OPU PERFORMANCE IN MURCIANO-LEVANTINA COWS: RESPONSE TO OVARIAN STIMULATION BY FSHp (Pluset®)
Abstract
The OPU (Ovum Pick-Up) technique makes it possible to obtain oocytes from live animals for fertilization (IVF) and in vitro embryo production (IVP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of OPU in Murciano-Levantina (M-L) cows, to recover oocytes for the preservation of this endangered breed.
Two M-L cows, Madroña and Unicornio, aged 13 and 6 years, respectively, were selected and subjected to a hormonal stimulation protocol with FSHp (Pluset®) for 4 weeks, with a total of 4 OPU sessions/animal. The oocytes recovered were quantified and classified into 5 grades (I to IV and degenerated) according to their oocyte quality. Viable oocytes (grades I to III) were vitrified or matured in vitro for subsequent IVF and IVP.
A total of 108 oocytes were obtained, 34.26% from Madroña and 65.74% from Unicornio, of which 92 (85.18%) were viable. The mean number of total (p = 0.03) and viable (p = 0.02) oocytes was higher in Unicornio compared to Madroña. Significantly more grade I (p = 0.04) and III (p = 0.03) oocytes were obtained from Unicornio than from Madroña, and no significant differences were found for grade II, IV and degenerated oocytes. In Madroña, the highest number of oocytes obtained was grade III, with significant differences (p = 0.03) between this group and grade I, IV and degenerated oocytes. In Unicornio, the highest number of oocytes was grade III, with significant differences (p = 0.02; p = 0.03) between this group and grade IV and degenerated oocytes.
This study demonstrates that OPU can be successfully applied in M-L cows. The results obtained show that there is inter-donor variability in the number and quality of oocytes retrieved. It would be desirable to optimise genetic conservation protocols in this breed.
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