Sonographic study of teat characters in Mesopotamian Buffalo in Central of IRAQ

This study represents the first investigation of buffalo teat sonography in Iraq, which was conducted in Abu Ghraib district. The study included 10 buffaloes (5 primiparous and 5 multiparous) obtained from three buffalo breeding herds at Abu Gharib district and subjected to ultrasound. The SAS program was used for statistical analysis. The research assessed four key traits: teat canal length (TCL), teat diameter (TD), teat cistern diameter (TCD), and teat wall thickness (TWT). These traits were measured both before and after morning and evening milking using an ultrasound device (CHISON ECO3 EXPERT VET) equipped with a macro convex transducer (5-7.5 MHz), with measurements recorded in millimeters (mm). The findings revealed significant differences in TCL among primiparous buffaloes in both morning and evening. TCL increased from 7.78 mm to 10.04 mm in morning milking and from 8.22 mm to 10.22 mm in evening milking. The TD showed a significant decrease from 36.86 mm to 26.58 mm in the morning and from 35.10 mm to 25.68 mm in the evening, although the time of milking (morning or evening) did not yield statistically significant differences. A noticeable reduction in TCD was observed, with values dropping from 23.40 mm to 17.28 mm before and after morning milking, and from 20.90 mm to 17.36 mm in evening milking. Among multiparous buffaloes, significant differences were noted for TCL, TD, and TCD, though TWT remained unchanged between morning and evening milking. These findings underscore the feasibility of implementing milking machines for buffaloes in the future.