IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES IN NORMAL AND REPEAT BREEDER BUFFALOS

Immunological studies were carried out in 12 normal and 13 repeat breeding buffaloes. They revealed agglutination reactions of (+) and (++) intensity in low (1:5 to 1:20), medium (1:40 to 1:160) and high (> 1:160) sperm antibody titres in oestrual mucus extract with washed spermatozoa and whole semen in both normal and repeat breeder buffaloes. This indicated the presence of sperm antibodies in genital secretions. The intensity of agglutination reactions in medium titres were considerably higher in repeat breeding buffaloes than in normal ones. Conception failed to occur in both normal and repeat breeder buffaloes envincing medium and high sperm antibody titres in oestrual mucus with (++) intensity of spermatozoal agglutination. Sperm gelatin agglutination reactions of washed spermatozoa and whole semen with oestrual mucus extract in normal and repeater buffaloes gave a fair index of fertility. Presence of sperm gelatin agglutination antibody titres of greater-than-or-equal-to 1:20 with washed spermatozoa indicated failure of conception, whereas with whole semen conception failed to occur even at the lowest sperm antibody titre of 1:5. The observations were substantiated by the demonstrated satisfactory agglutination reactions and antibody titres of antisera from the 2 rabbits against both whole buffalo bull semen and washed spermatozoa.