Non-surgical deep intra-uterine transfer of in vitro produced porcine embryos derived from sex-sorted frozen-thawed boar sperm.
Embryos and offspring of a pre-determined sex have been produced in pigs using AI and IVF with unfrozen sperm, and after surgical insemination with sex-sorted frozen-thawed sperm. The aims of this study were to demonstrate that sex-sorted frozen-thawed boar sperm could be incorporated into pig IVF for the production of embryos of a pre-determined sex and that these embryos could be successfully non-surgically transferred. Oocytes were matured in vitro, fertilised with either unsorted or sex-sorted frozen-thawed sperm and cultured until the eight-cell stage. These embryos were then transferred to recipients (n = 7) non-surgically (n = 70 embryos per sow). Oocyte cleavage was similar between sex-sorted (1538/5044; 30.5%) and unsorted (216/756; 28.6%) frozen-thawed sperm, and PCR sex-determination of the embryos confirmed that they were of the predicted sex (n = 16). Delayed return to oestrus (>23 days) was observed in five recipient sows (71.4%). Fetal sacs were observed by transcutaneous ultrasound on Day 18 in one of these sows. Pre-sexed porcine IVP embryos can be successfully produced using sex-sorted frozen-thawed boar sperm, and these embryos are capable of initiating pregnancies when transferred to recipients. However, further refinement of porcine ET protocols are required to enable development to term.
Bathgate
R
R
Centre for Advanced Technologies in Animal Genetics and Reproduction (ReproGen), Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. roslynb@vetsci.usyd.edu.au
Morton
K M
KM
Eriksson
B M
BM
Rath
D
D
Seig
B
B
Maxwell
W M C
WM
Evans
G
G
D000818:Animals; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000662:veterinary*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development; D011247:Pregnancy; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000662:veterinary*; D012743:Sex Preselection / Q000662:veterinary; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*