Viability of frozen sheep embryos and semen imported from Europe
H.R. Tervit, R.L. Baker; R. Hoff-Jorgenson; S. Lintukangas; S.C.
MacDonald and V. Rainio
Ruakura Animal Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries, Hamilton; Statens Veterinary Serumlab, Copenhagen, Denmark;
Jalostuspalvelu A.I. Centre, Turku, Finland; Animal Health Division,
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Wellington, New Zealand and
Institute of Animal Breeding, Jokioinen, Finland
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1986, 46: 245-250
In 1984 selected Oxford Down (O) and Texel (T) sheep in Denmark
and T and Finnish Landrace (F) sheep in Finland were purchased or leased
and then assembled for treatment. The ewes were synchronised and
superovulated before being subjected to surgical embryo recovery.
Recovered embryos with at least 8 cells and intact zona pellucida were
then deep frozen. The mean ovulation rate, number of eggs recovered and
embryos frozen from the O and T in Denmark were 5.4, 4.4, 1.5 and 7.1,
5.0 and 3.0, respectively. Results for T and F in Finland were 7.5,
4.9, 4.1 and 10.0, 7.0 and 5.8, respectively. A total of 548 embryos
was imported into New Zealand. Two-hundred and twenty embryos were
thawed and transferred to Coopworth recipients in March and 46 in May
1985. The percentages of embryos surviving to term for the various
breeds in March and May were: Denmark 0, 43 and 20; Denmark T, 59 and 7;
Finland T, 59 and 55; Finland F, 64 and 50, respectively. Thirty-two
Coopworths were inseminated with thawed F sperm deposited via endoscopy
and 24 (75%) lambed producing 28 lambs. The importation of both embryos
and semen was very successful.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Sheep; Finnish Landrace; Oxford Downs; Texel; importation;
frozen embryos; semen
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Last Updated 18-03-1997
