Use of recombinant gonadotropins in goat MOET programs

This study evaluated in vivo embryo production in goats superovulated with recombinant bovine FSH (rbFSH) combined with recombinant eCG (reCG) compared with a conventional six-dose porcine FSH (pFSH) protocol. Twenty-one multiparous dairy goats were randomly assigned to two groups. All animals received an intravaginal progesterone (P4) device for six days. Superovulatory treatments started 60 h before P4 removal. The G-pFSH group (n = 10) received 333 IU pFSH in six decreasing doses at 12-h intervals, whereas the G-rbFSH + reCG group (n = 11) received a single 100 µg rbFSH injection and 70 IU reCG at 60 and 24 h before device removal, respectively. Goats were naturally mated during estrus, and non-surgical embryo recovery (NSER) was performed seven days after estrus onset. All females exhibited signs of estrus. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed in estrus response, ovulatory response, or embryo production. Mean estrus duration was 37.2 ± 3.3 h in G-pFSH and 32.7 ± 4.3 h in G-rbFSH + reCG. All females were successfully subjected to NSER, and structure recovery rates were 58.9 ± 11.0% and 52.5 ± 12.4% for G-pFSH and G-rbFSH + reCG, respectively. The mean number of corpora lutea was 15.5 ± 2.0 and 13.5 ± 1.6, and the number of viable embryos was 6.6 ± 2.1 and 4.5 ± 1.3 in G-pFSH and G-rbFSH + reCG, respectively. In conclusion, a simplified two-injection superovulation protocol using rbFSH combined with reCG was as effective as the conventional six-dose pFSH regimen in promoting superovulatory response and supporting in vivo embryo production in goats.