Instrumental recovery of bovine eggs

The basis for a more general and practicable application of egg transplantation in the livestock industry is the development of a reliable instrumental (non-surgical) technique for recovery and transfer of eggs. Since the beginning of 1976 an instrument and technique developed by the author for instrumental recovery of bovine six to eight days old eggs has been applied under Danish farm conditions in cows as well as in heifers. After experimental testing of several possible systems an instrument was constructed which principially differed from existing devices by enclosing a balloon catheter in a metal tube in order to facilitate a safe insertion of the instrument through the cervical canal of the donor animal. This was considered important for the practical application of the technique under farm conditions and also for the introduction of future operators to this technique. Next a safe flushing system which would allow the same intake of flushing medium to be recovered without damaging the endometrium was considered essential, and accomplished by stabilizing the tip of the catheter with a stylet and coil spring before the insertion. Field experience with the instrument has shown that instrumental recovery of bovine eggs by using this technique can be accomplished on the farms themselves without causing any difficulties in donor animals following flushing for eggs.