Consequences of transfer of an in vitro-produced embryo for the dam and resultant calf.

No reports exist on consequences of in vitro production (IVP) of embryos for the postnatal development of the calf or on postparturient function of the dam of the calf. Three hypotheses were evaluated: calves born as a result of transfer of an IVP embryo have reduced neonatal survival and altered postnatal growth, fertility, and milk yield compared with artificial insemination (AI) calves; cows giving birth to IVP calves have lower milk yield and fertility and higher incidence of postparturient disease than cows giving birth to AI calves; and the medium used for IVP affects the incidence of developmental abnormalities. In the first experiment, calves were produced by AI using conventional semen or by embryo transfer (ET) using a fresh or vitrified embryo produced in vitro with X-sorted semen. Gestation length was longer for cows receiving a vitrified embryo than for cows receiving a fresh embryo or AI. The percentage of dams experiencing calving difficulty was higher for ET than AI. We observed a tendency for incidence of retained placenta to be higher for ET than AI but found no significant effect of treatment on incidence of prolapse or metritis, pregnancy rate at first service, services per conception, or any measured characteristic of milk production in the subsequent lactation. Among Holstein heifers produced by AI or ET, treatment had no effect on birth weight but the variance tended to be greater in the ET groups. More Holstein heifer calves tended to be born dead, died, or were euthanized within the first 20d of life for the ET groups than for AI. Similarly, the proportion of Holstein heifer calves that either died or were culled for poor health after 20d of age was greater for the ET groups than for AI. We observed no effect of ET compared with AI on age at first service or on the percentage of heifers pregnant at first service, calf growth, or milk yield or composition in the first 120d in milk of the first lactation. In a second experiment, embryos were produced using 1 of 2 culture media: synthetic oviductal fluid-bovine embryo 1 (SOF-BE1) or Block-Bonilla-Hansen 7 (BBH7). We detected no difference between cows receiving an SOF-BE1 or BBH7 embryo in gestation length, the percentage of cows in which parturition was induced, or the percentage of cows that experienced calving difficulty, retained placenta, prolapse, or metritis. Among Holstein heifers, birth weight was higher for BBH7 calves than for SOF-BE1 calves. Treatment had no significant effect on calf death. Results indicate that calves born as a result of IVP-ET are more likely to experience alterations in birth weight and increased death in early life but that there were few consequences to the dam of carrying a fetus derived by IVP-ET.

Efficacy of embryo transfer in lactating dairy cows during summer using fresh or vitrified embryos produced in vitro with sex-sorted semen.

The objective was to determine whether transfer of fresh or vitrified embryos produced in vitro with sex-sorted semen improves pregnancy and calving rates during summer in lactating dairy cows compared with artificial insemination (AI). Lactating dairy cows (n=722) were enrolled during summer months at 2 commercial dairies in Central Texas and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: AI with conventional semen (n=227), embryo transfer-vitrified (ET-V; n=279) or embryo transfer-fresh (ET-F; n=216). Embryos were produced in vitro using sex-sorted semen and with Block-Bonilla-Hansen-7 culture medium. For vitrification, grade 1 expanded blastocysts were harvested on d 7 after fertilization and vitrified using the open-pulled straw method. Fresh embryos were grade 1 blastocysts and expanded blastocysts harvested on d 7 after fertilization. Cows were submitted to the Ovsynch56 protocol: d -10 GnRH, d -3 PGF(2α), d -1 GnRH and d 0 timed AI; or Select Synch protocol: d -9 GnRH, d -2 PGF(2α), and AI following detected estrus (day of AI=d 0). On d 7, all cows were examined for presence of a corpus luteum (CL). A vitrified or fresh embryo was transferred to cows with CL in ET-V and ET-F groups. Cows were considered synchronized if progesterone was <1ng/mL on d 0 and a CL was present on d 7. At d 40±7 of gestation, the percentage of cows pregnant was greater for the ET-F compared with the ET-V and AI groups among all cows (42.1 vs. 29.3 and 18.3%, respectively) and synchronized cows (45.5 vs. 31.6 and 24.8%, respectively). Also, the percentage of cows pregnant was greater for the ET-V than the AI group among all cows and tended to be greater among synchronized cows. At d 97±7 of gestation, the percentage of cows pregnant among all cows was greater for ET-F and ET-V groups than for the AI group (36.4 and 25.7 vs. 17.0%, respectively) and the percentage for the ET-F group was greater than for the ET-V group. Among synchronized cows, the percentage of cows pregnant was significantly increased for the ET-F group than for ET-V and AI groups (39.4 vs. 27.8 and 23.1%, respectively) and no difference was found between ET-V and AI groups. No effect of treatment on embryo loss was observed. The percentage of cows with live births was significantly increased for the ET-F than for ET-V and AI groups among all cows (27.5 vs. 17.1 and 14.6%, respectively) and synchronized cows (29.9 vs. 18.5 and 20.0%, respectively). The percentage of cows giving birth to a live heifer was significantly increased for the ET-F and ET-V groups compared with the AI group among all cows (79.1 and 72.5 vs. 50.0%, respectively) and synchronized cows (79.1 and 72.5 vs. 50.0%, respectively). No difference existed between ET-F and ET-V groups for percent live heifer births but both were greater than for the AI group. The transfer of fresh embryos produced in vitro using sex-sorted semen to lactating dairy cows during summer can effectively increase the percentage of cows that establish pregnancy and also the percentage of cows that give birth to a live heifer compared with percentages from AI with conventional semen.

Efficacy of in vitro embryo transfer in lactating dairy cows using fresh or vitrified embryos produced in a novel embryo culture medium.

Objectives were to determine whether pregnancy success could be improved in lactating cows with timed embryo transfer when embryos were produced in vitro using a medium designed to enhance embryo development and survival after cryopreservation. In experiment 1, embryos (n=569 to 922) were cultured in either modified synthetic oviduct fluid or a serum-free medium, Block-Bonilla-Hansen-7 (BBH7). Development to the blastocyst stage was recorded at d 7, and selected blastocysts (n=79 to 114) were vitrified using open pulled straws. Culture of embryos in BBH7 increased development to the blastocyst stage (41.9±2.0 vs. 14.7±2.0%) and advanced blastocyst stages (expanded, hatching, hatched; 31.1±1.3 vs. 6.4±1.3%) at d 7 and resulted in higher hatching rates at 24h postwarming compared with embryos cultured in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (59.0±0.5 vs. 26.7±0.5%). In experiment 2, embryos were produced using X-sorted semen and cultured in BBH7. At d 7 after insemination, embryos were transferred fresh or following vitrification. Lactating Holstein cows were either subjected to timed artificial insemination (TAI) on the day of presumptive ovulation or used as embryo recipients 7 d later. Embryo recipients received an embryo if a corpus luteum was present. The percentage of cows pregnant at d 32, 46, and 76 of gestation was higher among cows that received fresh embryos compared with TAI cows or cows that received vitrified embryos. At d 76, for example, the proportion and percentage pregnant was 47/150 (31.3%) for cows subjected to TAI, 48/95 (50.5%) for cows receiving fresh embryos, and 39/141 (27.7%) for cows receiving a vitrified embryo. No difference was observed in the percentage of cows pregnant among TAI cows and those that received vitrified embryos. There was a service or transfer number × treatment interaction because differences in pregnancy rate between embryo transfer recipients and cows bred by TAI were greater for cows with more than 3 services or transfers. Pregnancy success in lactating cows can be improved by transferring fresh embryos produced in BBH7 compared with TAI. Moreover, no decline in fertility was observed when cryopreserved embryos were transferred compared with TAI. Embryo transfer is particularly efficacious for infertile cows that have previously experienced several failed breeding attempts.