ABSTRACT
The technique of laparoscopic oocyte aspiration has been increasingly used in animals; however, there are few records of its use in buffaloes. To describe this technique, six suckling Murrah buffaloes aged between 3 and 5 months were used. Three laparoscopic ovum pick-ups were performed in each animal, with intervals of 15 days between surgeries, completing a total of 18 procedures. The technique used three surgical ports with optics and a high-definition video camera. The introduction of the first portal and insufflation of the abdomen was performed through the open technique, with aspiration using a 20 G needle transabdominally and a vacuum pump calibrated at 50 mmHg. The mean complete surgical time from anesthesia to the removal of the animal from the litter was 49 ± 9.8 min. There were 27.8% cases of insufflation on the wrong side of the omentum. The oocyte recovery rate of 60.3% remained within the normal range. However, the rate of viable oocytes recovered was low, with only 40.8% of those recovered undergoing in vitro embryo production (IVEP). These data demonstrate that this simple, minimally invasive technique is an excellent reproductive tool for the genetic improvement of buffalo species.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of the administration of subconjunctival 1% atropine (SA), topical 1% atropine (A), 0.5% tropicamide (T), 1% homatropine (H), 10% phenylephrine (P), and 2% ibopamine (I) on intraocular pressure (IOP), pupil diameter (PD), ruminal motility (RM) and intestinal motility (IM) in sheep. ANIMAL STUDIED: Ten spayed ewes of Santa Inês breed. PROCEDURES: Six experiments were performed separately at 1-week intervals. One eye was randomly selected and received one drop of A, T, H, P, I, or subconjunctival injection of atropine at 8 a.m. On the following days, IOP and PD were evaluated every 8 h until the pupil returned to its normal diameter. Ruminal motility and intestinal motility were evaluated only within the first 13 h. RESULTS: The IOP did not change significantly in the treated eyes compared with the control eyes and baseline at any time point (P > 0.05). A longer-lasting pupil dilation was observed after the administration of A (96 h), SA (79 h), H (24 h), and T (24 h). Within the first 30 min after treatment, RM and IM decreased, by 78% and 82% (H), 76% and 86% (SA), 46% and 58% (A), and 62% and 70% (T) (P < 0.001), respectively, with a tendency to return to baseline values following 13 h of drug administration. Both 10% phenylephrine and 2% ibopamine did not have any effect on the parameters evaluated (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Topical and subconjunctival 1% atropine, 0.5% tropicamide, and 1% homatropine significantly reduced RM and IM, and induced pupil dilation but did not change IOP in eyes of healthy sheep. The sympathomimetics phenylephrine (10%) and ibopamine (2%) did not change the parameters evaluated.
