Transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval following FSH stimulation of domestic goats

The objectives of this study were to evaluate different ovarian stimulation protocols on donor goats and to develop a safe, repeatable method for harv esting oocytes from FSH-treated does (Experiment I). Based on the prelimina ry findings of the first experiment, 32 crossbred does were used in a secon d experiment (Experiment II), 16 that had not been previously aspirated and 16 that had undergone one previous aspiration, were used to fine tune the procedure. Females were randomly subjected to 1 of the 2 ovarian stimulatio n protocols: Treatment (A) does were implanted with a norgestomet ear impla nt. Starting 10 d post-implantation, does were administered FSH daily for 4 d. Does in Treatment (B) were treated similarly to those in (A) but were i mplanted for only 3 d before starting the FSH injections and implants were not removed prior to aspiration. Using a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, fresh does (n=16), not previously aspirated, were then further randomly assigned to either a laparoscopic aspiration procedure (LAP) or a transvaginal ultr asound-guided aspiration procedure (TUGA).The LAP procedure was performed u sing a fiber optics. For the TUGA, the doe was placed in dorsal recumbency, and a 5 MHz human transvaginal transducer, attached to the ultrasound unit , was positioned vaginally for oocyte aspiration. In summary, there was no significant difference among treatment groups for parameters evaluated, wit h the exception of methods for oocyte collection. The number of follicles d etected and oocytes harvested using TUGA (9.5 and 4.3, respectively) was le ss than for females obtained by LAP (17.4 and 14.4, respectfully). The perc entage of oocytes recovered from does subjected to the TUGA (68%), however, was similar to those subjected to the LAP (69%). Unlike donor does subject ed to a repeated LAP, there was no evidence of adhesions in donor does from the repeated TUGA group. The TUGA approach to oocyte collection should not be overlooked in an effort to decrease the chances of adhesions in valuabl e donor goats. (C) 1999 by Elsevier Science Inc.