Embryo flushing is a means of artificial insemination (AI) used on farms to inseminate cattle and other livestock. Embryo flushing is different from traditional AI in that it involves a donor cow, a bull and a recipient cow, rather than only a recipient cow and bull as in AI. Prof Tom Troxel, head of the department of animal science at the University of Arkansas in the US, explains that embryo transfer is the process of removing one or more embryos from the reproductive tract of a donor female and transferring them to one or more recipient female animals.
“Embryos also can be produced in the laboratory via techniques such as in vitro fertilisation or somatic cell cloning.
“But the actual transfer of an embryo is only one step in a series of processes that may include some or all of the following: superovulation and insemination of donors, collection of embryos, isolation, evaluation and short-term storage of embryos, micromanipulatio and genetic testing of embryos, freezing of embryos and embryo transfer,” Troxel says.
He explains that embryo transfer in cattle has become considerably popular with dairy and beef producers over the past decade. “Most of the applicable embryo transfer technology was developed in the 1970s and 1980s, [but] the history of the concept goes back much further.”
According to Troxel, Walter Heape was the first to perform an embryo transfer in 1890, when he transferred the embryos of two Angora rabbits into a gestating Belgian rabbit.
“The Belgian doe produced a mixed litter of Belgian and Angora bunnies,” he says.
Denne historien er fra September 22, 2023-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra September 22, 2023-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
