Piglet production by non‐surgical transfer of vitrified embryos, transported to commercial swine farms and warmed on site. (19th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tajima, Shigeyuki; Motoyama, Sawako; Wakiya, Yuichiro; Uchikura, Kenzo; Misawa, Hiroyasu; Takishita, Rie; Hirayama, Yuri; Kikuchi, Kazuhiro
• Is Part Of: Animal science journal. Volume 91:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-10-19
• Subjects: artificial insemination -- commercial farm -- non‐surgical porcine embryo transfer -- one‐step warming and dilution -- vitrified and warmed embryos; Animal culture -- Periodicals; Livestock -- Periodicals; 636
• DOI: 10.1111/asj.13476
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1344-3941

Abstract

Abstract: We investigated the feasibility of piglet production by non‐surgical embryo transfer (Ns‐ET) of vitrified porcine blastocysts and expanded blastocysts transported to commercial farms and warmed on site (V/T/W embryos). Ns‐ET was performed by depositing 11–20 vitrified and warmed embryos at a proximal site within the uterus via a catheter. In Experiment 1, the effect of donor–recipient estrous cycle asynchrony on the efficiency of Ns‐ET of vitrified and ordinary warmed embryos was investigated at the experimental facility. With a 1‐day delay recipients relative to that of donor, the farrowing rate was 50.0% and the survival rate to term was 21.1%. In Experiment 2, Ns‐ET using recipients with a 1‐day delay and vitrified embryos after one‐step warming and dilution was evaluated at the experimental facility. Although the resulting farrowing rate was 42.9%, the survival rate was 6.4%. In Experiment 3, Ns‐ET was conducted using V/T/W embryos at four commercial farms, where piglets derived from them were produced. When artificial insemination was conducted prior to Ns‐ET, the farrowing and survival rates obtained using V/T/W embryos were 75.0%, and 21.3%, respectively. These results show that Ns‐ET of V/T/W embryos using this protocol would be feasible for piglet production at farms.