Evaluation of the temperature curve of equine embryo transport packaging systems under thermal stress

• Grant number: 23/02426-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Fernanda Saules Ignácio
• Grantee: Karina Resende Assoni
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Equine farming increasingly seeks the efficiency of its processes, since it has delimited breeding stations to establish itself within the economy. Thus, studies on the embryo transport technique are more than necessary to help improve the transfer of equine embryos in the field. Thus, the present project seeks to trace the temperature curve of an embryo transport system in isothermal boxes (Botuflex, Botupharma) maintained at different temperatures, in order to understand its impact on the quality of the transported embryo, based on the understanding of its early development; and thus, assist in the application of better transport conditions to be implemented. Fifteen crossbred mares will be used to collect the embryos, which will be divided into four groups, following the different transport simulation conditions: [Group 15°C (n=7)], [Group 32ºC (n=7)], [Group 15ºC with thermal stress (ET) (n=7)] and [Group 32ºC-ET (n=7)]. The temperature assessment will be monitored every 2 hours in the first 6 hours to control the cooling curve and every 6 hours to evaluate temperature maintenance (M0, M2, M4, M6, M12, M18 and M24); the reassessment of the diameter and degree of morphological quality of the embryo will be carried out after 24 hours of conditioning.