Current trends and developments in the use of assisted reproductive technology and its application in the Philippine livestock improvement program-A review

Abstract

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a biotechnological tool used to achieve pregnancy in procedures such as artificial insemination, multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET), in vitro maturation and fertilization (IVM/IVF), ovum pick up (OPU), cryopreservation, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), sperm sexing, interspecies hybridization, transgenesis, and cloning. The successful use of ART and the different concerns associated with its application in humans have been extensively considered. Similarly, the application of ART in livestock production in developed countries has resulted in improved income and productivity. The Philippines, being a developing country, has to rely mainly on agriculture production to meet the increasing food demand of its 100 million population. To address food sufficiency and security concerns, the government has embraced the current biotechnological trend in food production, which includes research and development of ART to make it available in the livestock industry. The application of ART in the local livestock genetic improvement program could gradually speed up traditional and timeconsuming breeding programs that will produce desired superior breeds in a shorter period with more reliable and promising outcomes. This paper reviews the current trends and developments in the use of ART and its application in the local livestock improvement program.