An IVF collection, called an Aspiration or Ovum Pick Up (OPU), is the process of harvesting unfertilized oocytes, or unfertile eggs, directly from the ovaries of a donor cow or heifer. Recovered oocytes are fertilized one day after aspiration, and transferred seven days after fertilization. During this eight-day time period, they are cultured and grown in an incubator with controlled media, temperature and environment to mirror the cow’s womb. They are then transferred into recipient cows seven days after the recipient’s standing heat or estrus, which is similar to the transfer process for ET embryos.
Trans Ova Genetics has developed significant improvements in their IVF system over the last five years. The Trans Ova Genetics IVF team is a world class professional team that is leading the market in terms of pregnancies produced per aspiration attempt.
In Vitro Fertilization provides several advantages beyond what is possible with conventional Embryo Transfer. They include:
Sexed Embryos can be producedfrom nearly any bull. Trans Ova Genetics developed a process called Reverse Sort, which allows them to thaw un-sexed semen, process it through a semen sorter, and then use the semen to fertilize a specific donor’s oocytes with sexed/sorted semen in IVF. Trans Ova Genetics can sex semen from nearly any bull with frozen semen for use in IVF, providing that the quality of the semen is adequate for sorting.
Semen that is collected, sorted and then frozen can also be used very effectively in IVF. Sexed embryos are a reality through IVF and sexed/sorted semen!
IVF collections occur more often than traditional ET collections. Trans Ova Genetics routinely aspirates donors every other week. Several animals that have been aspirated biweekly for several years continue to produce viable embryos. If the highest number of pregnancies in a short period of time is a priority, an IVF program should be a consideration for your donor.
Donor Cows and heifers can be aspirated during pregnancy. Because the IVF technician does not disturb the corpus luteum (CL)as oocytes are collected directly off the ovary, donors can be safely aspirated between 30 and 100 days of gestation. Creating pregnancies from a donor that is gestating her next natural calf holds tremendous opportunity for livestock breeders to capture the most value from their best cows or heifers. Using IVF in this manner provides an opportunity to generate offspring from elite heifers and cows, and still have them calve and lactate at the right time for your program
Donors that no longer work well in traditional ET programs can work well in IVF. Trans Ova Genetics has generated IVF pregnancies on many cows that have little or no success in conventional ET. Donor cows that stimulate well, but often produce only unfertile or degenerate embryos are ideal candidates for an IVF program. Donor cows that have blocked or scarred fallopian tubes may also work well in an IVF program. In addition, donors that are crippled, stifled or otherwise challenged can benefit from a regular IVF program.
Terminal procedures can be performed on a stricken donor. In the case of a health emergency with a donor, the ovaries can be removed from the donor cow or heifer and received at a Trans Ova Genetics IVF lab for a terminal IVF procedure. Ovaries must removed and stored properly and received at the IVF laboratory within 8 hours of the death event. Terminal procedures require proactive planning and scheduling with the laboratory to facilitate success. . Trans Ova Genetics has utilized the terminal procedure to produce pregnancies from donors that die suddenly or must be euthanized as well as from elite Market Heifers in a terminal show and slaughter situation.
While the IVF process holds tremendous advantages, there are some things to note when using IVF as a reproductive tool.. At this point, Trans Ova Genetics does not recommend freezing IVF embryos.IVF embryos produce the best pregnancy rates when they aretransferred fresh. It is common to observea small increase in pregnancy loss after 60 days of gestation, as compared to pregnancies produced from ET or AI technology.. While Trans Ova Genetics has made significant progress in reducing calf size since the technology began in the early 1990’s, there will be a small percentage of IVF offspring that have birthweightsabove expected.
IVF can be a very powerful tool for advancing the power in influence of the elite genetics in your herd. It has certainly added value for many Trans Ova Genetics Clients. If you have further questions about IVF, please call your local Trans Ova Genetics Location and speak with a Client Service Representative.