EFFECTS OF NU-SERUM(R) ON INVITRO DEVELOPMENT OF GOAT (CAPRA-HIRCUS) EMBRYOS

To evaluate the effects of a commercially produced serum substitute on the in vitro development of caprine embryos, registered Nubian doelin gs were synchronized with norgestomet-impregnated implants (Synchromat e-B(R): CEVA) and superovulated with descending doses of FSH-p(R) (Sch ering). A total of 246 embryos was collected and placed in Tissue Cult ure Medium 199 (TCM 199, Gibco Laboratories) containing Nu-Serum(R) (N uS) at concentrations of 2.5%, 5.0%, 10%, or 20%. Control treatments c onsisted of TCM 199 alone or TCM 199 plus 10% heat-inactivated fetal b ovine serum (FBS). Embryos developed in all concentrations of NuS to t he morula, blastocyst, and expanded blastocyst stages. The TCM 199 plu s 10% NuS had significantly higher percentages of embryos developing t o the expanded blastocyst stage than TCM 199 plus 10% FBS. Time to exp anded blastocyst development in NuS was shorter than in the TCM 199 pl us FBS. No stage-specific block to development was observed with embry os collected and cultured in vitro for any of the treatments. These re sults demonstrate that NuS, when compared to FBS, allowed a higher per centage (P< 0.05) of caprine embryos to develop to the expanded blasto cyst stage, thus providing a valuable substitute for FBS.