Superovulation in llamas (Lama glama) with pFSH and equine chorionic gonadotrophin used individually or in combination.

摘要

16 adult llamas (average weight 130 kg) that had been showing signs of oestrus for 5 days were randomly allocated to 4 groups. Group 1 received 500 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) daily for 3 days, group 2 received a total of 220 mg pig FSH,in decreasing doses every 12 h for 5 days, group 3 received 500 IU eCG once and a total of 156 mg pig FSH in decreasing doses for the next 4 days, and group 4 (controls) received saline every 12 h for 5 days. All llamas were mated on the evening of day 5and were given 750 IU HCG at that time; a 2nd mating was carried out 12 h later. Ova/embryos were collected 7 days after the 1st mating and the ovarian response was evaluated by laparoscopy. All 16 llamas mated successfully. The mean number of ovulations in group 2 was higher (P<0.05) than in the other groups (7.3±3.1 vs. 1.5±0.5, 2.0±0.7, and 0.3±0.3 for groups 2, 1, 3 and 4 respectively). The number of follicles >10 mm at the time of ova/embryo collection was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the groups treated with eCG. A total of 21 ova/embryos were recovered from the llamas, corresponding to 47.7% of corpora lutea observed. 15 ova were fertilized, 2 of which were dead or degenerating.