A Split-Double Intramuscular Administration of Folltropin®-V With Hyaluronan - A New Approach to Superovulation for Embryo Flushing in Ewes

Traditional superovulatory protocols in ewes consist of twice daily IM injections of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) for four days. Although this is an efficient method, the use of a simple regimen with minimum number of treatments is desirable from the labor and animal welfare perspectives. Folltropin®-V is the common FSH preparation used for superovulation. One of the ways the number of Folltropin®-V treatments can be reduced is by diluting the agent in a slow-release hyaluronan-based formulation (MAP®-5; Bioniche Animal Health, Bogart, GA). This model has been developed and successfully used in beef cattle. In December 2013 an experiment was conducted using Dorset-based whiteface cross ewes with an average age of four years. The ewes were placed on pasture, fed grain diets, and offered free choice mineral during the study. The ewes were selected randomly and separated into two groups. Group I (Control; n=9) ewes received the traditional treatment (252 mg) shown in the table while Group II (hyaluronan; n=8) ewes received the two dose treatment of Folltropin®-V diluted in MAP5 (168 mg and 84 mg, respectively, 48 hours apart) on days 12 and 14. Ewes were inseminated via laparoscopic intrauterine insemination and surgicallyflushed for embryo recovery. The total number of corpora lutea and embryos were determined. Embryos were classified using the International Embryo Transfer Society evaluation standards. For both Groups the average number of corpora lutea and the number of fertilized embryos were 8 and 7 respectively. The parameters evaluated between the Groups were not different (P > 0.05). The findings suggest that the superovulatory response and the quality of embryos were similar in multiple Folltropin®-V and a split-double intramuscular administration of Folltropin®-V with hyaluronan treatments. The findings merit further evaluation with a larger sample size.  […]