We investigated the feasibility of cryopreservation of zebrafish (Danio rerio) blastomeres and primordial germ cells (PGCs) by rapid freezing of dechorionated whole embryos at the blastula, gastrula and segmentation stages. Initially we examined the glass-forming properties and embryo toxicities of 5 cryoprotectants: methanol (MeOH), ethylene glycol (EG), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), propylene glycol (PG), and 1,3-butylene glycol (1,3-BG). Embryos at the blastula and gastrula stages had high sensitivities to cryoprotectant toxicities and were fragile against mechanical damage. Thus the segmentation stage embryos, the PGCs of which were visualized by injecting green fluorescence protein-nos1 3'UTR mRNA, were frozen using solutions containing each cryoprotectant at 6 M (first trial) and 2 types of cryoprotectants at 3 M each (second trial). In the first trial, live PGCs were recovered from most of the embryos frozen with EG (about 2 cells/embryo); however, a few embryos had live PGCs when embryos were frozen with other cryoprotectants. In the second trial; a mixture of EG + PG better preserved the viability of PGCs in frozen embryos. Live PGCs were recovered from all embryos frozen with EG + PG (about 3 cells/embryo), and the survival rate of PGCs was estimated to be about 25% based on the number of live PGCs in fresh embryos (about 12 cells/embryo). The present study indicates that we can utilize rapid freezing of dechorionated whole embryos at the segmentation stage for the cryopreservation of PGCs.

Research on preserving ability of the biological preserving agent Bioplant for grass and maize silage making was realized in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. Application of Bioplant in course of grasess and maize encilaging promoted the faster accumulation of the significant amount of milk acid and decreasing of рН up to 4,1-4,2. Silage which was prepared with preserving agent Bioplant corresponded to the top grade of quality. Application of Bioplant for preparation of siloed forages promoted the reduction of losses at their storage. For example, in grass-legume and cereal silage there was a reduction of dry matter losses in comparison with control silage - on 4,7 and 4,2%, crude protein - on 5,6 and 5,0%, respectively. In maize silage the addition of the preserving agent there was stated the decreasing of nutrient losses in comparison with the control: dry matter - on 5,2%, crude protein - on 6,2%. Feeding of wedder hogs with the silage preserved by the preserving agent Bioplant provided higher digestibility of crude protein in comparison with the control group: on 3,2% in the conditions of grass-legume silage use, on 2,4% - in the conditions of feeding with cereals, and on 2,9% - in the conditions of feeding with maize silage

Investigation of the efficiency of ethylene glycol and sucrose application in the capacity of cryoprotectors for cryopreservation of cattle embryos and their thawing in the conditions of application of saline solutions (as their dissolution medium) and nutritive media with a various structure was realized in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. Research results showed that application of ethylene glycol in concentration 1,5 M and sucrose in concentration 1,0M proved to be the most effective. Regardless of the applied media the average safety of embryos was 93,8-96%, and acceptability - 59,3-62,5%. Peculiar feature of ethylene glycol use as cryoprotector for preservation of cattle embryos was that it could be quickly absorbed by a cell and quickly deduced from it. It made it possible to realize embryo transfer immediately after thawing. Application of ethylene glycol and sucrose as cryoprotectors could considerably simplify the procedure of transplantation of the frozen-thawed embryos, practically reducing it to a procedure of artificial insemination