¹University of Padova, Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, 35122, Padova, ITALY
²Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, TR-06110 Ankara - TURKEY DOI : 10.9775/kvfd.2018.19641 The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of physiological and pathological reproductive conditions in female Italian Mediterranean Buffaloes. Female animals (n=444), ranging from 3 to 14 years of age were monitored by ultrasonography (USG). A total of 7319 USG images were collected and analyzed for pregnancy status, fetal sexing, gynecological measurements and pathologies. While pregnancy rate was determined as 38.75% and ovarium-genital canal disorders as 11.71%; the most common pathologies in nonpregnant animals are defined as ovarian cystic degeneration (OCD), hydrosalpinx and salpingitis (SALP), metritis, pyometra (METR) and pneumovagina (PVAG). OCD represented 4.27% of pathological conditions during long day season (February-June) with a higher frequency above 5 years of age (P<0.05); and characterized by the presence of rounded anechoic structures with a 3.12±0.54 cm outer and 2.5±0.22 cm an internal diameter. While SALP frequency was determined as 6.75% and more intense over 7 years; METR and PVAG frequencies were 0.67% in total. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that ultrasonographic monitoring is a useful diagnostic tool to optimize the reproductive management through pregnancy and delivery time determination in addition to certain pathological conditions of the reproductive tract in buffaloes. Keywords : Buffalo, Reproductive pathologies, Reproductive management, Ultrasonography