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Effect of oxytocin on serum biochemistry, liver enzymes, and metabolic hormones in lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes

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Abstract

Studies reporting the effects of oxytocin on the health of lactating animals are lacking and still no such data is available on Nili Ravi buffalo, the most prominent Asian buffalo breed. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of oxytocin on physiological and metabolic parameters of lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Healthy lactating buffaloes (n = 40) of recent calving were selected from a commercial dairy farm situated in the peri-urban area of district Faisalabad, Pakistan. These buffaloes were randomly allocated to two equal groups viz experimental and control, comprising 20 animals each. Twice-a-day (morning and evening) milking practice was followed. The experimental and control buffaloes were administered subcutaneously with 3 mL of oxytocin (10 IU/mL) and normal saline respectively, prior to each milking. Serum biochemical profile including glucose, total cholesterol (tChol), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), total proteins (TP), C-reactive protein (CRP), liver enzymes aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and metabolic hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were studied. Results revealed significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) levels of glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides, total proteins, and C-reactive protein in experimental (oxytocin-injected) lactating buffaloes compared to control group. Liver enzymes AST and ALT as well as serum T4 concentration was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) in oxytocin-injected lactating buffaloes as compared to control animals. It was concluded that oxytocin had the key role in increasing the metabolic parameters and hormones, resulting in the optimization of production. But, at the same time, it may pose a threat to the animal health.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Chairman, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, for providing the funding and technical services to complete this research project.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

    Zafar Iqbal, Hafiz Muhammad Arshad & Muhammad Abdul Basit

  2. Sub-campus Toba Tek Singh, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Zia ur Rahman

  3. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA

    Faqir Muhammad

  4. Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

    Masood Akhtar, Mian Muhammad Awais & Kinza Khan

  5. Sub-campus Jhang, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

    Amar Nasir

  6. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Tanweer Khaliq

  7. Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Govt. of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Muhammad Nadeem

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  1. Zafar Iqbal
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  2. Zia ur Rahman
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  3. Faqir Muhammad
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  8. Muhammad Nadeem
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  10. Hafiz Muhammad Arshad
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  11. Muhammad Abdul Basit
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Correspondence to Zafar Iqbal.

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Iqbal, Z., ur Rahman, Z., Muhammad, F. et al. Effect of oxytocin on serum biochemistry, liver enzymes, and metabolic hormones in lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Trop Anim Health Prod 47, 21–27 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0676-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0676-4

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