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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

200 The combination of Folltropin and hyaluronan for simplified OPU stimulation in beef cows

J. Sola A , V. Alberio C , J. Carvajal A , A. Tribulo A , R. Waidelich A , J. M. Oviedo A , D. Salamone C , R. J. Mapletoft D and G. A. Bó A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Instituto de Reproduccion Animal Cordoba, Córdoba, Argentina

B Instituto A.P. de Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Nacional de Villa María, Córdoba, Argentina

C CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal, Buenos Aires, Argentina

D Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 35(2) 228-229 https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv35n2Ab200
Published: 5 December 2022

© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the IETS

An experiment evaluated different protocols of superstimulation before OPU and compared shorter and longer coasting intervals on in vitro embryo production (IVP) in beef donors treated with a single administration of Folltropin (Vetoquinol) diluted in 0.5% hyaluronan (HA). Non-lactating, cycling Angus cows (n = 21), with a body condition score of 3.1 ± 0.1 (1–5 scale) were used in a crossover design with four treatment groups, replicated four times at 30- to 60-day intervals (October to April in Cordoba, Argentina). On Day 9, all cows received a vaginal device containing 1.9 g of progesterone (P4, CIDR-B, Zoetis) and 150 µg D+cloprostenol (PGF, Dextrogenol, Von Franken), followed by 0.02 mg of buserelin (Buserelina, Zoovet) 7 days later (Day 2). Cows in the Control group received no further treatment and OPU was performed on Day 3. In the three treatment groups, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) treatments were initiated on Day 0. In the Multiple FSH group, treatments were distributed equally over four injections of 40 mg NIH-FSH-P1 of Folltropin 12 h apart (total dose 160 mg) and OPU was performed 40 h after the last injection (Day 3). In the FSH + HA 72 h group, cows received 160 mg FSH diluted in 4 mL of 0.5% HA (MAP-5, Vetoquinol) in a single i.m. injection on Day 0, and OPU was on Day 3 (72 h later). In the FSH + HA 48 h group, cows were treated similarly, except CIDR insertion and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone treatments were done one day later, so that cows received the FSH + HA injection on Day 1, and OPU was done on Day 3 (48 h later). Cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COC) recovered by OPU on Day 3 were evaluated morphologically, and Grades 1 and 2 COCs were selected and transported to the laboratory for further processing. A pool of semen from two Angus bulls was used for IVF. Data were analysed by orthogonal contrasts. The contrasts established were: C1 (Superstimulation effect): Control versus FSH-treated groups, and C2 (Coasting effect): FSH + HA 48 h versus FSH + HA 72 h. Results are shown in Table 1. The number of COCs retrieved was greater in the untreated Control group, but the number of viable COCs and blastocyst rate was greater and the number blastocysts produced tended to be greater in the FSH-treated groups. In cows treated with FSH+HA, the 48-h coasting period resulted in a greater blastocyst rate than the 72-h coasting period. In summary, FSH superstimulation improved IVP in beef cows. Although the 48 and 72 h coasting periods following single administration of FSH in HA resulted in comparable embryo production, the higher blastocyst rate in the 48 h group indicates that shorter coasting periods may be advantageous.


Table 1. In vitro embryo production (means ± s.e.M) in Angus cows who were not treated (Control) or superstimulated with different FSH treatments before OPU1
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