Superovulatory responses and embryo recovery in germplasm conservation of semi wild Toda buffaloes of Nilgiris

Abstract

As a breed conservation measure in Toda buffaloes, a unique, ferocious, semi wild breed of Nilgiris district of Tamilnadu, whose population is dwindling over the years, an attempt has been made towards the collection and cryopreservation of embryos. Toda buffalo cows (10) and Toda bulls (3) used for the study were representative samples of the breed sourced from Toda hamlets in the breeding tract and maintained under organized farm conditions. The response for superovulation was 93.33% (28/30) and 82.14% (23/28) of the animals were flushed. A total of 39 embryos were recovered, of this 26 viable embryos were cryopreserved. The viable embryo recovery rate per animal flushed was 1.13. buffaloes administered with 400 mg of FSH responded higher than those administered with 600 mg. Buffaloes with bigger superovulatory corpus luteum (SOV CL) had significantly higher ovulation rate (3.50 ± 0.26) and viable embryo recovery (1.46 ± 0.49) than animals with medium or small SOV CL. The viable embryo recovery rate was higher on 10th day SOV (1.35 ± 0.36) than on 9th day (0.75 ± 0.75) of starting of FSH treatment. Donors in standing estrum yielded a significantly higher number of total embryos (2.00 ± 0.41 vs 0.60 ± 0.30) and viable embryos (1.33 ± 0.36 vs 0.40 ± 0.40) than the donors with non standing estrum.