Embryo transfer in cattle

Mac Taylor

Anyone got experience in this process. What is the process, can it be done on farm. Costs involved etc.
Any links to lay man websites would be great.
Thanks!

Bizzum

I'm no much help to you but I was wondering what breed interests you?

Mac Taylor

Limousin. I'm trying to justify buying an top class breeding heifer/cow!!!!

Juniorhurler

Ya.

We do a bit with Belgian Blue here. Get the donor heifer bulling, AI her on initially noticing the heat and again 12 hrs later to ensure all eggs are fertilised.

You can do 1 of 2 things with the recipients. Synchronise them with the donor and bring them on the same day or freeze the embryos when they are flushed (8 days after AI) and synchronise the correct no. of heifers to bring at a later date.

The last time I went, I flushed the heifer and froze them. The success rate with frozen eggs is about 10% less than with fresh eggs. It can be done on farm but will cost you more as the technician needs to travel, which you pay for.

If you want a recommendation for who to use or info on costs etc. drop me a pm and I can give you my phone no. and go through it. We have used 3 prominent technicians and there is one clear favourite among them but I don't want to be posting details here.

Mac Taylor

Cheers. Will follow up with you once I figure out how to pm.

Juniorhurler

Left click on my user name and send private message is there in the drop down menu that appears.

jfh

Juniorhurler wrote: »

Ya.

We do a bit with Belgian Blue here. Get the donor heifer bulling, AI her on initially noticing the heat and again 12 hrs later to ensure all eggs are fertilised.

You can do 1 of 2 things with the recipients. Synchronise them with the donor and bring them on the same day or freeze the embryos when they are flushed (8 days after AI) and synchronise the correct no. of heifers to bring at a later date.

The last time I went, I flushed the heifer and froze them. The success rate with frozen eggs is about 10% less than with fresh eggs. It can be done on farm but will cost you more as the technician needs to travel, which you pay for.

If you want a recommendation for who to use or info on costs etc. drop me a pm and I can give you my phone no. and go through it. We have used 3 prominent technicians and there is one clear favourite among them but I don't want to be posting details here.

Hi Juniorhurler,
just out of interest, whats the success rate like, just say you ET'd 10 hefiers.
know little on this, can you use the same receipents again?

Juniorhurler

jfh wrote: »

Hi Juniorhurler,
just out of interest, whats the success rate like, just say you ET'd 10 hefiers.
know little on this, can you use the same receipents again?

About 6-7 pregnancies would be likely all going well. We all know that this doesn't mean 6-7 calves though. Especially with the blues as they all need to be sectioned out. This makes it expensive and also more risk of losing heifers due to infection.

Personally we have never used the same heifers again but I know lads that have and have had success doing it. They say that maidens are more fertile and have a better chance of holding the embryo.

ellewood

Juniorhurler wrote: »

About 6-7 pregnancies would be likely all going well. We all know that this doesn't mean 6-7 calves though. Especially with the blues as they all need to be sectioned out. This makes it expensive and also more risk of losing heifers due to infection.

Personally we have never used the same heifers again but I know lads that have and have had success doing it. They say that maidens are more fertile and have a better chance of holding the embryo.

What about buying heifers with embroy calves already in them??

Juniorhurler

ellewood wrote: »

What about buying heifers with embroy calves already in them??

Same as any in calf heifer really. You buy at your own risk. She is in calf and its up to you to get the calf out alive!

Bodacious

Juniorhurler wrote: »

Same as any in calf heifer really. You buy at your own risk. She is in calf and its up to you to get the calf out alive!

if buying a pb lim embryo would you back a good big ch 2 year old to throw him/her out naturally?

Also the ET that you've had done would the operator put the embryo into my heifers surgically or non surgically?

Juniorhurler

Bodacious wrote: »

if buying a pb lim embryo would you back a good big ch 2 year old to throw him/her out naturally?

Also the ET that you've had done would the operator put the embryo into my heifers surgically or non surgically?

With the limousin calf I would expect a roomy charolais to calve alright. Its not the fact that they are embryo calves that leaves us needing a section, all pedigree blues need to be sectioned due to the muscle they are carrying whether they are carried by their mothers or recipients.

The embryo is non surgically inserted. Very similar to how an a.i man inseminates a cow, same gun and all.

TEAT SQUEEZER

is it possible to get aa embryos put into dairy cows.
are they sexed if available?
who does it if so, aa society , ai companies ?
any info please......

Juniorhurler

TEAT SQUEEZER wrote: »

is it possible to get aa embryos put into dairy cows.
are they sexed if available?
who does it if so, aa society , ai companies ?
any info please......

Yes.

Not sexed.
Contact the aa society to get a list of breeders selling eggs. The breeder will sell you frozen eggs which will be in his technicians tank or he will give you a date to have heifers prepped to be at the technicians yard to have a fresh egg implanted. Hope this helps.

Fox1993

I'm looking into the option of going down the flushing and embryo transfer route as a way to establish pedigree holistein freisan herd.

I milk 70 mainly freisan cows at the moment but I'm looking at ways to improve my herds performance. I will be hopefully purchasing some top class pedigree Holstein freisans in the near future maybe just one to start with. I will then flush this cow and transfer the eggs to my maiden hiefers.

I'm just wondering does anyone have any experience with this. Any tips would be great... Costs etc.

Kovu

Hi Fox1993 & welcome to boards.

Please don't resurrect old threads like this. As you can see it's been three years since this was last posted in.

Instead, I'll move one of your posts to begin a new thread where you'd be more likely to get up to date information.