A COMPARISON OF 3 METHODS OF RECOVERY OF GOAT OOCYTES FOR IN-VITRO MATURATION AND FERTILIZATION

Experiments were conducted to determine an efficient method for recove ring a large number of usable oocytes and its effect on subsequent in vitro maturation, fertilization and development. Follicular oocytes we re recovered from goat ovaries using 3 different methods: aspiration, puncturing and slicing. The average total number of oocytes recovered per ovary was significantly higher by the aspiration method (2.7+/-0.1 5) than by puncturing (2.2+/-0.13) or by slicing (2.4+/-0.12). However , significantly more good-quality usable oocytes enclosed with compact cumulus cells were obtained by slicing (0.9+/-0.06) than by aspiratio n (0.5+/-0.07) or by puncturing (0.5+/-0.06). Time required for proces sing each ovary by the slicing method was comparatively less (0.90 min ) than that required for puncturing (1.83 min) or for aspiration (1.78 min). Usable oocytes recovered by all three methods were matured, fer tilized and developed to the blastocyst stage in vitro. There were no significant differences in the subsequent percentages of oocytes matur ing, being fertilized and developing in vitro among the 3 methods of r ecovering oocytes. In conclusion, the recovery of goat oocytes by the slicing method is simple and efficient compared with the aspiration an d puncturing methods.