EFFECT OF SEMEN EXTENDER ON IN-VITRO DEVELOPMENT OF BOVINE EMBRYOS FOLLOWING IVF

In order to conform with current EC standards with regard to antibioti c cover, the Norwegian Cattle Associations are currently investigating the use of biladyl/triladyl as alternative to the milk-based extender which has been traditionally used in Norway. A preliminary experiment was carried out to assess the effect of using semen frozen with eithe r milk extender or triladyl or the outcome of in vitro fertilization a nd embryo culture. There was no significant differnce between the two treatments in terms of cleavage rate (no. of eggs cleaved at 48 hours post-insemination, hpi/no. inseminated: 89.2%, 505/566 vs. 88.5%, 507/ 573, for milk and triladyl, respectively), cleavage index (no. eggs cl eaved beyond the 2-cell stage at 48 hpi/no. cleaved: 81.8%, 413/505 vs . 77.9%, 395/507, for milk and triladyl, respectively) and blastocyst yield (no. blastocysts/no. eggs cleaved): 22.3%, 95/426 vs. 20.1%, 87/ 432, for milk and triladyl, respectively).