Innovative IVF Method Helps Solve Pregnancy Problems in Cows

A scientific breakthrough in IVF aims to solve pregnancy problems in cows and increase overall Meat and Milk production. Researchers from the University of Kent and the University of Nottingham have developed an innovative method to improve in vitro fertilization (IVF) in cattle.

 Approximately one million IVP (in vitro) embryos are transferred worldwide each year to improve the genetics of the world's breeding stock for food production.

Advanced programs select embryos with traits such as disease resistance, food conversion, and improved meat and milk production.

This involves a process similar to that used in human IVF, in which cells are taken from the early developing placenta and diagnosed for specific genetic traits and diseases. However, most of these bovine embryos do not grow into calves.

A new study has developed a means of identifying a subset of embryos that rarely result in a live birth with less than a 5% chance due to chromosomal abnormalities. The scientists found that this process improved the overall pregnancy rate in cows by 7.8% after analyzing 1,713 embryos.

Replacement of antibiotics in the treatment of endometritis in cows proposed by Russian scientists 

Chromosomal abnormalities are well known in humans as a cause of IVF failure, however, for the first time, their detection has been shown to significantly improve the IVP of cattle.

 

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