Reproductive biotechnologies continue to be developed for genetic improvement of both river and swamp buffalo.Although artificial insemination using frozen semen emerged some decades back, there are still considerable limitations. The major problem appears to be the lack of efficient methods for estrus detection and timely insemination. Controlled breeding experiments in the buffalo had been limited and similar to those applied in cattle. Studies on multiple ovulation and embryo transfer are essentially a replica of those in cattle, however with inherent problems such as lower number of primordial follicles on the buffalo ovary, poor fertility and seasonality of reproduction, lower population of antral follicles at all stages of the estrous cycle, poor endocrine status and a high incidence of deep atresia in ovarian follicles, the response in terms of transferable embryo recovery has remained low with 0.51 to 3.0 per donor and pregnancy rates between 15 to 30%. In vitro production of buffalo embryos is a valid alternative to recovery of embryos by superovulation. This aspect received considerable attention during the past decade, however the proportion of embryos that develops to the blastocyst stage is still around 25-30% and hence the in vitro culture procedures need substantial improvement. Embryo cryopreservation procedures for direct transfer post thaw need to be developed for bubaline embryos. Nuclear transfer and embryo cloning is a technique that has received attention in various species during recent years and can be of immense value in buffaloes as they have a low rate of embryo recoveries by both in vitro and in vivo procedures. Gender pre-selection, genome analysis, gene mapping and gene transfer are a few of the techniques that have been studied to a limited extent during recent years and are likely to be included in future studies on buffaloes. Very recently, reproductive biotechnologies have been applied to feral buffaloes as well, but the results obtained so far are modest. When fully exploited they can play an important role in the preservation of endangered species.
The present study examined the effect of melatonin implants on follicle growth in dromedary camels two months ahead of their natural breeding season (December to March). Female camels (n Z 6) were treated with melatonin implants at the dose rate of 1 implant per 28 kg body weight sc. Control camels (n Z 6) were administered an SC placebo implant of 8 ml vitamin A. Ovarian ultrasonography was performed at weekly interval upto 7 weeks. Camels were mated with virile stud when a follicle (!10 mm) was visible on either of the ovaries. Blood was collected on day 7, 9, 15, 20, 25 and 30 for assay of plasma progesterone and sonography performed at the same time. Small follicles (2-3 mm) appeared around the periphery of ovaries in 83.3% of camels by day 7 and in 100% camels by day 14. By the end of 7th week an ovulatory size follicle (!1.0 cm) could be observed in 83.3% of treated camels, and these camels were mated with virile studs. In control group, small follicles appeared at the periphery of ovaries only in 66.6% camels but did not progress in growth except in one camel (16.6%) however, ovulating size (!10 mm) follicle was not observed in any camel by the end of 7th week. All treated camels ovulated and one treated camel became pregnant while early embryonic death occurred in one camel. Nonepregnant camels of both groups were mated during the breeding season. All camels of treatment group and 33.33% camels of control group became pregnant by the end of breeding season (April 2010). It was concluded that melatonin implants can augment the follicle growth in lactating camels ahead of the breeding season and pregnancy can occur on mating. Fertility of treated camels during the breeding season is improved.Sommario Nel presente studio viene esaminato l'effetto di impianti di melatonina sulla crescita del follicolo in dromedari -cammelli, nei due mesi precedenti il loro periodo di * Corresponding author.E-mail address: gnpobs@gmail.com (G.N. Purohit). , 25 e 30 giorno, per il dosaggio del progesterone plasmatico e l'ecografia eseguita allo stesso tempo. Follicoli piccoli (2-3 mm) sono apparsi nella periferia delle ovaie nel 83,3% dei cammelli al 7 giorno e nel 100% dei cammelli al 14 giorno. Entro la fine della VII settimana un follicolo ovulatorio di una certa dimensione (! 1,0 cm) è stato osservato nel 83,3% dei cammelli trattati, e questi cammelli sono stati fatti accoppiare. Nel gruppo di controllo, sono apparsi piccoli follicoli alla periferia delle ovaie solo nel 66,6% dei cammelli, ma senza progresso nella crescita, fatta eccezione per un cammello (16,6%), tuttavia, la dimensione di un follicolo ovulatorio (! 10 mm) non è stata osservata in nessun cammello, entro la fine della VII settimana. Tutti i cammelli trattati hanno avuto un'ovulazione e un cammello è rimasto incinta, mentre è avvenuta la morte precoce di un embrione in un altro cammello. I cammelli non gravidi di entrambi i gruppi sono stati accoppiati durante la stagione riproduttiva. Tutti i cammelli del gruppo di trattamento e 33,33% dei cammell...
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