Le point sur la production et le transfert d'embryons obtenus in vivo et in vitro chez la brebis et la chèvre

Abstract

This paper reviews the technical bases of in vivo and in vitro embryo production in sheep and goat. The current limitations of in vivo embryo production: the variability of response to the hormonal treatment, the fertilization failure in females showing a high ovulatory response, the importance of premature regressed corpus lutea in goat are described. The new prospects offered by ovum pick-up allowing multiple recoveries from the same female and in vitro embryo production are presented with their limiting steps and research priorities. The recent improvements of embryo transfer and embryo freezing technologies could be use for constitution of flocks without risks of disease transmission and will allow in the future larger propagation of valuable genes in small ruminants populations.