title: Oocyte transfer in mares with intrauterine or intraoviductal insemination using fresh, cooled, and frozen stallion semen.
abstract: The objectives were to compare embryo development rates after oocyte transfer with: (1) intrauterine or intraoviductal inseminations of fresh semen versus intraoviductal insemination of frozen semen; (2) intraoviductal versus intrauterine inseminations of cooled semen. In Experiment I, oocytes were transferred into the oviduct, and recipients were inseminated into the uterus with 1 x 10(9) fresh spermatozoa, or into the oviduct with 2 x 10(5) fresh or frozen-thawed spermatozoa. In Experiment II, semen was cooled to 5 degrees C before intrauterine insemination with 2 x 10(9) spermatozoa or intraoviductal inseminations of 2 x 10(5) spermatozoa (deposited with the oocytes). In Experiment I, embryo development rates were similar (P>0.05) for intrauterine versus intraoviductal inseminations when fresh semen was used (8/14, 57% and 9/11, 82%, respectively). However, embryo development rates were lower (P<0.05) when frozen spermatozoa were placed within the oviduct (1/12, 8%). In Experiment II, embryo development rates were higher (P<0.05) when cooled semen was used for intrauterine (19/23, 83%) versus intraoviductal (4/16, 25%) inseminations. We concluded that intraoviductal insemination can be successfully performed using fresh spermatozoa. However, the use of cooled and frozen spermatozoa for intraoviductal inseminations was less successful, and needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. macoutinho@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Coutinho da Silva
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Carnevale
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Maclellan
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Preis
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Squires
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005187:Fallopian Tubes; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D018587:Oocyte Donation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014599:Uterus