INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY AND BEHAVIOURAL BIOMETRICS ASSOCIATED WITH CALVING IN BUFFALOES (Bubalus bubalis)
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Date
2022
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ICAR-SRS-NDRI, BENGALURU
Abstract
Calving is the process of delivery of the fully grown fetus on the completion of the normal pregnancy period. Parturition is an interesting biological process in the sense that the uterus that was quiescent during the entire pregnancy starts contracting and the cervix that was tightly contracted relaxes sufficiently to allow the passage of the young one to the world outside the mother’s womb, passing through the birth canal. This is one of the most important events for the farmers as by this act of his animal he would derive gain in terms of milk or sale of animal and its progeny. Prediction of calving time is a key element in livestock farming; it is used to decide when to move a buffalo to the calving pen and to decide whether human supervision is required, especially at night. Approximately 50% death of the dam/calf loss which occurs due to dystocia could be prevented by giving timely correct obstetrical assistance. As the calving approaches there are distinguish behavioural changes and temperature variation of the dairy animals. These changes can be used to predict approximate time of calving. The behavioural biometrics and the infrared thermographic profile of body temperature around calving are lacking in buffaloes. Therefore, aim of the present study was to investigate behavioural changes and thermal profile before and after calving in buffaloes to identify the imminent calving signs. The current study was conducted between August 2021 to February 2022 in buffaloes maintained at Buffalo Research Station of SVVU, Venkataramannagudem. Twenty-eight (28) multiparous pregnant Murrah buffaloes with parity ranged between 3rd and 7th were included for the study. Behavioural studies were monitored by digital video recording system (DVRS) and Infrared thermal imaging of five region of interest (ROI) viz., eye, muzzle, vulval region, tail base surface and udder skin surface temperature (USST) were recorded using FLUKE IR camera. Observations were made for all 28 buffaloes at six hourly intervals for a period of 96 hours before the expected date of calving, at the time of calving and 96 hours post calving continuously. Data were compiled and analysed statistically. The results (Mean±SE) of the present study are as follows. Behavioural activities of buffaloes revealed that both lying and standing time differed significantly (P<0.05) and transition occurred during last 12 h prior to calving. Frequencies of lying bouts and tail raising activity were found to increase significantly (P<0.000) 9.50±0.5 and 10.35±0.8 times during last 6 h, respectively. Rumination time decreased significantly (P<0.000) 36 h prior to calving from 193.23 ± 5.47 to 126.92 ± 2.56 min/ 6 h and observed marked reduction in 6 h before calving. Infrared thermographic (IRT) profile of eye and muzzle in buffaloes revealed that there was a significant (P<0.005) decrease in temperature from 48 h prior to onset of calving with a ΔT of 0.56 oC and 0.45 oC, respectively. Vulval region and tail base surface temperature showed significant (P<0.05) reduction from 48 h prior to onset of calving, with a ΔT of 0.45 oC and 0.48 oC, respectively. However, the vulval skin temperature increased from six hours prior to calving. Interestingly, in the present study, USST was significantly (P<0.0001) declined from 48 h prior to calving with a ΔT of 0.85 oC. Plasma progesterone concentration decreased from 72 h prior to calving and differed significantly (P<0.0001) between days to calving and reached 0.69 ng/mL at the time of calving. A wearable wireless thermal sensor prototype has been developed for continuous measurement of ventral tail base surface temperature. It is concluded that behavioural activities (lying bouts, tail raising and rumination time) and thermal biometrics (eye, muzzle, vulval region, tail base) and most importantly udder skin surface temperature could be used as potential non-invasive indicators for calving prediction within 6-12 h in buffaloes. On-farm tail base wearable thermal sensor device prototype can be explored for prediction of calving in dairy cattle and buffaloes in future.