Reproductive disorders and their management in cattle and buffalo: A review

Abstract

Fertility is one of the key determinants in the life time performance of any animal. Gynaecological problems affect adversely the reproductive efficiency. The reproductive problems may be congenital or acquired. Anestrus, repeat breeding, cystic ovarian degeneration, uterine and tubal disorders have been observed as the most common gynaecological problems in cattle and buffaloes. lndicence of cystic ovaries in our country increased with the introduction of crossbred animals, however, its incidence in buffaloes has been recorded low. Improper postpartum care and unhygienic husbandry practices favour uterine infections. Proper and timely diagnosis and judicious use of hormones, viz, progesterone, gonadotropins, GnRH, PGF2, and non hormonal agents have been advocated for the management of various reproductive disorders in cattle and buffaloes, Possibility of immunological factors leading to infertility has also been explored. Introduction of immnunomodulatory drugs concomitant to the present therapeutic approach has been found successful in the management of reproductive disorders. There is a need for a comprehensive approach by involving the modem reproductive technologies for the proper diagnosis and amelioration of various reproductive problems encountered in cattle and buffaloes.