Morphological characteristics of foetal membranes of swamp buffaloes of Assam

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken to study the morphological characteristics of foetal membrane of swamp buffaloes of Assam. Animals were calved normally and no cases of retention of placenta were recorded. The average expulsion time, weight, length, width and number of cotyledons of foetal membranes were 241.20+ 22.05 minutes, 3.47+0.12 kg, 171.87+2.99 cm, 30.83+ 0.73 cm and 114.83+ 5.56 respectively. A highly significant (P<0.01) positive correlation between birth weight of the calf and weight and width of the foetal membranes and a significant (P<0.05) positive correlation between birth weight and number of small cotyledons of foetal membranes were recorded in the present study. There was no significant effect of parity on various characteristics of foetal membranes except the number of large cotyledons. The number of large cotyledons was significantly (P<0.05) higher in animals of third to fifth lactation than in animals of first and second lactation. The sex of calves had no significant effect on various characteristics of foetal membranes.