Superovulation and recovery of zygotes from Nubian and Alpine dairy goats.

Thirty-five purebred dairy goats (18 Alpines and 17 Nubians) were subjected to a superovulating hormone program consisting of an 11-d 6alpha-methyl-17alpha-acetoxy-progesterone; (MAP; 60 mg) intravaginal sponge treatment; 125 ug i.m. injections of the prostaglandin F(2alpha) analogue cloprostenol on d 1 and 9 of vaginal sponge treatment; and a 3-d, twice-a-day injection of 2.5 mg of pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (FSH-P) i.m. starting at day 9. Vaginal sponges were pulled the morning of day 11 at the time of the fifth FSH-P injection. Of 40 initiated superovulatory cycles, 33 does (10 Alpines and 23 Nubians) responded with an average of 17.7 (range 1 to 29) ovulations. There was no significant difference between the breeds with respect to corpora lutea (CLs) plus follicles ovarian response. A significantly greater (P< 0.05) number of Nubian does were in estrus and mated by 36 h after MAP sponge removal. All does that responded to treatment had done so within 72 h of sponge removal. Of the seven (17.5%) does that showed no estrous response to hormone treatment, six were Alpines (P < 0.01). Six goats (two Alpines and four Nubians) were subjected to a second hormone treatment cycle after a 45-d rest. Five of six does responded to a second hormone treatment cycle with four of five responding with a lower total ovarian response. The interval from sponge removal to mating did not affect the stage or quality of eggs harvested. Rather, the interval from mating to surgical flushing determined the stage of egg development. All animals examined from 24 to 32 h after initial mating had not ovulated. By 50 h, 20 of 22 does had ovulated. A total of 242 ovulated eggs (63%) was harvested, of which 199 (82%) were fertilized. Day 7 flushings yielded 36 eggs (67%), of which 28 (78%) were fertilized. This rate of superovulation, fertilization, and embryo recovery lends credibility to this technique in its ultimate objective of rapidly increasing the number of offspring from superior animals.