Comparison of two semen extenders in terms of in vitro development of bovine embryos following IVF.

In order to conform with current EC standards with regard to antibiotic cover, the Norwegian Cattle Association is currently investigating the use of Biladyl as an alternative to the milk-based extender which has been traditionally used in Norway. A study was carried out to investigate the effect of using semen frozen with either milk extender or Biladyl on the outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo culture. Semen from 6 Norwegian Red bulls was used. There was a significant difference p < 0.05 in terms of cleavage rate between the 2 extenders for 1 bull, 78.2% vs 94.9% for milk and Biladyl extenders, respectively, and for the overall total of 71.3% vs 76.1% for milk and Biladyl extenders, respectively. There were no significant differences in terms of blastocyst yield amongst any of the bulls. In conclusion, the results suggest that Biladyl can be used as a replacement for the traditional milk-based extender without any adverse effects on blastocyst yields following in vitro fertilization.