Twinning rate in buffaloes: A case report

The Cytogenetics of the Water Buffalo: A Review

The water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), also known as the Asian buffalo, is an essential domestic bovid. Indeed, although its world population (~209 million heads) is approximately one-ninth that of cattle, the management of this species involves a larger human population than that involved with raising cattle. Compared with cattle, water buffalo have been understudied for many years, but interest in this species has been increasing, especially considering that the world population of these bovids grows every year-particularly that of the river buffalo. There are two genera of buffalo worldwide: the Syncerus (from the African continent), and the Bubalus (from the southwest Asian continent, Mediterranean area, southern America, and Australia). All species belonging to these two genera have specific chromosome numbers and shapes. Because of such features, the study of chromosomes is a fascinating biological basis for differentiating various species (and hybrids) of buffaloes and characterizing their karyotypes in evolutionary, clinical, and molecular studies. In this review, we report an update on essential cytogenetic studies in which various buffalo species were described from evolutionary, clinical, and molecular perspectives-particularly considering the river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis 2n = 50). In addition, we show new data on swamp buffalo chromosomes.

Gross anatomical and radiographic findings of museum preserved buffalo calves conjoined twin for learning purposes

Objective

Current study aimed for documenting a rare case in buffalo calves in Egypt about embryogenesis anomalies followed by dystocia.

Material and methods

The stillborn calf was preserved using Elnady technique. The twin was radio-graphed in ventrodorsal position and several digital images were taken due to large size of the twin and were stitched together using Adobe Photoshop. The preserved twin specimen was kept in a wooden glass cabinet at the Anatomy Museum, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University with a booklet described the case and a video CD for dystocia operation steps in cows and buffalos.

Results

The external features of the twin were classified as dicephalus, tetrabrachius, Parapagus, and bipus. Radiographic study showed that the twin had two vertebral columns that converged at the lumbosacral region to come adjacent to each other with absence of sacrum and coccygeal vertebrae. The trunk cavities showed two sets of heart and lung, two stomachs; left one in the abdominal cavity and the right one in thoracic cavity. The two duodenum fused together to form one set of intestine terminated in persistent cloaca with the two ureters originated from the single set of two kidneys. It had one fused liver received the two umbilical veins and had two gall bladders.

Conclusion

The present study recommended the preservation of rare specimens using Elnady technique for long term to facilitate student's interaction with one of the rarest cases in buffalo that causes dystocia.