APPLICATIONS OF EMBRYO TRANSFER BIOTECHNOLOGY IN DAIRY CATTLE

Abstract

The dairy sector plays an important role in global socioeconomic scenarios. However, world milk production experienced a modest growth rate of only 0.5% during 2017, a smaller increase than any time in the last decade. Therefore, the more effective application of biotechniques related to bovine reproduction is an alternative to support the large-scale production of dairy cattle. Among the different reproductive biotechnologies, embryo transfer (ET) maximizes the reproduction of the herd through improved genetics and the ability to guarantee the birth of a greater number of females. In general, embryos are more resistant to thermal stress compared to gametes, representing an advantage over the application of biotechniques such as artificial insemination (AI) and fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). Thus, ET together with the benefits from the application of sexed semen and in vitro embryo production (IVEP) are some of the main strategies for the necessary modifications that aim to improve the dairy cattle sector. This review summarizes the main advantages of embryo transfer biotechnology for increasing reproductive efficiency and production in dairy cattle.

Keywords

• Bos taurus taurus
• bovine embryo transfer
• reproductive biotechniques