THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

P. Nabheerong, Ph.D. Student, IAS-CA, UPLB
V. G. Momongan, Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB & Proj. Leader, PCRDC-
PCARRD, UPLB
Four bulls of Philippines carabao, Murrah buffalo and Phil-
Murrah (Philippines carabao x Murrah buffalo); and storage
times of one week, one month, three month, six month,
nine month and 12 month for frozen semen were analyzed
using a split-plot in Completely Randomized Design (CRD).
The initial quality of the semen ejaculates with respect to
semen volume, sperm concentration, percentage motility,
dead-alive staining and morphology were evaluated. The
semen ejaculates were diluted with Tris-glycerol extender
and processed for storage in liquid nitrogen. Criteria for
examination of frozen semen were percent motility, deadalive
staining and morphological changes of sperm cell
organelles as seen under the electron microscope. One
year of storage of buffalo semen showed no effect on
percent motility, dead-alive staining and morphological
change of sperm cell organelles. The lowest percentage of
abnormal sperm and abnormal acrosome was obtained
from crossbred.
Keywords: buffalo breedtype, frozen semen, semen
quality, stored semen
*Abstracts of Completed Researches, 1981-1995, PCC-
UPLB, College, Laguna. Also in Abstracts of Water
Buffalo Researches in the Philippines 1981-1995 (1996)
PCC-DA, p. 60. Also in Annotated Bibliography on
Philippine Biodiversity: Livestock and Poultry
(Agrobiodiversity), 1949-1997, Carabaos (2002) p. 296.
B-24
TIMING OF SEQUENTIAL CHANGES ON
CHROMOSOME CONFIGURATIONS DURING THE
1 ST , MEIOSIS, 2 ND MEIOSIS AND CYTOPLASMIC
EVENTS OF SWAMP BUFFALO OOCYTES
MATURED AND FERTILIZED IN VITRO*
L. C. Ocampo, Senior Science Research Specialist, OED-PCC-DA
M. B. Ocampo, Supervising Science Research Specialist, OED-PCC-DA
F. V. Mamuad, Associate Professor, DAS-CA, CLSU
E. V. Venturina, Science Research Specialist, PCC-DA, CLSU
T. Mori, Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University
H. Shimizu, Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University
Swamp buffalo oocytes were examined to determine the
specifics of early events of maturation and fertilization in
vitro. A variation in germinal vesicle morphology revealed
an asynchronous oocyte population at the time of collection
(o hr culture). Germinal vesicle breakdown was noticed
from 8-11.7 hr of culture, Metaphase I stage at 11.7 – 19.3
hr. Anaphase I and Telophase I stages were seen
occasionally between 19.3–21 hr and 21.1- 22.2 hr,
56
ABSTRACT OF RESEARCHES ON
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
respectively, while Metaphase II stage was prominent
between 22.2 – 24.0 hr of culture. The first evidence of
sperm penetration was observed 1 hr after insemination.
Attachement of spermatozoa in the ooplasm resulted to the
initiation of 2 nd meiosis and was seen from 5 – 8 hr post
insemination. Further decondensation of penetrating sperm
head in association with female chromosome
decondensation, accompanied with nuclear envelope
formation was noted between 8–11 hr post insemination.
Opposing and apposing pronuclei were frequently seen
between 11–23 hr after insemination. Syngamy, prophase
stage of 1 st mitotic division, including first cleavage, were
observed as early as 20 hr after insemination.
Keywords: asynchrony, buffalo, meiosis, oocyte,
syngamy
*Proceedings of the 38 th Annual Convention, Philippine
Society of Animal Science, October 18-19, 2000. Manila,
Philippines. p. 24-25. Also in Philippine Journal of
Veterinary Animal Science, 27(1):1-11.
B-25
MUSCLE FIBER DIAMETER OF SELECTED
MUSCLES AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF
CARABEEF FROM PHILIPPINE CARABAO (Bubalis
carabanensis) AND CROSSBREEDS*
V. P. Obsioma, Assistant Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB
S. P. Horn, Assistant Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB
M. L. S. Mangabat, Undergraduate Student, IAS-CA, UPLB
C. L. Tiongson, Undergraduate Student, IAS-CA, UPLB
A. S. Sarabia, Supervising Science Research Specialist, PCC-DA, UPLB
B. A. Oliveros, Director, PCC-DA, UPLB
Two studies were conducted to compare the muscle fiber
diameter of selected muscles, sensory characteristics,
shear force value and firmness of carabeef from the
Philippine carabao (PC) and Phil-Murrah (PM) crossbreeds
(Murrah buffalo x PC or PM F 1 and PM x PM crossbreeds
or PM F 2 ). Four animals from each breedtype were used
in each stucy. In study I, psoas major, semitendinosus
and supraspinatus muscles were taken from the left
carcasses, for muscle fiber diameter determination using a
compound microscope ser at low power objective (400x).
In study 2, longissimus dorsi muscles from the right side of
carabeef carcasses were used in penetrometer test, shear
force test and sensory evaluation. Results showed no
significant interaction effect of breedtypes and type of muscle
on muscle fiber diameter. The mean fiber diameter of
psoas major, semitendinosus and supraspinatus were
31.42u, 44.83u and 59.00u, respectively, which were
significantly different from each other. In study 2, loin
samples from the three breedtypes were not significantly