ET, OPU, ICSI? Holstein association invites to a interactive meeting
(Elmshorn) Everything for breeding progress? Breaking new ground, relying on current scientific knowledge and trusting modern breeding methods carried out by experienced veterinarians - these have proven to be elementary building blocks for constant breeding progress in the past, in addition to strict selection of the horses used in breeding. But at which points ethical limits could be crossed with all these possibilities will always have to be discussed in detail within the breeding community and with the associations. The Holsteiner Verband Hengsthaltungs GmbH therefore invites you to an interactive information event on the topics of embryo transfer (ET), ovum pick-up (OPU) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) on Monday, December 6, at 7 pm. Several lectures followed by a panel discussion will take place both in attendance in the foyer of the Fritz Thiedemann Hall in Elmshorn, Germany, and via livestream on the website www.holsteiner-verband.de.
What are breeding methods all about? Embryo transfer is already a fairly common method: a few days after insemination of a donor mare, the embryo is flushed out and transferred to a carrier mare, which takes over both gestation and rearing. In OPU, oocytes are collected directly from the follicles on the ovaries by transvaginal puncture under ultrasound guidance. The goal is to aspirate the follicular fluid with the contained egg. The retrieved oocytes are searched for under a microscope under strict hygiene rules, washed and then matured in an incubator. When the egg is ready for fertilization, a single sperm is injected directly into the egg via the ICSI procedure using a very fine needle. The fertilized egg then matures again in the incubator for several days before the resulting embryo can be transferred to a recipient mare or frozen for transport or storage. These methods allow the breeding use of sport mares or other mares with very high genetic potential that cannot otherwise be used in breeding, as well as stallions from which there are (still) few sperm available.
Due to the current Corona developments and the resulting limited seating capacity, registration for the face-to-face event will be reserved exclusively for members of the Association of Breeders of the Holstein Horse. This must be done online by November 30, stating the membership number. But nobody has to renounce the participation: Who is interested in the topic, can follow via Livestream the lectures and ask in a chat function also questions. Speakers include Jannie Spanner from VetEmbryo in Denmark and Michaela Kölling from Vet Art in Dägeling. The pros and cons of embryo transfer as well as the OPU and ICSI methods will be discussed by other invited experts, and breeders already experienced in carrying out the methods will also have their say.
Registration will take place online at www.holsteiner-verband.de, further information will be published soon. When registering, the regulations for the containment of the Corona virus of the current state regulation of Schleswig-Holstein must be observed.
