Nonsurgical embryo recovery and transfer in sheep and goats

The embryo transfer techniques used in small ruminants worldwide are based in surgical procedures. These actions are performed under general anesthesia which needs a combination of animal fasting and drugs for secure animal handling and surgery manipulations. Therefore, it involves risks to animal h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Theriogenology 2016-07, Vol.86 (1), p.144-151
Main Authors: Fonseca, Jeferson F., Souza-Fabjan, Joanna Maria G., Oliveira, Maria Emília F., Leite, Ceci R., Nascimento-Penido, Paula Maria P., Brandão, Felipe Z., Lehloenya, Khoboso C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cervical dilation
Embryo Transfer - methods
Embryo Transfer - veterinary
Embryo, Mammalian
Female
Goats - physiology
Pregnancy
Sheep - physiology
Small ruminants
Specimen Handling - methods
Specimen Handling - veterinary
Tissue and Organ Harvesting - methods
Tissue and Organ Harvesting - veterinary
Transcervical embryo collection
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Summary:The embryo transfer techniques used in small ruminants worldwide are based in surgical procedures. These actions are performed under general anesthesia which needs a combination of animal fasting and drugs for secure animal handling and surgery manipulations. Therefore, it involves risks to animal health and life. The major limiting sequels are adhesions formed by the abdominal surgery, in the ovaries, uterus, or between them. These occurrences can both compromise uterus accessing and oocyte capture and are responsible for decreasing success and limiting successive embryo collections. In contrast, nonsurgical embryo procedures can be performed in a relatively simplified way. Nonsurgical embryo recovery does not need animal prolonged starvation, drug retention is minimized, and donors can stay in a standing position. After the end of embryo recovery, donors are promptly restored to their routine housing and feeding. Furthermore, this technique does not need incisions and, therefore, can be used repetitively in superovulated or nonsuperovulated goats and sheep for embryo recovery—a similar procedure done in cattle. In Brazil, promising results are reported using nonsurgical embryo transfer in recipient goats, and studies are currently evaluating similar procedures in sheep. Therefore, this review aimed to present the current panorama of nonsurgical embryo transfer in sheep and goats.
ISSN:0093-691X
1879-3231
DOI:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.025