DYNAMICS OF ESTRUS BEHAVIOUR IN BUFFALOES: LOOKING AT VARIOUS REPRODUCTIVE ASPECTS RELATED TO ESTRUS AND METHODS FOR DETECTION

Buffaloes are the main milk producing units of India and are the backbone of Indian milk industries. Due to their significant contribution to reasonably priced and nutrient-dense animal protein, which will assist address global nutritional security, the demand for wholesome buffalo food items is still rising worldwide. Early estrus identification is one of the most crucial factors for buffaloes to reproduce more successfully. Buffaloes are seasonal polyestrous breeders and silent heat animals. This review article aims to highlight the importance of traditionally available methods and the non-invasive methods which are being attempted to detect estrus in buffaloes keeping in view the various factors influencing the estrus cycle and visualizing the molecular events associated with the ovarian physiology leading to the estrus cycle. Detection of silent estrus with the combinatorial use of traditionally available methods only may be difficult to identify individual animal in estrus by the farmer alone. Interventions in existing management practices can manifest estrus nicely. Many non-invasive methods/ assays/ tools to aid estrus detection have been attempted, but none have been proven efficient or reliable to be used at the field level by the small and/ marginal farmers. Therefore, a detailed study of the multiple factors influencing the estrus behaviour, reproductive endocrinology and expression of genes associated with molecular pathways related to estrus is required. This may in turn pave the way for not only the identification of new molecules related to estrus behaviour but also enhances the efficiency of non-invasive methods to detect estrus in buffaloes.