Beef Cattle Embryo Transfer

Beef Cattle Embryo Transfer Benefits

     Beef Cattle Embryo has become one of the most exciting and progressive procedures available to today's producers. With conventional production, the average cow produces six to seven calves in her lifetime.

      Embryo transfer can increase her reproduction efficiency to numerous calves per year, thus increasing your selection opportunities many times. Along with artificial insemination, embryo transfer offers progressive producers fascinating genetic opportunities.

Selection of Donors
     When pursuing a Beef Cattle Embryo Transfer program donor selection should be based on several criteria. Genetic superiority is of major importance and should be evaluated with the following traits in mind: birth weight, milking ability, pre-weaning growth, post-weaning growth, and carcass cutability. Official sire summaries can assist in measuring and comparing the above traits. Records should be used to evaluate maternal breeding value, weaning breeding value and yearling breeding value.

     All of these values are objective measurements based on pounds of gain as measured on a scale. Ultimately, value of progeny must justify an embryo program. Reproductive ability is the second main criteria to determine donor selection.

     To enhance the success of your beef cattle embryo transfer program, the donor should meet the following characteristics: 1) two or more years of age, however, heifers can and have been used successfully in embryo transfer programs, 2)regular calving each year, 3) conception after one or two services, 4) regular estrous cycles, and 5) no history of retained placenta, metritis or cystic ovarian disease.

     Sire selection is based on the use of well proven bulls that produce high quality semen. By using reference sire summaries, the producer can evaluate EPDs for birth weights, weaning weights, yearling weights and milk production to assist with sire selection.

Pre Transfer Preparations for the Donors
     Blood or hair samples should be submitted for typing or DNA analysis approximately two months prior to flush date if possible. This insures the results are completed before pregnancies result and that the calves can be registered.

     Materials for taking this sample are available from your breed association. Other breed requirements must be determined before transfer as well.

     The following vaccines should be given within the last six months: IBR/BVD, BRSV, 7 Way Clostridial, 5 Way Lepto, and Ivomec. These vaccines should be given at least 4 weeks prior to embryo collection and transfer.

Superovulation
     Superovulation consists of injecting the donor cow with a fertility drug, FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), to induce multiple ovulation. Injections begin on approximately the tenth day after estrus and consist of twice daily injections of FSH for four days.

     On the fourth day of the FSH injections, prostaglandin is also injected to cause the regression of the corpus luteum. This triggers estrus one and a half to two days later. The donor is artificially inseminated with one unit of semen at first observed standing heat.

     Twelve hours later, she is bred again using two units. At 24 hours she receives 1 additional unit of semen. Variations to this breeding schedule will be used depending on the history of the donor, quality of semen used, and cost of semen

Recipients
     Recipients should be healthy, of medium to large frame, on a gaining plane of nutrition and cycling regularly. In addition, they should be vaccinated for Brucellosis (with an official calfhood vaccination tattoo in the right ear), Rednose, Virus Diarrhea, BRSV, Parainfluenza 3, 5 Way Lepto and 7 Way Clostridial vaccine, and Ivomec.