RESUMO
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three doses of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) for ovarian superstimulation on ovarian response, follicular development and cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) collection in llamas. For this purpose, eighteen multiparous non-lactating adult (4-7 yo) female llamas with an average body condition of 2.8 (BCS 1-5) were submitted to a follicular ablation (FA) to induce a new follicular wave emergence. Two days after FA (Day 0), synchronized llamas were randomly allocated to three treatment groups (n = 6/group) and given 500, 750 and 1000 IU of eCG (Novormon®, Syntex, Buenos Aires, Argentina) per animal respectively to induce ovarian superstimulation. Transrectal ultrasonography were performed on Days 2, 4, and 6; and ovum pick up (OPU) was performed on Day 6. Data was evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), repeated measures ANOVA, and 2-tailed Chi-square. The average size (mm) of follicles was greater (p≤ 0.05) in the 1000 IU group compared to the other groups. There was a greater (p≤ 0.05) number of follicles ≥ 7 mm in the 1000 IU group compared to the 500 IU group. Number of COCs collected on Day 6 and the COC recovery rate were not different among groups. In conclusion, a single dose of 1000 IU of eCG induced the best ovarian response resulting in larger and greater number of follicles at the time of OPU.
RESUMO
Se estudió la relación entre el día de colección y la recuperación embrionaria en alpacas adultas multíparas. Alpacas con folículos mayor menor que 7 mm se sometieron a un protocolo de superovulación, se cubrieron con machos fértiles (día 0 = día de servicio), y los embriones se recuperaron en el día 5 (G1), 6 (G2) y 7 (G3) post cópula, previa evaluación del número y tamaño de los cuerpos lúteos por ecografía transrectal ovárica. En el Exp. 1 se usaron 14 alpacas, que fueron sacrificadas para recuperar los embriones de los cuernos uterino y del oviducto. En el Exp. 2 se realizó la recuperación embrionaria in vivo a 21 alpacas. El lavado de los cuernos uterinos se hizo con 250 ml de PBS a través de un catéter Foley y en los oviductos se hizo con 20 ml de PBS desde la unión útero tubal hacia la fimbria. El número de embriones recuperados de cuerno uterino así como el porcentaje de recuperación embrionaria fue mayor en G2 y G3 respecto a G1 (p<0.05), mientras que en el oviducto hubo mayor recuperación en G1. Los embriones recolectados de los cuernos uterinos considerados como buenos y excelentes fue de 81.4% (35/43) en el Exp. 1 y de 74.5% (38/51) en el Exp. 2, sin encontrar diferencias significativas entre tratamientos dentro de cada experimento. El estadio de desarrollo embrionario más frecuente en ambos experimentos fue de blastocisto eclosionado (77.7%, 73/94), sin diferencia estadística entre G2 y G3. Se concluye que los embriones pueden ser recuperadas del oviducto hasta el día 5 y del cuerno uterino desde el día 6 post cópula.
He relationship between day of collection and embryo recovery was studied inmultiparous adult alpacas. Females with greater than 7 mm follicles were superovulated, mated with fertile males (day 0 = day of service) and embryos were recovered on day 5 (G1), 6 (G2) and 7 (G3) post copula, where the number and size of corpora lutea were echographically evaluated. In Exp. 1, 14 females were slaughtered and embryos were recovered from the uterine horns and the oviduct. In Exp. 2, embryos were recovered in vivo from 21 females. Each uterine horn was flushed with 250 ml of PBS using a Foley catheter; and oviducts were flushed from the utero-tubal junction to the fimbria using 20 ml of PBS. The number and rate of embryos recovered from the uterine horns was higher in G2 and G3 as compared to G1 (p<0.05), while in the oviduct was higher in G1. Collected embryos from uterine horns had the condition of excellent and good in 81.4% (35/43) in Exp. 1 and 74.5% (38/51) in Exp. 2, and without statistical differences between treatments in each experiment. The most frequent level of embryo development was hatching blastocyst (77.7%, 73/94), and without differences between G2 and G3. It was concluded that embryos could be recovered until day 5 after mating in oviducts and from day 6 on wards in the uterine horns.
