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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

244 Application of bovine recombinant FSH (bscrFSH) in alpaca (Vicugna pacos) superovulation protocols: ovarian response and in vivo embryo production

U. H. Perez-Guerra A , J. M. Palomino B , M. G. Perez-Durand A , F. W. Gutiérrez-Yana A , I. Cabezas C , F. I. Hugues C , N. C. Parra C D , O. Sanchez C D , J. R. Toledo C D , M. A. Gutiérrez-Reinoso C E and M. Garcia-Herreros F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, Puno, Perú

B Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Perú

C Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile

D Centro de Biotecnología y Biomedicina Spa., Concepción, Chile

E Universidad Técnica de Cotopaxi, Latacunga, Ecuador

F Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Santarém, Portugal

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 35(2) 251-251 https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv35n2Ab244
Published: 5 December 2022

© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the IETS

Bovine recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (bscrFSH) has been used in bovine superovulation (SOV) protocols; however, little information has been reported in other species. The main objective of this study was to test the effect of bscrFSH application in alpaca (Vicugna pacos) SOV protocols to study the differential effects on ovarian response and in vivo embryo production. A total of 30 healthy Suri breed alpacas (age: ∼48 months.; bodyweight [BW]: ∼60 ± 5 kg; body condition score [BCS; scale 1–5]: 2.5–3.0) located in Melgar province, Peru (Köppen-Geiger: ET; precipitation:∼600 mm; relative humidity:∼50%; M.T.:∼7.9°C, latitude: 14°46′17″S/longitude: 70°54′11″W; altitude: ∼3,970 m.a.s.l.) were divided randomly into two groups (n = 15 individuals each): low dose (LD), 100 µg bscrFSH; and high dose (HD), 155 µg bscrFSH (Cebitropin B, Concepción). The LD bscrFSH SOV protocol was applied as follows: Day 0: 0.0082 mg intramuscular (i.m.) gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) (a.m.); Day 2, 3, 4, and 5: 40, 30, 20, and 10 μg bscrFSH (i.m, total 100 μg) doses (a.m.), respectively; Day 7: 0.24 mg PGF i.m. dose (a.m.); Day 9: first mating + 0.0082 mg intramuscular GnRH dose (a.m); Day 10: second mating (a.m); Day 16: embryo collection. Regarding the HD group, the same protocol was applied with slight modifications: Day 0: same; Day 2, 3, 4, and 5: 65, 45, 30, and 15 μg bscrFSH (i.m, total 155 μg) doses (a.m.), respectively; Day 7, 9, 10, and 16: same. Ovarian structures were scored by ultrasonography during both SOV protocols: total number of follicles (TF), total number of corpora lutea (TCL), and non-ovulated follicles (NOF), with the latter two structures being evaluated on the day of embryo collection (Day 16). Embryo-derived traits were scored as well: total number of embryos collected (TE), and number of Grade I, II, and III embryos (G1, G2, and G3, respectively) per superovulated individual. The data matrix was analysed by GLMM (SPSS® 25, USA). Nonsignificant differences were observed between LD and HD protocols regarding ovarian structures TF and NOF, and the embryo-derived parameter G1 (0.20 ± 0.14 vs 0.53 ± 0.16; P = 0.09). However, significant differences were observed in TCL (0.60 ± 0.10 vs 0.20 ± 0.10; P = 0.02), TE (0.27 ± 0.15 vs 0.93 ± 0.31; P = 0.008), G2 (0.07 ± 0.06 vs 0.33 ± 0.15; P = 0.02), and G3 (0.00 ± 10.00 vs 0.07 ± 0.06; P = 0.04) parameters when LD and HD bscrFSH SOV protocols were compared. In conclusion, although the ovarian response (TF) was similar, important differences were observed regarding embryo yield between bscrFSH-derived protocols. These differences may be related to a better adjustment of the bscrFSH concentration during the HD SOV protocol. Thus, the HD protocol was the most efficient for in vivo embryo production in terms of quantity and quality in alpacas.

This research was supported by ANID 21201280.