Culture of Ovine and Bovine Ova

Abstract

Twenty-nine western ewes and six cross-bred cows were checked twice daily for estrus. The majority of animals were injected with Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG) and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (sheep) or PMSG and Prostaglandin F_2α (cow) at designated times of the estrous cycle. Ewes and cows were mated with fertile males. Laparotomies were performed to obtain 1- and 8-cell ovine embryos and 16-cell and morula stage bovine embryos. Ovine embryos were cultured from the 1-cell stage to the 8-cell stage in a balanced salt solution containing pyruvate, lactate or a combination of pyruvate and lactate. A similar salt solution with glucose as the sole carbohydrate source did not support growth of the 8-cell ovine embryo. Bovine embryos were cultured from 16-cell and morula stages to blastocyst and “hatching” in the salt solution containing α-ketoglutarate. Culture medium containing glucose as the sole carbohydrate source did not support development of 16-cell and morula stage bovine embryos. These embryos appeared to degenerate rather than split (“hatch”) as is generally reported. Copyright © 1978. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1978 by American Society of Animal Science.