Can bovine embryos be successfully transferred after 40 years of cryopreservation?

Abstract

Global advances in reproductive biotechnology have allowed for the transfer of embryos from donor females with high genetic merit to recipients using the cryopreservation technique, which preserves an embryo of excellent quality and viability, thereby achieving a feasible pregnancy rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality and viability of Holstein embryos that have been cryopreserved for more than 40 years under glycerol freezing. The embryos were transferred to the recipient heifers using a non-surgical method. Two 17-month-old Holstein heifers (360 kg live weights) which were clinically healthy and reproductively active were used as the recipients. Two bovine embryos of Grade 1 quality were thawed and evaluated for their morphology. Of the two embryo transfers, one pregnancy was achieved, resulting in the birth of a calf. Therefore, embryos frozen in liquid nitrogen and glycerol as a cryopreservative for more than 40 years maintained their quality and viability to produce a live calf.