Heat/stress Detection approaches and techniques in Cow and Buffaloes

Heat or Stress

When the female animal (cow and buffaloes) is desirous to receive the male animal and stands ready for heating condition, then this stage is called as the heat or stress. The profit of dairy farmers is necessary the animal come in to heat early after the caving because if the cow and buffaloes come in heat on timing, then its dry period will be short and there will be less economical loss to the dairy farmer.

When an animal comes in to heat or stress its behavior also be change, which is shows this characteristics as follows:

1. Frequently sound released by Animals.
2. Animal feels restless.
3. Eats less fodder.
4. Gives less milk.
5. Frequently uterine.
6. Climbs to the other animals.
7. There is water like discharge from the vulva of the Animal, which hangs like a thread.

Approaches and Techniques of Identifying Heat/stress

1. Visual Characteristics

1. It is worth noting that when the animal climbs on another animal, then it should not be artificial insemination because these are the initial symptoms of heat.
2. The animal which shows signs of heat and is allowing other animals to climb on it is called standing heat, which is the right time for conception.
3. Detection by putting a hand in the anus of an animal.
4. This work is done by a vet. In this method, the veterinarian analyzes the animal’s genitals by touching them.
   • First let’s palpate the cervix. There is looseness in the cervix of an animal that has come in heat and we can put the thumb of our hand in its dew. Of course, the dew remains open.
   • When the animal is not in heat, the uterus is soft, smooth and flexible and has a normal tone. During heat, the tone of the uterus increases due to increased blood supply and the effect of estrogen hormone. During this, there is a slight hard feeling when the uterine horn is palpated.
   • During heat, the size of the ovary increases and the Grafian colic also enlarges.

2. By examination of the vagina

1. There is looseness in the vulva and there is swelling.
2. The mucous membrane of the vagina increases, due to which the dark pink color appears.
3. The amount of mucus in the goblet cells of the vagina increases.

3. By Teaser Bull

1. Sometimes animals do not show practical signs of heat and then teasers are helpful in recognizing the symptoms of bull heat.
2. Heat is difficult to detect when there are more animals on the farm, in which case teaser bulls are helpful.
3. The teaser bull should be paraded among the animals in the morning and evening.

4. By Trained Dogs

When an animal is in heat, it releases certain pheromones called sex pheromones. These pheromones are present in the external genitals and urine. A trained dog informs about whether the animal is in heat or not with the help of these pheromones.

5. With the help of laboratory

Heat detection in the laboratory requires very expensive equipment, wastes a lot of time and does not guarantee accurate results. This method is suitable only for experimental work and not at the field level.