Embryo transplantation in cattle. Non-surgical transfer of 6 1/2--7 1/2 day old embryos to lactating dairy cows under farm conditions
Greve, T.; Lehn-Jensen, H.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 20(1): 135-144
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0044-605X PMID: 443135 Document Number: 139830
Previous attempts to transfer embryos non-surgically to heifers have been rather discouraging. The present experiment describes a simple non-surgical technique where the embryo is drawn in a 0.25 ml ministraw, fitted into a common insemination gun and transferred cervically to synchronized lactating dairy cows. Thirty-two viable embryos were transferred to the middle part of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the ovary containing the corpus luteum. It was easy to pass the cervix, and most embryos could be deposited in the horn within 1 or 2 minutes. Eighteen animals were diagnosed pregnant (56%). It is thought that the gentle transfers and good management (feeding, oestrus control) of the recipients contributed to the high pregnancy rate.