THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

cervical cyst, pyometra and ovarian hematoma. No
correlation between these histopathological disorders and
that of infertility was done since no breeding history can be
obtained. It is presumed in this study however that the
animals where the specimens used came from were
slaughtered due to unproductiveness. Nevertheless, it was
found in this study and in previous studies that parovarian
cyst does not affect the fertility of the animals and that cystic
corpora lutea are known to occur in normally fertile animals.
Others may cause infertility while cervicitis, cystic glandular
hyperplasia, uterine tumors and generalized adhesion may
cause infertility if such conditions are extensive.
Keywords: Philippine carabao, non-pregnant, internal
reproductive organ, histopathological disorders
Undergraduate Thesis. 1979. CVM-UP, Diliman, Quezon
City. 44 p.
R-55
EARLY PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS IN THE
PHILIPPINE CARABAOS*
N. P. Roxas, Assistant Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB
V. G. Momongan, Prof., IAS-CA, UPLB & Proj. Leader, PCRDC-PCARRD,
UPLB
Milk sample from twelve suckled carabao cows, 6 to 10
years of age, were used in the study to assess the
effectiveness of measuring progesterone concentration at
20 to 24 days post–breeding in the diagnosis of early
pregnancy and non-pregnancy of inseminated post-partum
Philippine carabaos. Direct radioimmunoassay (RIA) was
carried out and progesterone values obtained were used to
classify the pregnant from non-pregnant animals. The
early pregnancy determination using milk progesterone
level indicated the highest accuracy (83%) of positive
diagnosis (non-pregnant) on days 22 to 24 while in the
negative diagnosis (non-pregnant), 100% accuracy was
attained on days 24 post-breeding. In order to obtain the
best result, it is recommended that the test should be
performed in carabao cows with known breeding rates.
Keywords: pregnancy diagnosis, Philippine carabao,
milk progesterone, radioimmunoassay
*Phil. Agric. 1989. 72(2):155-160. Also in Abstract of
Water Buffalo Researches in the Philippines. 1981-1995.
1996. PCC-DA. p. 69-70. Also in Annotated Bibliography
on Philippine Biodiversity: Livestock and Poultry
(Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997, Carabaos. 2002. p. 263.
R-56
MILK PROGESTERONE PROFILE AND OVARIAN
ACTIVITY DURING POSTPARTUM PERIOD IN
84
ABSTRACT OF RESEARCHES ON
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
LACTATING PHILIPPINE CARABAOS*
N. P. Roxas, Assistant Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB
V. G. Momongan, Prof., IAS-CA, UPLB & Proj. Leader, PCRCD-PCARRD,
UPLB
M. Singh, FAO-UNDP Consultant for PCRDC
O. A. Palad, Associate Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB
Postpartum ovarian activity was studied by evaluating milk
progesterone levels using rectal palpation in determining
cyclicity and acyclicity (anestrus) in 12 suckled caracows
during post-partum period. The onset of follicular development
based on rectal palpation occurred 48.42 + 6.33 days (ranging
from 25 to 96 days) after calving but the first postpartum
estrous cycle did not start until after 95.58 + 22.9 days
(ranging from 33 to 324 days) post-partum based on milk
progesterone concentration. On the other hand, detection of
first post-partum estrus by a vasectomized bull was observed
at 134.92 + 19.95 days (ranging from 68 to 324 days) postpartum.
Eighty-three percent of the animals exhibited ovarian
activity as indicated by an increase in milk progesterone
47.20 + 11.45 days earlier than estrus detection using a bull.
This indicates that onset of ovarian activity precedes the first
behavioral estrus in post-partum buffaloes by at least one
cycle length. Based on progesterone elevation (>3 ng/ml),
50% of the animals resumed ovarian activity before 60
days post-partum. By day 100 post-partum, about 75%
had cycling ovaries. Post-partum anestrus in three other
animals (25%) was due to failure in the resumption of ovarian
activity as indicated by the basal levels of milk progesterone
(