Successful transfer of the embryos of Przewalski's horses (Equus przewalskii) and Grant's zebra (E. burchelli) to domestic mares (E. caballus).
Blastocysts were collected non-surgically from 2 Przewalski's horse and 2 Grant's zebra mares and transferred extra-specifically to domestic horse and donkey recipients. Nine Przewalski's horse embryos were transferred surgically, and 2 non-surgically, to domestic Welsh-type pony mares. After surgical transfer, 7 (77.8%) pregnancies were established and 4 foals were born. Twelve Grant's zebra embryos were transferred surgically to 5 pony and 7 domestic donkey recipients respectively and 1 non-surgically to a donkey; 3 (60%) zebra-in-horse pregnancies were established and 2 went to term. Only 2 (28.6%) zebra-in-donkey pregnancies were established but neither went to term, although one zebra foal was aborted alive at Day 292 but failed to survive. No pregnancies resulted from the non-surgical transfers. Measurement of chorionic gonadotrophin concentrations and parental-specific lymphocytotoxic antibodies in the serum of the recipient animals indicated a pronounced maternal immunological response to the extra-specific embryo, but this could not be correlated with success or failure of pregnancy. The results indicate that extra-specific embryo transfer may be a useful aid to breeding exotic equids in captivity.
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010527:Perissodactyla / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013045:Species Specificity
D000906:Antibodies; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine