Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Reproduction, Fertility and Development Reproduction, Fertility and Development Society
Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > RD > RD06135
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 19(4)

Uterine and vaginal insemination optimised in brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) superovulated with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin and porcine luteinising hormone

F. C. Molinia A C D , J. V. Myers A , A. M. Glazier A , J. A. Duckworth A and J. C. Rodger B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A National Research Centre for Possum Biocontrol at Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand.

B School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.

C Present address: Landcare Research, Private Bag 92170, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.

D Corresponding author. Email: moliniaf@landcareresearch.co.nz

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 19(4) 521-529 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD06135
Submitted: 3 October 2006  Accepted: 20 February 2007   Published: 18 April 2007

Abstract

Artificial insemination of brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) is being developed as an assisted breeding model for endangered marsupials, as well as a bioassay for testing fertility control vaccines to manage overabundant populations. Procedures were optimised in animals superovulated with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) and porcine luteinising hormone (pLH). Of three intervals examined, yields were maximal following uterine insemination at 27–29.5 h after pLH treatment (four eggs, two to three embryos per female). Compared with no insemination, uterine-inseminated animals ovulated 30–36 h rather than 28–34 h after pLH treatment. For the vaginal route, yields were maximal following insemination at 10–13 h after pLH treatment (six to seven eggs, four embryos per female) than at five other intervals, and when using acclimatised females during the autumn breeding season. This protocol was suitable for testing fertility control vaccines in April–June and was influenced by the housing location of animals, the presence of an active corpus luteum and PMSG batch, but not other factors (year of trial, Freund’s adjuvant treatment, changes in bodyweight, dose of PMSG kg–1). Embryos developed to the eight- to 16-cell or unilaminar blastocyst stage after uterine or vaginal insemination, respectively. With the timing of artificial insemination optimised, new methods to synchronise or induce oestrus and ovulation are required to achieve year-round testing of fertility control vaccines or birth of offspring.


Acknowledgements

This study was supported by contract research funding from the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Programme, New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (contract no. C09X0209 and C09X0302) and Animal Health Board. The authors thank Phil Cowan and Janine Clemons for helpful comments on the manuscript, Guy Forrester for statistical advice, Xianlan Cui, Susie Scobie, Jane Arrow and Casey Sole for their technical expertise and Julie Turner and the staff of the Landcare Research Animal Facility for the care of animals.


References

Brown, J. L. (2006). Comparative endocrinology of domestic and nondomestic felids. Theriogenology 66, 25–36.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Cowan P. E. (2000). Biological control of possums: prospects for the future. In ‘The Brushtail Possum: Biology, Impact and Management of an Introduced Marsupial’. (Ed. T. L. Montague.) pp. 262–270. (Manaaki Whenua Press: Lincoln, New Zealand.)

Crawford, J. L. , Shackell, G. H. , Thompson, E. G. , McLeod, B. J. , and Hurst, P. E. (1997). Preovulatory follicle development and ovulation in the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) monitored by repeated laparoscopy. J. Reprod. Fertil. 110, 361–370.
| PubMed | Duckworth J. A., Byrom A. E., Fisher P., and Horn C. (2006). Pest control: does the answer lie in new biotechnologies? In ‘Biological Invasions in New Zealand’. (Eds R. B. Allen and W. G. Lee.) pp. 421–434. (Springer: Berlin.)

Duffy, D. M. , and Stouffer, R. L. (2002). Follicular administration of a cyclooxygenase inhibitor can prevent oocyte release without alteration of normal luteal function in rhesus monkeys. Hum. Reprod. 17, 2825–2831.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Fletcher T., and Selwood L. (2000). Possum reproduction and development. In ‘The Brushtail Possum: Biology, Impact and Management of an Introduced Marsupial’. (Ed. T. L. Montague.) pp. 62–81. (Manaaki Whenua Press: Lincoln, New Zealand.)

Glazier, A. M. (1998). Seasonal variation in ovarian response to pregnant mares serum gonadotrophin in the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 10, 499–503.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Holt W. V., Pickard A. R., Rodger J. C., and Wildt D. E. (2003). ‘Reproductive Sciences and Integrated Conservation.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Johnston, S. D. , McGowan, M. R. , O’Callaghan, P. , Cox, R. , Houlden, B. , Haig, S. , and Taddeo, G. (2003). Birth of koalas Phascolarctos cinereus at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary following artificial insemination. Int. Zoo. Yearb. 38, 160–172.
Molinia F. C., Glazier A. M., Myers J. V., Sidhu K. S., Mate K. E., Berg D. K., Smith J. F., Cowan P. E., and Rodger J. C. (2001). In vitro and in vivo models of key reproductive events as tools for possum biological control. In ‘Biological Management of Possums’. pp. 1–5. (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry: Wellington, New Zealand.) Available at http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/rural-nz/research-and-development/pest-control/biological-management-of-possums/biological-management-of-possums.htm [Verified March 2007].

Monfort S. L. (2003). Non-invasive endocrine measures of reproduction and stress in wild populations. In ‘Reproductive Sciences and Integrated Conservation’. (Eds W. V. Holt, A. R. Pickard, J. C. Rodger and D. E. Wildt.) pp. 147–165. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Paris, D. B. B. P. , Taggart, D. A. , Shaw, G. , Temple-Smith, P. D. , and Renfree, M. B. (2005). Birth of pouch young after artificial insemination in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii). Biol. Reprod. 72, 451–459.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Pickard A. R. (2003). Reproductive and welfare monitoring for the management of ex situ populations. In ‘Reproductive Sciences and Integrated Conservation’. (Eds W. V. Holt, A. R. Pickard, J. C. Rodger and D. E. Wildt.) pp. 132–146. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Pukazhenthi, B. S. , and Wildt, D. E. (2004). Which reproductive technologies are most relevant to studying, managing and conserving wildlife? Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 16, 33–46.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Renfree M. B., and Tyndale-Biscoe C. H. (1978). Manipulation of marsupial embryos and pouch young. In ‘Methods in Mammalian Reproduction’. (Ed. J. C. Daniel.) pp. 307–331. (Academic Press: New York.)

Robinson, J. J. , Wallace, J. M. , and Aitken, R. P. (1989). Fertilization and ovum recovery rates in superovulated ewes following cervical insemination or laparoscopic intrauterine insemination at different times after progestagen withdrawal and in one or both uterine horns. J. Reprod. Fertil. 87, 771–782.
| PubMed | Rodger J. C. (2003). Fertility control for wildlife. In ‘Reproductive Sciences and Integrated Conservation’. (Eds W. V. Holt, A. R. Pickard, J. C. Rodger and D. E. Wildt.) pp. 281–290. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Rodger, J. C. , and Mate, K. E. (1988). A PMSG/GnRH method for the superovulation of the monovulatory brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). J. Reprod. Fertil. 83, 885–891.
| PubMed |

Shimizu, T. , Ohshima, I. , Ozawa, M. , Takahashi, S. , Tajima, A. , Shiota, M. , Miyazaki, H. , and Kanai, Y. (2005). Heat stress diminishes gonadotropin receptor expression and enhances susceptibility to apoptosis of rat granulosa cells. Reproduction 129, 463–472.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |

Sidhu, K. S. , Mate, K. E. , Molinia, F. C. , Berg, D. K. , and Rodger, J. C. (2003). Ionic calcium levels in oviduct explant-conditioned media from an Australian marsupial, the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) and its relevance to in vitro fertilization. Zygote 11, 285–291.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |

Spurr, E. B. , and Jolly, S. E. (1999). Dominant and subordinate behaviour of captive brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). N.Z. J. Zool. 26, 263–270.


Turner, A. I. , Hemsworth, P. H. , and Tilbrook, A. J. (2005). Susceptibility of reproduction in female pigs to impairment by stress or elevation of cortisol. Domest. Anim. Endocrinol. 29, 398–410.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |

Whale, L. J. , Eckery, D. C. , and Juengel, J. L. (2003). Determination of steroidogenic potential of ovarian cells of the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Biol. Reprod. 69, 947–958.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |