Superovulatory response of river bufalo (Bubalus bubalis ).

The ovarian response of 25 buffalo-cows was visually assessed, and their oviducts and uteri separately flushed 3 to 6 d post superovulatory estrus at slaughter. Ten buffalo-cows slaughtered on Days 5 and 6 were examined per rectum for corpora lutea (CL) and follicles > 8 mm prior to slaughter, and the estimate was compared later with the actual ovarian response. Five out of the ten buffalo-cows were nonsurgically flushed in vivo on Day 5 of the estrous cycle, a day before slaughtering, and as a result, six ova/embryos were recovered. After the flushing of the reproductive tract at slaughter, one more ovum was recovered from the uterus of each of the three buffalo-cows. As a result of treatment of three groups of five buffalo with 3000 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) on Days 6, 10 or 14 of the estrous cycle, 3.8, 6.2 and 3.4 CL on the average were recovered, respectively (Experiment I). A mean number of 8.8 and 9.0 CL, respectively, was obtained in two groups of five buffalo each, after treatment with 40 mg of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) on Day 10 of the stage of the estrous cycle (Experiment II) and 3000 IU PMSG regardless of the stage of cycle (Experiment III). The percentage of ova/embryos recovered in the three experiments was 32.8, 20.4 and 22.2, respectively.

Successful nonsurgical embryo transfer in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis ) in Bulgaria.

Forty-one Day 5.0 to Day 5.5 embryos and one unfertilized ovum were recovered nonsurgically from 24 superovulated, parous buffalo (Bubalus bubalis ) and transferred nonsurgically to 28 synchronized recipients by a team of Bulgarian and American scientists. Five pregnancies were established and four live buffalo calves were born at the end of normal gestation periods.

Studies on preimplantation development of buffalo embryos.

A total of 71 lactating and nonlactating buffalo-cows of the Murrah breed and F(1)-F(3) crossbreds of Murrah x Bulgarian buffalo were used for a year as donors of embryos after a preliminary treatment for superovulation induction with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) or follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in combination with prostaglandin F-2 alpha analog (PGF-2 alpha) according to general application procedures in cows. From 36 to 72 h following prostaglandin injection, the buffalo-cows were checked with the help of a teaser bull for detection of estrus. The animals in estrus were inseminated twice either naturally or artificially with frozen semen. Nonsurgical flushing of the uterine horns was done in 45 of the buffalo-cows between 108 and 162 h after the onset of estrus. After slaughter the uterine horns and oviducts of the other 26 animals were flushed separately between 74 and 108 h after the beginning of estrus. Seven late morulae and eight hatched blastocysts were recovered between 114 and 116 h from the onset of estrus as a result of nonsurgical flushing. All of the 40 embryos recovered after 117 h were in the hatched blastocyst stage. As a result of flushing the oviducts and the uterine horns of slaughtered donors between 74 and 100 h, eggs were obtained only from the oviducts, while flushing conducted between 102 and 108 yielded eggs from both the oviducts and the uterine horns.

[Transplantation of embryos in sheep breeding]. / Transplantatsiia na embrioni v ovtsevudstvoto.

Intra- and inter-breed transplantations were carried out with Bulgarian fresh embryos and with frozen embryos imported from Poland. A complex biotechnology was worked out, including methods of estrus synchronization, of inducing superovulation, and of producing, morphologic evaluation, storing, and transplantation of sheep embryos. Discussed are the possibilities of using embryo transplantation in sheep breeding for the fuller use of the reproductive potential of elite ewes as donors of embryos, for the introduction of new genotypes by means of importing frozen embryos as well as a modern model for fundamental investigations in the reproductive and cell biology.

[The exchange of animals in the form of embryos]. / Obmen na zhivotni pod forma na embrioni.

The results are given of transplantation work with cattle embryos from Czechoslovakia. The embryos were taken in the stage of morula or blastocyst, frozen and stored for one to ten months. Following thawing they were transplanted via surgical methods to local, estrus-synchronized recipient heifers at the Ruzhevo Konare village, Plovdiv district. A calf was born to each of six of the recipients, while two heifers that were inseminated seven days prior to transplantation yielded twins. It was considered to be the result of both the embryo-transplantation and the fertilization of own ova. Discussed are the opportunities and advantages of long-term storage and shipping of animals in the form of frozen embryos.

[Superovulation induction in buffalo cows (Bubalus bubalis) with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)]. / Predizvikvane na superovulatsiia pri bivolitsi (Bubalus bubalis) s folikulostimulirasht khormon (FSKh).

A total of 19 buffalo cows were used to induce superovulation following a pattern that included the use of FSH at the rate of 40 mg in the course of four days, applied twice a day and of Oestrophan at 48 hours after the beginning of treatment. Fifteen animals manifested estrus and were twice inseminated. The superovulation response of the ovaries was 4.3 +/- 0.8 yellow bodies and 0.5 +/- 0.24 follicles greater than 8 mm. A nonsurgical method was employed to obtain 24 embryos of high quality and an unfertilized ovum from 8 buffalo cows.

[Superovulation and the production of embryos in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Bulgaria]. / Prouchvane vurkhu superovulatsiiata i poluchavaneto na embrioni pri vodniia bivol (Bubalus bubalis) v Bulgariia.

A total of thirty water buffalo cows aged 3 to 8 years were treated for superovulation over the July-October period. Nine of the animals were injected with FSH at the rate of 40 mg at 12-hour intervals in the course of 4 consecutive days, and the remaining 21 animals were injected with 3,000 IU gestyl in the middle of the luteal phase. Forty-eight hours after stimulation started both groups were treated with 500 micrograms cloprostenol. Five out of the 9 buffalo cows (55.5 per cent) of group I and 15 out of 12 buffalo cows (71.4 per cent) of group II manifested estrus at an average interval of 44.4 +/- 3.6 and 40.5 +/- 3.29 hours, respectively, following the application of cloprostenol. The superovulatory treatment of the animals of the two groups led to average values of 5.6 +/- 1.89 and 4.0 +/- 0.98 corpora lutea and 1.0 +/- 0.63 and 2.7 +/- 1.41 follicules larger than 8 mm; 2.6 +/- 1.60 and 2.1 +/- 0.94 embryos of high quality were obtained through the use of a nonsurgical method of flushing.

[Possibilities of inducing superovulation and obtaining zygotes for transplantation in sheep]. / Prouchvaniia vurkhu vuzmozhnostite za predizvikane na superovulatsiia i poluchavane na zigoti za transplantatsiia pri ovtse.

The possibilities were explored of inducing superovulation and obtaining of zygotes from ewes of the Romanov and Tsigai breeds. The pattern used of inducing superovulation included stimulation with the serum gonadotropin preparation Gravohormone applied at the rates of 750 and 1000 IU, estrus synchronization with Estrumate (ICI, England), and ovulation with the use of the choriogonadotropin preparation Gonabion (Jenapharm, DDR). With Romanov sheep both doses of Gravohormone did not affect essentially the ovarian activity--3.4 and 3.7 ovulations were induced, whereupon a total of 5 (20%) and 10 (38%) ova were obtained from all groups of 7 animals each, 3, resp., 2 only of the zygotes being considered of high quality. With Tsigai sheep a differential ovarian response was induced--3.4 and 6.6 ovulations were produced, whereupon 5 (29%) and 15 (35%) ova were obtained, 2, resp., 7 of them being fertilized, but only 2 of the zygotes being considered fit for transplantation from the group treated with 750 IU of the preparation. No substantial differences were established in the blood plasma estradiol-17 beta and progesterone content and dynamics with the two groups of Romanov sheep treated for superovulation. Results showed that the low response of Romanov sheep, the insufficient fertilization of ova, and the low percent of zygotes capable for transplantation should be further discussed.

[Ultrastructural reactivity of the pulmonary alveoli under the influence of the aerosol use of gentamycin and tetracycline]. / Ultrastrukturna reaktivnost na belodrobnite alveoli pod vliianie na gentamitsin i tetratsilin.

Studied is the effect of the aerosol application of the gentamycin and tetracycline antibiotics on the ultrastructure of tung alveoli. It is found that these two antibiotics when applied singly and at doses of 0.3024 mg/rat, 1.728 mg/rat and 12.824 mg/rat for the gentamycin and of 1.652 mg/rat and 3.304 mg/rat for the tetracycline may cause catarrhal pneumonia, accompanied by strong fibrinosis of the alveolar septa and of the alveolar basal membrane. The partial or total lysis of nuclear chromation of all alveolar cell nuclei (epithelial, endothelial, septal, and granulated pneomcytes), the nuclei of the blood granulocytes and macrophages included, is established as a specific ultrastructural change.