Effect of Culture Medium on in vitro Fertilization in Local Iraqi Ewes

in vitro fertilization (IVF) is considered to be the most important reproductive biotechnological method having great potential to accelerate genetic improvement in ruminants as well as for research on embryonic development. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of culture medium and the addition of natural and synthetic antioxidants on in vitro maturation (IVM), fertilization (IVF), and culture (IVC) in local Iraqi ewes. A total of 304 reproductive systems of local ewes were collected from a slaughterhouse in Fallujah, Anbar Province, Iraq from 3, January to 1, July 2021. The study was conducted in the Reproductive Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Surgery and Theriogenology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Fallujah, Iraq. A total of 1368 oocytes were recovered from 608 ovaries surrounded by cumulus cells. The method of collection was aspiration and oocytes were divided into eight treatments. The first (T1), the second (T2), the third (T3), the fourth (T4), the fifth (T5), the sixth (T6), the seventh (T7), and the eighth (T8) treatments were MEM + Capparis spinosa extract 50µmol, MEM + Silymarin extract 100µmol, MEM + Coenzyme Q10 5 µmol, MEM only serves as a control, DMEM + Capparis spinosa extract 50 µmol, DMEM + Silymarin extract 100µmol, DMEM + Coenzyme Q10 5µmol and DMEM only serves as a control, respectively. The results indicated a significant difference (P≤0.05) between T5 (DMEM + Capparis spinosa extract) and other controls or treatments. Cultural medium DMEM with Capparis spinosa extract (as an antioxidant) presents the best results in the morula and blastocyst stage.