• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.84-88
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• 2023

Because multiple ovulation embryo transfer (MOET) in cattle includes several benefits such as wide spreading of genetically superior offspring for long distance, this biotechnological method has been widely applied to Hanwoo. When the recipients are not stayed close after embryo recovery from donor, the embryos are moved to other farms via several vehicles (car, train, and airplane). However, air travel induces lesser oxygen level, increased vibration, lower air pressure, higher noise, and increased exposure of cosmic radiation to living things than ground level. It was still unknown that fresh embryos obtained from multiple ovulation of Hanwoo could maintain their fertility after being transported via air plane, the present case report introduced a clinical case of MOET in Hanwoo after shipping fresh embryos via air transportation. The donor was multi-ovulated via follicle-stimulating hormone series of injection, which was followed by a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone injection and artificial insemination twice. The embryos were recovered by the uterine flushing, packed in ministraws, transported to recipients for 6 h including 1 h air flight, and then transferred to the synchronized recipients. During pregnancy diagnosis of early gestation period, 5 of 7 recipients (71.4%) presented no heat signs and showed fetal sacs with fluid under transrectal ultrasonography. After normal gestation period, all recipients naturally delivered healthy calves (male n = 2 and female n = 3) without abortion, stillbirth, and premature birth. The present case report indicated that transportation of fresh embryos for MOET via domestic flight in Korea did not affect to their fertility.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2000

The objective of this study was to apply the multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) program practically in dairy herds. Forty five superior Holstein cows ranked in 5% according to Type-Production Index(TPI) in Korea were selected as donors. The donors were superovulated with pFSH and the embryos collected from donors were frozen and preserved. The preserved embryos and frozen Holstein embryo imported from foreign country were thawed and transferred to recipients. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The total number of ova and freezable embryos collected per donor was 6.5 and 2.8, respectively. 2. The freezable embryos were obtained more(p<0.05) when the body condition score (BCS) of donors was in range of 2.50∼3.25(4.1) than in range of 3.50∼4.00(1.9), while the total number of ova was not changed. 3. The season affected on the collected number of freezable embryos(6.1 in winter, 4.5 in fall, 1.1∼1.5 in spring and summer, P<0.05), and the total number of obtained ova were more in winter than in other seasons(P<0.05). 4. Embryos were transferred to 343 recipients and 152 cows were confirmed pregnant(44.3%). 5. The higher pregnancy was obtained (P<0.05) when embryos were transferred in summer(53.3%) than in fall(36.0%), while the pregnancy rate was not affected by the origin and developmental stage of embryos, and the parity, BCS and estrus induction of recipients. From these results, the pregnancy rate was considered to be acceptable for the embryo transfer with domestic or imported Holstein embryos, however embryo production from superior Holstein donors was unsatisfactory for application of MOET scheme.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2013

The recent development in genetic assisted selection (combining traditional- and genome assisted selection method) and reproduction technologies will allow multiplying elite cow in Hanwoo small farm. This review describes the new context and corresponding needs for genome assisted selection schemes and how reproductive technologies can be incorporated to get more genetic gain for cow genetic improvement in Hanwoo. New improved massive phenotypes and pedigree information are being generated from commercial farm sector and these are allowing to do genetic evaluation using BLUP to get elite cows in Korea. Moreover cattle genome information can now be incorporated into breeding program. In this context, this review will discuss about combining the reproductive techniques (Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer; MOET) and genome assisted selection method to get more genetic gain in Hanwoo breeding program. Finally, how these technologies can be used for multiplication of elite cow in small farm was discussed.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 1995

Genetic changes from improving female's reproductive rate through in vitro fertilization of large number of oocytes were studied. The breeding scheme employed was multiple ovulation and embryo transfer of juveniles and adults. Both balanced and unbalanced matings were examined for the four closed progeny population sizes, 10$^3$, 10$^4$, 105, 106. In balanced matings, all selected sires and dams were mated to each other(cross-classified mating) while unbalanced matings allowed selected dams and sires mated partially, eg. unbalanced matings allowed averages of .5 and .25 progeny per each mating. Various numbers of selected sires and dams were also examined in both balanced and unbalanced matings. In all mating schemes, selection of males and females was restricted to he one from each fullsib family to reduce the rate of inbreeding. The model calculations were deterministic and accounted for the effects of selection and inbreeding on loss of the genetic variation in succeeding generations. Balanced rectangular mating schemes, where more donors were selected than sires, resulted in larger selection responses than balanced square mating schemes, where equal numbers of sires and donors were selected, and unbalanced rectangular mating. The first round selection responses from the balanced rectangular matings of juvenile MOET, eg. number of progeny per mating equals 2 with 10 sires selected, were 1.192, 1.406, 1.580 and 1.735 times larger than the first round selection responses from the balanced square mating schemes for the given four progeny population sizes, 10$^3$, 10$^4$, 105 and 106, respectively. Similar results were obtained in adult MOET breeding schemes. However, balanced square matings gave greater selection responses than the unbalanced rectangular matings.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.944-948
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• 2002

The aim of this study was to estimate heritability and repeatability for the number of embryos and transferable embryos collected per flush in Holstein population in Hokkaido, Japan. Data consisted of 306 MOET (Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer) treatments on 224 Holstein cows from 1997 to 2000. Variance components for these traits were estimated using the REML procedure. The model included only non-genetic factors that were significant at the 0.05 level, through using generalized linear models, maximum likelihood methods, and stepwise regression procedure as fixed effects and sire and residual for heritabilities, donor and residual for repeatabilities as random effects. The factor identified as important in determining the results was the donor''s estrous condition after superovulation. Heritabilities for the number of embryos and transferable embryos collected per flush were 0.14 and 0.09, respectively. The corresponding repeatabilities were 0.43 and 0.32, respectively. These results show that it was difficult to genetically improve these traits, thus, environmental and physical factors affecting the donor must be improved. These results also show that it is necessary to take the donor''s estrous condition after superovulation and repeatabilities for the number of embryos and transferable embryos collected per flush into account when the genetic gains and inbreeding rates for MOET breeding schemes are predicted by a computer simulation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.8_spc
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• pp.1284-1295
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• 2019

Considerable progress in reproduction of dairy goats has been made, with advances in reproductive technology accelerating dairy goat production since the 1980s. Reproduction in goats is described as seasonal. The onset and length of the breeding season is dependent on various factors such as breed, climate, physiological stage, male effect, breeding system, and photoperiod. The reproductive physiology of goats was investigated extensively, including hypothalamic and pituitary control of the ovary related to estrus behavior and cyclicity etc. Photoperiodic treatments coupled with the male effect allow hormone-free synchronization of ovulation, but the kidding rate is still less than for hormonal treatments. Different protocols have been developed to meet the needs and expectations of producers; dairy industries are subject to growing demands for year round production. Hormonal treatments for synchronization of estrus and ovulation in combination with artificial insemination (AI) or natural mating facilitate out-of-season breeding and the grouping of the kidding period. The AI with fresh or frozen semen has been increasingly adopted in the intensive production system, this is perhaps the most powerful tool that reproductive physiologists and geneticists have provided the dairy goat industry with for improving reproductive efficiency, genetic progress and genetic materials transportation. One of the most exciting developments in the reproduction of dairy animals is embryo transfer (ET), the so-called second generation reproductive biotechnology following AI. Multiple ovulation and ET (MOET) program in dairy goats combining with estrus synchronization (ES) and AI significantly increase annual genetic improvement by decreasing the generation interval. Based on the advances in reproduction technologies that have been utilized through experiments and investigation, this review will focus on the application of these technologies and how they can be used to promote the dairy goat research and industry development in the future.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to supply excellent genetic resources to livestock farms by transferring embryos produced by genetically superior Korean cows (Hanwoo). Eighty Hanwoo donors were superovulated with gonadotropin ($Folltrpin^(R)\;or\;Antorin^(R)$) for 4 days combined with or without progesterone releasing intravaginal device (CIDR) insertion. The collected fresh or frozen-thawed embryos were transferred to 226 farm recipients. In this study, the effect of CIDR insertion in combination with gonadotropin ($Folltrpin^(R)$) treatments initiated at the random stage of estrous cycle on embryo production was evaluated and compared to conventional superovulation protocol. Moreover, the effect of gonadotropin ($Antorin^(R)$) dose in CIDR-treated Hanwoo donors on the embryo yield was determined. In addition, the effects of embryos (fresh vs. frozen-thawed), embryo transfer person, seasons and farms on the pregnancy rate were evaluated. In Hanwoo donors, CIDR insertion in combination with $Folltrpin^(R)$ treatments regardless of estrous detection resulted in increased numbers of total ova (6.5 vs. 5.8) and transferable embryos (3.9 vs. 3.2) compared to the conventional superovulation protocol (p<0.01). In CIDR-treated Hanwoo donors, the higher dose of $Antorin^(R)$ (36 vs. 28 mg) resulted in the increased number of transferable embryos (8.3 vs. 5.4, p<0.05). The embryos (fresh 43.9% vs. frozen-thawed 23.1%) and embryo transfer person (53.9 vs. $0{\sim}16.7%$) significantly affected the pregnancy rate after embryo transfer (p<0.01). These results suggest that CIDR-based superovulation protocol may be effectively used for production of superior Hanwoo embryos and, multiple ovulation and embryo transfer in Hanwoo might be effectively applied for livestock improvement if pregmancy rate with frozen-thawed embryos and embryo transfer skill would be improved.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2009

Multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) has the potential to increase the rates of genetic improvement in cattle. Thus this study was performed to investigate several factors influencing in vivo embryo production in Holstein cattle under field conditions. The donors were superovulated with Folltropin-V and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ combination method. From Day 10 onward, donors were superovulated by i.m., twice daily, administration of 400mg Folltropin-V given in a series of decreasing doses over a 4-day period: on the first day, 3.5ml; on the second day, 3.0ml; on the third day, 2.0ml; and on the fourth day, 1.5ml (20ml in total, equivalent to 400mg of NIH-FSH-P1). Estrus was induced by i.m. administration of 25mg prostaglandin $F_2{\alpha}$ on the sixth and seventh of FSH treatment. Estrus detection was performed twice daily beginning 24h after the first prostaglandin $F_2{\alpha}$ injection. Donor cows were artificially inseminated 12 and 24 h after first standing estrus with semen from a proven Holstein sire. Embryos used in this study were recovered Day 7.5 of the cycle (Day 0: first standing estrus). From 195 superovulated dairy cows, 2,104 eggs were recovered, of which 1,172 were classified as transferable embryos based on morphological evaluation of quality. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The numbers of recovered and transferable embryos did not significantly differ among the capacity of milk production that were < 10,000kg/305days (group 1), $10,000{\sim}12,000\;kg$/305days (group 2) or > 12,000kg/305 days (group 3) (p>0.05, Table 1). 2. No differences in the numbers of recovered and transferable embryos were found among the donor's postparient days (p>0.05, Table 2). 3. Also, the numbers of recovered and transferable embryos of each superovulation seasons did not significantly differ among the four groups (p>0.05, Table 3).