Transcervical vs. laparotomy embryo collection in ewes: The effectiveness and welfare implications of each technique

This study assessed animal welfare in ewes subjected to transcervical (TC) or laparotomy (LP) embryo collection, and the efficiency of these two techniques. Santa Inês ewes (n = 57) received a protocol for estrus synchronization and superovulation. Cervical dilation protocol was initiated 12 h befor...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Theriogenology 2020-09, Vol.153, p.112-121
Main Authors: Santos, Juliana Dantas Rodrigues, Ungerfeld, Rodolfo, Balaro, Mário Felipe Alvarez, Souza-Fabjan, Joanna Maria Gonçalves, Cosentino, Isabel Oliveira, Brair, Viviane Lopes, Souza, Clara Vieira de, Pinto, Pedro Henrique Nicolau, Bade, Ana Luiza Cunha, Fonseca, Jeferson Ferreira da, Brandão, Felipe Zandonadi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal - pharmacology
Animal behaviour
Animal Welfare
Animals
Chorionic Gonadotropin - pharmacology
Cloprostenol - pharmacology
Dinoprost - pharmacology
Embryo recovery
Embryo Transfer - veterinary
Embryo, Mammalian
Female
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - pharmacology
Inflammation
Laparotomy - veterinary
Luteolytic Agents - pharmacology
Medroxyprogesterone Acetate - pharmacology
Pregnancy
Reproductive biotechnologies
Reproductive Control Agents - pharmacology
Sheep
Stress
Superovulation
Tissue and Organ Harvesting - veterinary
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This study assessed animal welfare in ewes subjected to transcervical (TC) or laparotomy (LP) embryo collection, and the efficiency of these two techniques. Santa Inês ewes (n = 57) received a protocol for estrus synchronization and superovulation. Cervical dilation protocol was initiated 12 h before embryo collection in all ewes. Depending on the success of cervical passage, the embryos were collected from ewes by either TC or LP. Records were made of physiological (rectal temperature (RT) and heart rate (HR)), endocrine (cortisol concentration), biochemical (glycaemia, total proteins, globulin and albumin concentrations), and behavioral variables. Data were recorded before fasting (BF) and sedation (BS), during (DC) and immediately after embryo collection (IAC), and 1 h (1hAC), 3 h (3hAC), 6 h (6hAC), 12 h (12hAC), 24 h (24hAC), and 48 h (48hAC) after embryo collection. The LP and TC procedures were applied to 22 and 35 ewes (with 100.0% and 94.3% of procedures being successful, respectively). The use of LP took longer than TC (P = 0.007) but was less effective in the recovery of uterine fluid and structures (P = 0.0002 and P = 0.0180, respectively), with no difference in the number of viable embryos recovered per animal. The TC procedure induced a greater RT at DC (P = 0.002) and IAC moments (P 
ISSN:0093-691X
1879-3231
DOI:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.05.004