Effect of modified housing system on physiological parameters of Murrah buffaloes during autumn and winter season

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1 B-3305 [1-5] Indian J. Anim. Res., Print ISSN: / Online ISSN: AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE Effect of modified housing system on physiological parameters of Murrah buffaloes during autumn and winter season Amit Kumar, M. L. Kamboj, Subhash Chandra and Pranay Bharti ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal , Haryana, India. Received: Accepted: DOI: /ijar.B-3305 ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to assess the effect of modified housing system on physiological parameters like rectal temperature, skin temperature, plasma cortisol level, respiration rate and pulse rate (counts/min of Murrah buffaloes during autumn and winter seasons. A total of 14 lactating Murrah buffaloes were randomly selected and divided into two groups, on the basis of age, body weight (BW and parity (P. T 1 =First group (n=7; BW=544.86kg; P=2.14 of buffaloes was housed under existing loose housing system and =Second group (n=7; BW=547.71kg; P=2.28 of buffaloes was housed under modified shed. In the present study, in autumn and winter season the mean rectal temperature were (T 1 =101.56±0.06 vs. =100.94±0.12ºF and T 1 =100.71±0.10 vs. =100.22±0.08ºF, skin temperature were (T 1 =95.19±0.61 vs. =93.01±0.57 ºF and T 1 =90.27±0.23 vs. =89.06±0.27 ºF and plasma cortisol level (T 1 =4.04±0.23 vs. =3.31±0.21 and T 1 =3.19±0.12 vs. =2.70±0.14 ng/ml respectively. These parameters were significantly (P<0.05 lower in buffaloes housed under as compared to T 1 in autumn season, respiration rate (T 1 =37.39±1.02 vs. =30.99±1.21 and T 1 =26.56±0.84 vs. =23.81±0.66 counts/min. was significantly lower in autumn (P<0.01 and winter season (P<0.0 and pulse rate (T 1 =60.91±1.17 vs. =52.52±1.44 and T 1 =55.01±0.52 vs. =51.27±0.53 counts/min was significantly (P<0.01 lower in buffaloes housed under as compared to T 1 in both seasons. The Murrah buffaloes housed under modified shed were improved physiological reactions during the autumn and winter seasons. Key words: Housing modification, Murrah buffaloes, Physiological parameters, Pulse rate, Rectal temperature. INTRODUCTION Housing is one of the foremost requirements of dairy animals for better production, health and welfare. Housing is required for protection of animals from sever environmental condition provide comfort to the animal for resting, eating, drinking and walking and also limits the livelihood of injury and disease Anderson (2002. Some modification in loose house can be very useful for example, in summer the thatch roofing succeeded in ameliorating heat stress but in winters the modification of floor with sand or rubber mat improved the productive performance of dairy animals Katakatalware (2004. Therefore, the present investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of modified housing system on physiological parameters of Murrah buffaloes. Thus, the results would be helpful in maintaining the physiological parameters which able to increase in DMI and milk production efficiency during autumn and winter season with successful implementation of housing modification at the dairy farm as well as field level. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was conducted on 14 freshly calved Murrah buffaloes maintained at LRC, ICAR-National *Corresponding author s subhashchandra20july@gmail.com Dairy Research Institute, Karnal. The buffaloes were divided into two groups on the basis of age, body weight (BW and parity (P. T 1 (n=7; BW=544.86kg; P=2.14 First group of buffaloes was housed under existing loose housing system and (n=7; BW=547.71kg; P=2.28 Second group of buffaloes was housed under modified shed. The existing loose housing system covered with asbestos, height of roof feet from the ground with a width of roof 10 feet. The floors were made of reinforced cement concrete in the covered area, the open area was brick paved and the feeding was done through an elevated manger. Inside existing loose house, the stress ameliorating measures used along with ceiling fans. The modified loose housing system covered with asbestos, the height of roof is 15 feet and width of roof is 20 feet. Sand bedding was provided both inside half of covered area and all around in open paddock. The elevated manger was replaced with fence line feeding system and the shed was made mosquito and fly proof by covering both covered and open area with a synthetic nylon mosquito net. In order to alleviate the impact of stress using heavy duty dairy fans. The physiological parameters like rectal temperature, skin temperature, respiration rate, and pulse

2 2 INDIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL RESEARCH rate were recorded at weekly intervals and the Plasma cortisol level was studied at fortnightly intervals. The rectal temperature was recorded by using digital clinical thermometer (LifeLine Medical Devices, India by inserting it 5 cm deep in rectum and touching its bulb to rectal wall. The skin temperature of all the animals was recorded at neck, body and flank region by a non-contact infrared thermometer (Raytek, Model Raynger ST TM and then average of these 3 values was taken. it was recorded by keeping the instrument about 6 inches away from the animal s skin surface directing towards the specefic site where temperature was to be measured. The respiration rate per minute was recorded by counting the movement of flank i.e., one outward and one inward movement as one respiration count. The pulse rate per minute was recorded by counting the blood thrills in coccygeal artery. Cortisol level in plasma was measured in blood serum samples. The samples were drawn from jugular vein puncture, by inserting 1" 21 G needle (GREINER BIO- ONE posing minimum disturbance to buffaloes as far as possible and 7-8 ml blood was collected in sterile heparinised vaccutainers tubes (VACCUTE. Immediately after collection the tubes containing blood samples were kept in ice box and were brought to the laboratory for further processing. These samples were centrifuged at 3000 RPM for 20 min to separate blood plasma. The plasma was seperated, vialed suitably in aliquotes and stored at C till further analysis. Cortisol estimation was done by Bovine Cortisol ELISA Test Kit (ENDOCRINE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. USA. Ethical approval: The experiment was conducted after taking necessary permission by the Institutional Ethics Committee of ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana. Statistical analysis: Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS, version 16 (SPSS, Mean ± standard error were calculated as per (Snedecor and Cochran, 1994 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The effect of housing modification on mean rectal temperature, skin temperature, respiration rate, pulse temperature and plasma cortisol level are presented in the Tables 1 to 5. The mean squares value (Table 1 of the rectal temperature during autumn season were significantly (P<0.05 lower in buffaloes housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. This might be due to decrease in stress due to cooling effect caused by provision of fans. There was no significant difference of rectal temperature (Table 1 was found during winter season in buffaloes housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. Similar finding was observed by (Joshi, 2014 during autumn season and (Sinha, 2015 during winter season under modified housing system. (El-Kaschab et al., 2009 reported that rectal temperature was significantly (P<0.01 lower for buffaloes kept on straw than sand, newspaper and hard surface, while an intermediate value was recorded for buffalo cows kept on sawdust. (Yadav et al., 2016 reported that the lower rectal temperature in misting and wallowing group and (Aggarwal, 2004 in dairy cows under mister cooling group. (Scott et al., 1983 reported negative relationships between feed intake and both average THI and average dry bulb temperature. The mean squares value (Table 2 of skin temperature during autumn season was significantly (P<0.05 lower in buffaloes housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. This indicated that the microclimate inside the modified shed was better which resulted in significantly lower rectal temperature and skin temperature of animals in group as compared to T 1 group. There was no significant difference of skin temperature (Table 2 was during winter season in buffaloes housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. These results are in agreement with the Table 1: Means (± S.E of rectal temperature (p F of buffaloes housed in two types of sheds during autumn and winter season. 1 st ± ± ± ± nd ± ± ± ± rd ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± 0.76 Overall B ± A ± ± ± 0.08 Means bearing different superscripts in same row differs significantly (P< 0.05

3 Vol. Issue, ( Table 2: Means (± S.E of skin temperature (p F of buffaloes housed in two types of sheds during autumn and winter season. 1 st ± ± ± ± nd ± ± ± ± rd ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± 0.62 Overall B ± A ± ± ± 0.27 Means bearing different superscripts in same row differs significantly (P< 0.05 findings of Joshi ( 2014 during autumn season and Sinha (2015 in winter season under modified housing system. Cappa et al., (1989 reported that the Murrah buffaloes were maintained under the high pressure fogger showed lower body temperature. Similarly El-Kaschab et al., (2009 founded that body temperature of buffaloes was significantly affected (P<0.01 by different lying surfaces. The highest body temperatures were recorded with buffalo cows kept on sawdust and straw followed by hard surface and sand. Cappa et al., (1989 reported higher value of skin temperature (36.75 and 37.59ºC in warm conditions. The mean squares value (Table 3 of respiration rate during autumn (P<0.01 and winter season were significantly (P<0.05 lower in buffaloes housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. Respiration rate has positive correlation with the ambient temperature and the microclimate inside modified shed. Microclimate inside modified shed was comparatively cooler than the existing shed, the buffaloes in the modified shed were comfortable than the buffaloes in existing shed and they have lesser respiration rate than the animal in existing shed. Similar finding was observed by Joshi (2014 during autumn season and Sinha (2015 during winter season under modified housing system. Hatem et al (2004. reported that there was decrease in respiration rate with increase in the height of roof. Ferreira (2006 reported that the normal measurements of respiration rate (RR in dairy cattle vary from 24 to 36 breaths per minute (breaths/min but may have a greater range, between 12 and 36 breaths/min. Under stress, the respiration rate rises first fallowed by rectal temperature fallowed by pulse rate. Yadav (2016 reported the lower respiration rate in misting and wallowing group and Aggarwal and Singh (2008 in buffaloes kept under showers. The mean squares value (Table 4 of pulse rate during autumn and winter season were significantly (P<0.01 lower in buffaloes housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. Pulse rate is a stress indicator which can be altered with thermal stress. This is due to the fact that in modified shed the temperature was significantly lower than the temperature of existing shed, also the animals of modified shed were more comfortable than the animals of existing shed, due to these reasons pulse rate was lower in buffalo housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. Similar finding was observed by Sinha (2015 during winter Table 3: Means (± S.E of respiration rate (counts/min. of buffaloes housed in two types of sheds during autumn and winter season. 1 st ± ± ± ± nd ± ± ± ± rd ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± 2.12 Overall B ± A ± b ± a ± 0.66 Means bearing different superscripts in same row differs significantly A, B (P< 0.01 and a, b (P< 0.05

4 4 INDIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL RESEARCH Table 4: Means (± S.E of pulse rate (counts/min. of buffaloes housed in two types of sheds during autumn and winter season. 1 st ± ± ± ± nd ± ± ± ± rd ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± th ± ± ± ± 1.72 Overall B ± A ± B ± A ± 0.53 Means bearing different superscripts in same row differs significantly (P< 0.01 Table 5: Means (± S.E of plasma cortisol level (ng/ml of buffaloes housed in two types of sheds during autumn and winter season. Fortnights Autumn season Winter season 1 st 4.48 ± ± ± ± nd 4.32 ± ± ± ± rd 4.92 ± ± ± ± th 4.21 ± ± ± ± th 3.78 ± ± ± ± th 3.31 ± ± ± ± 0.16 Overall 4.04 B ± A ± ± ± 0.14 Means bearing different superscripts in same row differs significantly (P< 0.05 season under modified housing system but conflicting data by in the literature regarding housing modification by (Joshi, 2014 during autumn season under modified housing system. (Yadav et al., 2016 reported the lower pulse rate in misting and wallowing group and (Aggarwal and Singh, 2008 in buffaloes kept under showers. The mean squares value (Table-5 of plasma cortisol level during autumn season was significantly (P<0.05 lower in buffaloes housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. This might be due to decrease in stress due to cooling effect caused by provision of fans. There was no significant difference of plasma cortisol level (Table 5 during winter season of buffaloes in housed under modified shed as compared to existing shed. All the parameters discussed up to this indicates the comfort level of animals of existing shed was less than the comfort level of the animals of modified shed and further validated by the concentration of plasma cortisol level, as the plasma cortisol level was found to be lower in the modified shed of buffaloes compared to exiting shed of buffaloes. Similar finding was observed by (Joshi, 2014 during autumn season and (Sinha, 2015 during winter season under modified housing system. (Khongdee, 2013 reported lower cortisol levels of buffaloes maintained under modified shed. Cortisol concentration increased from 3.8 to 6.5ng/ml when ambient temperature of climatic chamber increased from 24 to 38 C during 8 hours heat exposure (Habeeb, (Maraiand Habeeb, 2010 reported that cortisol values were 9.07 and 12.53ng/ ml during cold and hot environment respectively. Similarly (Sinha, 2015 reported the lower plasma cortisol level in misting and wallowing group. CONCLUSION Study the effect of modified housing system on physiological parameters of Murrah buffaloes during autumn and winter seasons, however the findings of present study indicating that the modified shed were improved physiological reactions during autumn and winter seasons of Murrah buffaloes. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors thank the Vice-Chancellor and Director NDRI-ICAR, Karnal for providing for providing necessary funds and facilities to carry out research work. REFERENCE Aggarwal, A. (2004. Effect of environment on hormones, blood metabolites, milk production and composition under two sets of management in cows and buffaloes. PhD Thesis Submitted to National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal (Haryana, India. Aggarwal, A. and Singh, M. (2008. Changes in skin and rectal temperature in lactating buffaloes provided with showers and wallowing during hot-dry season. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 40:

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