TRANSFER OF IMPORTED FROZEN CASHMERE GOAT EMBRYOS

Frozen cashmere goat embryos were imported from Scotland to the Czech Republic. Embryos were recovered surgically from superovulated (pFSH treated) donors on day 6 of their cycle. Embryos were cultured in ovum culture medium (OCM) and then serially equilibrated in 0.5M, 1.0M and 1.5M ethylene glycol in OCM and aspirated into straws. Embryos were frozen by a routine method with seeding at -7-degrees-C and cooled at 0.3-degrees-C/min to -37-degrees-C utilising a programmable freezer. Thawing was effected in air for 7 seconds and in a water bath at 35-degrees-C for 25 seconds, cryoprotective agent was eluted in 0.75M ethylene glycol together with 0.5M sucrose in OCM (10 minutes) and in 0.5M sucrose in OCM (10 minutes). Embryos were then washed in pure OCM (in two steps), examined morphologically, and transferred in pairs by endoscopy (Wolf, Germany) into synchronised recipients either ipsilaterally or bilaterally (two groups in the reproductive season, one group out of season). Those recipients receiving embryos during the breeding season had a pregnancy rate of 85.7%, this was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the pregnancy rate which resulted from the transfer of embryos out of season (50%). It is concluded that cryopreservation of embryos and their movement between countries is an effective method of establishing a novel breed within an importing country and is thereby a useful method for establishment of a new genetic pool.