EFFICACY OF VARIOUS COLLECTION METHODS FOR OOCYTE RETRIEVAL IN BUFFALO

The efficacy of 3 oocyte collection methods and the effect of the pres ence of a CL on oocyte recovery from buffalo ovaries obtained at an ab attoir were assessed. Oocytes were collected by slicing (n=131), folli cle puncture (n=86) and follicle aspiration (n=80). Slicing yielded si gnificantly (P<0.01) more (5.7) oocytes per ovary than follicle punctu re (2.6) or aspiration (1.7). Better quality oocytes (good and fair)we re recovered per ovary by slicing (2.6) than by puncture (1.3) or aspi ration (0.9). However, follicle puncture took the least time (1.5 min compared with aspiration (1.6 min) and slicing (2.8 min). The presence of a CL significantly (P<0.05) reduced the recovery rate as well as t he quality of the oocytes. Slicing was found to be the overall best oo cyte collection method among the 3 tested in this study.