RECYCLING OF CATHETER FOR EMBRYO RECOVERY: A TOOL FOR COSTS REDUCTION IN EQUINE EMBRYO TRANSFER

Abstract

The embryo transfer is becoming a widespread practice.Most embryos are collected from spontaneous single ovulatingmares and result in 50% of embryo recovery, increasing the costsof production. To illustrate, the price of a catheter for embryosrecovery range from US$ 194.00 to US$ 250.00 (R$ 350.00 to R$450.00). Therefore, the aim of this work was to verify if catheterwith damaged balloon can be recuperated and reused withoutaltering its efficiency. For this study, two groups were used: acontrol group (GI, n=10), on which the nonsurgical recovery of theembryos of mares was performed with the catheter with originalballoon; and another group (GII, n=20), in which a restored catheterwas utilized. The mares of GI had an embryo recovery rate of60%, and GII mares had an embryo recovery rate of 55%. Therewas not statistical difference between groups I and II (P>0.05).Considering that the material used to restore the catheter costsUS$16.66 (R$30.00), this data show that the recuperation of thecatheters for embryo recovery in mares may reduce costs withoutcompromising the rates of embryo recovery.

Keywords

• equine
• embryo transfer
• catheter recycling
• costs reduction