Transcervical embryo collection in Boer goats

Two experiments were conducted, aimed at improving the practicability of the method for transcervical embryo collection in Boer goats described by Pereira et al. [Pereira, R.J. TA., Sohnrey, B., Holtz, W., 1998. J. Anim. Sci. 76, 360-363]. Invention of a hammock-like restraining device, use of a wider-bore flushing catheter and a modified flushing mode contributed toward this end. The importance of a luteolytic prostaglandin F(2α)-treatment [Pereira et al., 1998] was confirmed. In Experiment 1, administration of PGF(2α) 8 h before does are flushed, increased the recovery rate from 43 to 79% (P<0.05). Advancing the PG F(2α)-treatment to 24 h before flushing was instrumental in further enhancing embryo recovery rate. The amount of time required for flushing was reduced by about 20 min (P<0.05) and the number of embryos recovered from the first 10 out of 30 flushes amounted to more than 80%, compared to 50% (P<0.05) when treating 8 h before flushing. Administration of 1 IU of oxytocin at the onset of flushing did not have any significant effect. When applying the findings of this investigation, the time required for flushing may be reduced from about 4 h [Pereira et al., 1998] to less than 45 min per doe and the required number of person involved decreased from four to two persons. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B. V.