Evaluation of three non-invasive pregnancy diagnosis tests (modified seed germination inhibition test, urine barium chloride test and milk copper sulphate test) in Buffalo

Abstract

There is no cheap and useful tool for pregnancy diagnosis in buffalo reared in remote areas. The research aimed to standardize a modified seed germination inhibition assay for detection of pregnancy in buffalo for distant rearers, and evaluation of three non-invasive pregnancy diagnostic methods namely, seed germination inhibition assay, milk copper sulphate test and urine barium chloride test was also performed. The present study was conducted per rectally confirmed pregnant and non-pregnant milking buffaloes. For this, several modifications were made such as petridishes were replaced with spices tray, distilled water with tap water, blotting paper was replaced with tissue paper (facial or toilet) and use of sorghum seed (Syngenta®). The results were recorded on 3 hr, 24 hr, 48 hr and 72 hr of post setting. The urine of pregnant buffaloes showed significant inhibitory germination response in all stages of germination in this experiment as compared to the urine of non-pregnant buffaloes and water controls. The efficacies of actual true positive reaction for pregnancy and non-pregnancy status in buffaloes were 100%, each by seed germination inhibition test whereas, 76.67% and 93.33% respectively, by urine barium chloride test, and 83.34% and 86.66% respectively by milk copper sulphate test. Results report the simplified seed germination inhibition test as a very reliable, cheap and door step test for detection of pregnancy in buffaloes, but the duration of the test itself as a constraint.