The present study was carried out on Murrah buffalo
cows stationed at the Livestock Production and Management
Section (Cattle and Buffalo Farm) and bulls at Germ
Plasm Centre, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar,
Uttar Pradesh, India. Urine from six buffalo cows (5–8 years of age), during their first to fifth lactation in
estrus and diestrus stage (10–15 days after estrus) during
pregnancy (60–75 days after AI), and six bulls (4–5 years of
age) was collected in presterilized glass beakers. The Cattle
and Buffalo Farm and the Germ Plasm Centre are situated at
28220 (N) latitude and 79240 (E) longitude, at an altitude
of 169.2 m above mean sea level. Agro-ecologically, the
experimental site is situated in the upper Gangetic plain
region [18] with extreme conditions, where the temperature
varies 37.5 C to 39.5 C from the month of May to June
(summer) and 5 C to 10 C from December to February
(winter).