DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY GYNAECOLOGY & OBSTETRICS

Salient Achievements:

Embryo Biotechnology

1. The Department is pioneer in initiating embryo transfer work in rabbit and goat in the year 1976.
2. Initial trial of surgical transfer of goat embryos revealed 63.50% embryo survival. Goat embryos were also frozen using 2.00 MDMSO.
3. Super-ovulation studies were performed in buffalo using PMSG.
4. Super-ovulation, non-surgical embryo collection and non-surgical embryo transfers were performed for standardization of various aspects of embryo transfer technology including pregnancy rate in Sahiwal and Crossbred cows. Several Sahiwal and Crossbred calves, including seven calves from one cow, were produced.
5. Research trials were conducted to study effect of various gonadotropins and endocrine profile during superovulatory estrus to improve superovulatory response and embryo recovery. The mean total and viable embryo recovery of upto 5.25 and 1.80 per flushing, respectively was achieved. In Sahiwal cows, the mean ovulation rate, total and viable embryo recovery was observed to the 9.76, 3.52 and 1.67, respectively.
6. The mean pregnancy rate on transfer of fresh and frozen embryos was 23.80 and 36.40%, respectively. The improved conception was observed with GnRH treatment to recipients on day 5 and also with transfer of fresh embryos of excellent grade (upto 76.90% conception).
7. Extensive studies ware made to study in-vitro maturation (IVM) and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) of oocytes, in vitro capacitation of sperm, and in-vitro culture (IVC) of embryos using various media and co-culture systems to study the media requirement for oocytes/embryos of different stages. Immature oocytes were also vitrified successfully using different cryo-protective agents.
8. The technique of biweekly collection of ultrasound guided trans-vaginal oocyte aspiration (ovum pick-up) in Sahiwal cows has been established and embryos are being produced using IVM/IVF and IVC technology.

Semen Biotechnology
Extensive studies were undertaken in the area of Andrology, Artificial Insemination and Semenology including qualitative and quantitative aspects.

1. Studies on Semenology aspects of Crossbred bulls of different breed/genetic Friesian are not good producers, especially when the exotic inheritance increased more than constitution revealed that Crossbred bulls having exotic inheritance of Red Dane and Holstein-62.50%. Crossbred bulls with 50.00% exotic inheritance were better. There was non-significant effect of seasons on semen production potential of these bulls.
2. Different modifications of egg yolk tris dilutor (EYT) were successfully developed to cryopreserve cattle and buffalo semen. Foetal calf serum (10.00%), caffeine (1.00mM), insulin (10.00µg/ml) and ascorbic acid (45.00µM) singly and/or in various combinations were found suitable additives to EYT for cryopreservation of bovine and bubaline semen.
3. The antioxidant n-propyl gallate (15.00µM), stimulants-caffeine (1.00mM) and Bradykinin (2.00ng/ ml) and membrane stabilizer Demecolcin (0.50µg/ml) had significant beneficial effect on buffalo semen cryopreservation and had better in-vitro fertility. Use of buffalo semen frozen in modified dilutor (Tris + 15.00µM n-propyl gallate + 1.00mM caffeine + 0.50 µg/ ml Demecolcin) under field conditions, revealed 52.00% conception (n=75) compared to 45.00% conception (n=119) using control (Tris) dilutor.
4. During investigation into bacterial load of semen and suitable antibiotic, it was concluded that streptomycin (800.00µg per ml) and penicillin (800.00 IU per ml) was the minimum effective dose to reduce the bacterial load to permissible level in frozen semen of cattle and buffalo. Minimum and maximum dose of amikacin for bovine frozen semen was 100.00 and 2500.00 µg/ml. Corresponding values for buffalo were 250.00 and 2000.00 µg/ml. December witnessed minimum bacterial load in cattle and buffalo semen ejaculate, while maximum one was in August.
5. FMD vaccination of cattle and buffalo bulls, adversely affected the semen quality, which returned to normal in 60-75 days.

Fertility-infertility

1. While studying different aspects of female fertility, it was found that proteins and sialic acid in estrual mucus of Crossbred and Sahiwal cows and Murrah buffaloes were higher in normal animals than in repeat breeders and they were responsible for higher conception rate. However, progesterone level differed non-significantly between normal and repeat breeding animals.
2. Incidence of retained placenta was the highest in cattle during winter followed by metritis and dystokia. However, metritis was witnessed maximum in buffaloes followed by RP, dystokia and vaginal prolapse. Overall incidences of reproductive disorders were maximum (45-89.00%) in rainy season. Studies on caesarotomy in dystokia cases revealed that most of operated cows and buffaloes attained normal health status in 168 hrs.
3. Emetic nuts were found significantly (P<0.01) effective remedy to treat anestrus, as 88.80% of the treated cows exhibited estrus as compared to only 15.00% in control.
4. Different drugs were tested to select suitable therapeutic package to treat anestrum in buffaloes. The overall recovery rate with Receptal treatment was 85.71% at Livestock ResearchCenter of the University and 50.00% in field buffaloes compared to 0.00 and 12.50% recovery in control groups, respectively. The overall recovery with Crestar treatment on anoestrous buffaloes was 62.50% in L.R.C. buffaloes and 87.50% in field buffaloes compared to 2.50% recovery in control groups both in L.R.C. and field buffaloes. The anoestrous recovery in field buffaloes ranged from 75.00% to 87.50% with CIDR treatment. The CIDR treatment was found to be the most suitable.

Selected Research Publications

Dr. Shiv Prasad, Professor & Head