Can a Cost-Effective In-House Ovum Pick-Up Medium Support Efficient Bovine IVEP?

Abstract

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) like Ovum Pick-Up (OPU) and In-Vitro Embryo Production (IVEP) can significantly improve livestock genetics and productivity. However, the high cost of commercial media limits their use among Indian farmers, especially those with limited resources. This study developed and validated a cost-effective in-house media for bovine IVEP. In following study, conducted 1193 OPU-IVEP sessions on 92 genetically superior donor cows, comparing commercial media (control-OPU) with in-house media (trial-OPU). Performance metrics included oocyte recovery, cleavage rates, and blastocyst formation. The trial group showed slightly higher oocyte retrieval, cleavage rates, and blastocyst development, though differences were not statistically significant. The trial group achieved a mean blastocyst rate of 21.88% compared to 19.85% in the control group. The in-house media, comprising a Zwitter ion buffer, Emxcell Embryo Flushing media, and sodium heparin, demonstrated cost-effectiveness and efficiency. This formulation could reduce ART costs, making these technologies more accessible to farmers. Future research should focus on optimizing this media and evaluating its performance across different breeds and reproductive stages.