Studies on superovulation, vitrification and transfer of embryos in non-descript Philippine goat (capra hircus)

Reproductive biotechnology studies were conducted in nondescript Philippine goat. Study 1 evaluated the follicle and corpus luteum (CL) population of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) superovulated goat (SOG) and non-superovulated goat (NSOG). Results showed that mean population of growing, secondary and preovulatory follicles in SOG were significantly higher than those in the NSOG. However, the primordial follicles were significantly higher in the NSOG than in the SOG, while the tertiary follicles in SOG were not significantly different from those of the NSOG. The mean number of follicles and CL in SOG were significantly more than in SOG. In the NSOG and in SOG, the follicles were significantly higher than the CL. The mean total number of follicles in the NSOG was significantly lower than the SOG. The atretic follicles and non-atretic follicles in the NSOG were significantly lower than those of SOG. However, the mean number of atretic follicles in SOG was comparable to the non-atretic follicles, in contrast to the NSOG. The total number of follicles was greater in SOG than in NSOG. In Study 2, three goats served as control (T1) while fice goats were treated with Prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) + Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG) (1000IU) + 1000 IU human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)(T2), and three goats were given decreasing dose of FSH (21mg) + 1000 IU hCG (T3). No significant difference in SO response was observed between the T2 and T3, however, a significantly greater number of ovulation was seen in the SOG compared to the NSOG. Embryo recovery rate was lowest in PMSG treated goats and highest in the NSOG. The mean population of preovulatory follicles was significantly different between treatments. Stages of embryos recovered on the 6th day post strus varied across treatments from unfertilized oocytes to hatched blastocyst. The FSH treated goats produced the cheapest embryos whereas, the PMSG treated goats produced the most expensive embryos, NSOG goat embryos were most costly than FSH superovulated goat embryos. In Study 3, four goats were used for trials on transfer of fresh and vitrified goat embryos of varied developmental stages and made at various estrus synchrony. The recipient of three fresh embryos (Control) at the morula stage transferred at -24h synchrony gave birth to two kids (66.69 percent kidding rate) of Boer and Anglo Nubian upgrades. However, the recipient of four vitrified embryos (T2) given at 4-cell, compacted morula, blastocyst, and early blastocyst at +24h synchrony gave a 100 percent kidding rate at four: one Boer, one Saanen, and two Anglo Nubian upgrades. The mean number of kids born from fresh and vitrified embryos was comparable.