IN-VITRO PRODUCTION OF BLASTOCYSTS IN GOATS, SHEEP AND BUFFALOS

This study was carried out to establish a common culture system for in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilization and in vitro production of g oat, sheep and buffalo blastocyst embryos. Follicular oocytes of goats , sheep and buffaloes were: matured in TCM-199 medium supplemented wit h 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS) and 5 mu g/ml follicle-stimulating hor mone (FSH). Some of the oocytes were stained by 2% Giemsa stain and ob served for nuclear maturation and the others were fertilized with capa citated sperms. The maturation rates ranged from 64 to 78%, with no si gnificant difference among the species. The cleavage rates were highes t in buffaloes (59%), followed by sheep (56%) and goats (41%). When th ese cleaved oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 medium supplemented with 10% FBS and 5 mu g/ml insulin for 9 days, 34% buffalo oocytes reached blastocyst stage. This was significantly higher (P<0.01) than the corr esponding values in goat (8.1%))and sheep (4.7%).