PIGLETS BORN AFTER TRANSCERVICAL TRANSFER OF EMBRYOS INTO RECIPIENT GILTS

A method is described for the non-surgical transfer of embryos in pigs. Embryos at the 8-cell to the hatched blastocyst stage, recovered on days 4 to 7 of the oestrous cycle by flushing the oviducts and uteri of superovulated donors, were transferred transcervically into the uterine body of anaesthetised recipient gilts using a sterile disposable plastic spiral catheter and an embryo transfer cannula. Fifty-eight non-surgical transfers have been performed and six pregnancies were established. Eight and three normal fetuses were recovered from two recipients slaughtered between 35 and 45 days after embryo transfer. Three recipients came to term and gave birth to litters of two, six and seven living piglets. One recipient aborted between 45 and 60 days of gestation.