Effect of recipient surgery cycles on survival rate of transferred embryo in goats

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of recipients physiological condition on pregnancy rate and subsequent kidding in does. Oestrus was synchronised by inserting controlled internal drug release device (CIDR, 0.33 g natural hormone progesterone; EAZI-BREED CIDR, Pharmacia & Upjtohn Limited, NZ) and an i.m. injection of 300 IU equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) (Folligon®; Intervet International B.V., EU). A total of 31 Boer crossbred (Boer × local) recipient does were divided into two treatment groups namely intact group (15 does) and used group (63 does). Intact group may be defined as those goats that had not used for any surgery, while used group may be defined as those goats that had been used for surgery such as laparoscopic ovum pick up, embryo transfer. On Day 7 after CIDR removal, ovaries were checked for corpus luteum (CL) and recipient does with functional CL were only used as recipients. After flushing, recovered embryos were examined under a stereomicroscope and only transferrable embryos (morula and blastocyst) were transferred. Uterine horn was exteriorised over the surface of abdomen with the help of a grasping forceps and a surgical blade. One to 3 fresh embryos along with a small amount of flushing medium were transferred into the lumen of the anterior part of the uterine horn. Once completed, the uterine horn was placed back into the peritoneal cavity and the incision was sutured. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed at around 30 to 35 days after embryo transfer by using a real-time ultrasound scanner. The average numbers of embryos transferred per recipient doe were 2.60 and 2.56 for intact and used groups, respectively. The percentage of pregnancy was 26.67 for intact group. No pregnancy was recorded in used group. Average embryo survival rate was calculated based on the number of kids born, which was 7.69. Average gestation length was 148 days. From the findings obtained in this research, it could be concluded that intact does were favourable as recipient in ET programme than repeated surgery does.