In vitro maturation and fertilization in the Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) using oocytes and spermatozoa recovered post-mortem from animals that had died because of foot and mouth disease outbreak

The ability to rescue gametes from endangered or wildlife species and to subsequently produce viable embryos holds tremendous potential as a means to increase the population size of endangered or wildlife species. The objective of this study was to assess the developmental competence of gametes recovered from nilgai that had died because of foot and mouth disease outbreak. Oocytes collected from the ovaries of seven dead nilgais were allowed to mature in vitro and were tested for developmental potential by in vitro fertilization (IVF) with epididymal spermatozoa collected also post-mortem. The average number of oocytes (n = 517) recovered per ovary was 36.9, and the side (right or left), size and weight of the ovaries had no significant effect on the number and quality of oocytes recovered. In vitro maturation studies indicated that the proportion of matured oocytes (MII stage) at 18, 24 and 30 h was 55.6%, 63.4% and 63.6%, respectively. Furthermore, 43% of the matured oocytes cleaved following in vitro fertilization and 12% of the cleaved oocytes (6/49) developed to the 4-8 cell stage. These findings suggest that the gametes recovered from nilgai post-mortem could be utilized for in vitro production of embryos.