ET
Is it right for you?
By Ian Braithwaite – Patagonia Alpacas
World First in Australia The birth of the world’s first group of commercially conceived embryo transfer cria was announced from Victoria’s Benleigh Alpaca Stud near Geelong in 2002. This ground breaking achievement partnered locally advanced animal science with quality Australian farming. Bellarine vet Dr David Hopkins, a pioneer in horse and ca�le ET transfers, and well known alpaca veterinarian Dr Jane Vaughan, asked leading breeders Allan & Carolyn Jinks to be part of the embryo transfer trial they hoped would change the future. This followed on from work done in the USA at Paul & Sally Taylor’s Ranch in the early ‘90s. Our ET Journey at Patagonia Alpacas Late in 2004 we decided to experiment with the advanced reproduc�ve technique of embryo transfer. It was a big decision to make for our small stud as the technique had only recently evolved from an experimental research challenge in alpaca breeding to a poten�ally useful commercial breeding tool. We have used ET periodically up to 2017 when prolonged drought forced us to stop using ET.
Dr Jane Vaughan and Dr David Hopkins used single ovula�ons. This allowed both vets to obtain exper�se in the non-surgical flushing and transplan�ng of embryos. Once the technique had been mastered, both vets then focused on developing a safe and efficient protocol for super ovula�on in alpacas. What is mul�ple ovula�on ET in alpacas (MOET)? MOET is a hormonal treatment to increase the number of follicles developing in the ovaries of the donor female alpaca. At the appropriate stage, the donor female is given a natural ma�ng and about four recipient females are prepared by hormone injec�ons to synchronise their reproduc�ve status with the donor female. Then some days later, the donor female is flushed and any recovered embryos are individually assessed for quality and then implanted into the uterus of recep�ve recipient females. The number of embryos collected can vary widely although the average has gradually increased due to a combina�on of refined superovula�on protocols, breeders adjus�ng their day-to-day management prac�ces and learning how individual donors and recipients respond to the technique.
The following discussion highlights some of the issues, challenges and thoughts over our ET journey. What is Embryo Transfer – ET? ET is a reproduc�ve technology where a donor female alpaca is given a natural ma�ng and any resul�ng embryos are collected and implanted into the uterus of recipient females. It is important to emphasise that the ET technology developed in the USA but u�lised in Australia is a nonsurgical technique designed to minimise trauma to both alpacas and their owners! There are two forms of ET, single ovula�on and mul�ple ovula�on. What is a single ovula�on ET in alpacas? Single ovula�on ET occurs when a donor female (most likely to be a maiden but does not have to be) is given a natural ma�ng and the embryo is flushed from the donor and implanted into a recipient female. Originally, the fieldwork by
The two embryos are seen through the microscope and the black dot is where the cria development is occurring. 20
