, that buffaloes exhibit teat engorgement called as Doka locally in North India before showing the signs of estrus. As per the reports of Ghuman and Singh (2009), 95.1% of farmers take Doka as a reliable sign for ensuing estrus.

CONCLUSION

From the present study it can be concluded that Doka phenomenon precedes estrus; and estrus occurs 5 days and 4.96 days following disappearance of Doka symptoms, in young and old animals, respectively, Change in teat diameter is an important measurable parameter to affirm Doka period and ultimately the estrus stage. So, in absence of overt behavioral symptoms, the changes in teat measurement during Doka period, which are easily noticeable at the time of milking, could be taken as the foregoing signs of estrus. However, the difference in teat length between different stages of Doka was found to be non significant.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors are grateful to the Director, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), karnal for providing necessary facilities in the Division of Livestock Production Management and Livestock Research Centre (LRC) to carry out the research project. Also, the authors send a special thanks to Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, New Delhi for their essential and important financial contributions to this project and to complete the Doctoral Degree Programme.

REFERENCES


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