Embryo yield and quality are associated with progestogen treatment during superovulation protocol in lactating Lacaune ewes

• Autor(a) principal: Figueira, Lucas Machado
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Alves, Nadja Gomes, Rosa e Silva Maia, Ana Lucia, Goncalves de Souza-Fabjan, Joanna Maria, Tavares Pereira Batista, Ribrio Ivan, Cruz Morais, Maria Clara da, Lima, Renato Ribeiro de, Franco Oliveira, Maria Emilia [UNESP], Fonseca, Jeferson Ferreira da
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.06.004; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/208793
• topic: Dairy sheep; MOET; Superovulation; Transcervical; Uterine flushing

This study assessed the effect of progestogen treatment length on ovarian parameters and embryo yield in superovulated Lacaune ewes collected by nonsurgical embryo recovery. Twenty-three lactating ewes were superovulated 30 d apart using a cross-over design. All ewes received 60 mg of MAP intravaginal sponges for 6 (G-6 group) or 9 (G-9 group) d. A total dose of 133 mg pFSH was given in six decreasing doses (twice a day) starting at 60 h before device removal. Ultrasound examination of the ovaries was performed at the first pFSH injection and one day before embryo recovery, which was performed 6-7 d after the onset of estrus. Embryo recovery was conducted only in ewes that expressed estrus and were mated. There was no difference (P>0.05) in the total number of follicles between G-6 (15.7 +/- 1.0) and G9 (15.6 +/- 0.8) at the time of the first pFSH treatment. The percentage of responding donors with >= 3 corpora lutea (CL; 78.2% [18/23] vs 69.5% [16/23]), mean (+/- SEM) CL number (7.0 +/- 1.2 vs 8.1 +/- 1.6), transcervical passage rate (94.4% [17/18] vs 83.3% [15/18], and ova/embryo recovery rate (54.5% [60/110] vs 68.0% [83/122]) were not different (P > 0.05) between the G-6 and G-9 groups. However, the mean number of viable embryos was lower (P < 0.05) in the G-6 group (1.8 +/- 0.7) than in the G-9 group. (3.5 +/- 1.1). In conclusion, treatment with an intravaginal MAP sponge for 9 d during a superovulation protocol is beneficial for viable embryo yield in Lacaune ewes out of the breeding season. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.