Embryo Collection, Transfer and Pregnancy of Riding Horses : First Successful Case in Korea

Abstract

Embryo transfer (ET) could be a relevant tool for genetic improvement programs in horses similar to those already underway in other species and produce multiple foals from the same mare in one breeding season. However, there have been no reports describing equine embryo transfer performed in Korea. In the present study, we performed an equine embryo collection and transfer procedure for the first time. We examined the embryo collection and pregnancy, size of embryo during the incubation period after collection, and progesterone (P4) and estradiol-17ß (E2) concentrations in mare’s serum at embryo collection and transfer. A total of 16 donors responded to estrus synchronization; estrus was induced in 12 donors and 4 recipients, and artificial insemination was successful in 10 donors and six blastocysts were collected from donors. Of these blastocysts, we monitored the size of blastocysts for 3 day during incubation and transferred 2 blastocysts to a recipient, with 1 successful pregnancy and foal achieved. The dimensions of equine embryo at day 7 to day 9 were 409 μm, 814 μm and 1,200 μm. The serum P4 and E2 concentrations were 7.91±0.37 ng/μL and 45.45±12.65 ng/μL in the donor mare, and 16.06±3.27 ng/μL and 49.13±10.09 ng/μL in the recipient mare.

Keywords

• equine
• embryo collection
• embryo transfer
• progesterone
• estrogen