Serum Enzyme Levels in Fertile and Infertile Buffalo and Cattle Bulls

Serum transminases and phosphatases were assayed in fertile and infertile cattle and buffalo bulls. Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) did not differ significantly in relation to fertility and species. Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) was higher in infertile than fertile bulls in both the species. The values were higher in cattle than buffalo bulls. The differences were non-significant. Acid phosphatase did not differ significantly in relation to fertility though the value was 20.28 per cent higher in infertile buffalo bulls. Higher values were obtained in buffalo (3.85±0.68 KA units) compared to cattle 1.91±0.51 KA units). Alkaline phosphatase was higher by 90.99 per cent in cattle and 44.67 per cent in buffalo infertile bulls. The values were significantly (P<0.01) higher in buffalo bulls (9.53±0.93 KA units) compared to that in cattle (4.84±0.74 KA units). It is concluded that serum acidand alkaline phosphatase activities were elevated in infertile bulls and relatively more in buffalo compared to cattle bulls. The role of this enzyme in male reproduction and in different species of livestock needs further elucidation. Bulls of high merit are considered as a key to white revolution for controlled breeding programmes. Often male infertility is a hindrance in these programmes due to poor seminal quality and conception rate. The reasons for infertility are multifarious and often unknown and need to be elaborated to solve the problem. Meager information is available regarding activities of the circulating levels of various enzymes in relation to reproductive function (Ahmed and Nada, 1993; Dutta et al., 1999). The present investigation was, therefore, undertaken to study the blood serum levels of metabolic enzymes viz., transaminases and phosphatases in meritorious fertile and infertile cattle and buffalo bulls. A. Animals and management: Cattle and buffalo bulls were divided into two groups i.e. fertile and infertile depending upon their seminal picture (Table 1). Bulls with initial mobility less than 40 per cent and more than 40 per cent were marked as infertile and fertile, respectively. The experiment was conducted during period September to December, 1999 at Dairy Farm, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, P.A.U., Ludhiana. All the animals were kept in solitary confinement with a sheltered area of 4.5 x 2.7 m and open paddock measuring 11.0 x 2.7 m. The bulls were given exercise for half an hour two times a week. They were fed ad lib on seasonal green forages and chopped wheat straw in addition to 5.0 kg concentrate mixture having 16 per cent digestible crude protein and 70 per cent total digestible nutrients. B. Semen collection and evaluation: Semen was collected twice a week using an artificial vagina and was evaluated for volume, colour, density, mass activity and initial motility as per standard procedures. C. Blood collection and evaluation: About 10 ml blood was collected from each bull by jugular vena puncture in glass chilled vials. The blood was allowed to clot for four hours at 4C and centrifuged at 1700 g for 15 minutes to separate the sera. The sera were frozen at -20C till analysis. The SGOT and SGPT were assayed as per procedures described by Reitman and Frankel (1957) while Indian J. Anim. Res., 40 (1): 67 69, 2006