Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
To achieve high reproductive efficiency, dairy farmers must accurately detect estrus (heat) in heifers and adult cows/buffaloes to ensure timely artificial insemination or natural service.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze both statements:
Statement (I): During the estrus phase, high estrogen levels from the developing Graafian follicle affect the central nervous system.
This causes increased physical activity, restlessness, and walking.
An estrus heifer spends significantly more time standing and walking, and less time resting or ruminating, compared to non-estrus herdmates. Consequently, she is often awake and on her feet much earlier than the rest of the herd. Thus, Statement (I) iscorrect.
Statement (II): Buffaloes are notorious for exhibiting "silent heat" (estrus with weak or absent external signs like bellowing and vulvar swelling), especially during the hot summer months.
This makes estrus detection in buffaloes difficult.
"Standing heat" (where the female remains completely still and allows herself to be mounted by a teaser bull or other herdmates) is the most reliable, unambiguous, and definitive sign of true estrus in buffaloes. Thus, Statement (II) iscorrect.
Since both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are correct, Option (A) is the correct choice.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (A).