Veterinary Clinical Sciences

Alpaca cria birth signifies successful embryo transfer

Alpaca reproduction is a complicated business. Unlike other farm animal species, the use of artificial insemination and other assisted reproductive techniques poses a great challenge for veterinarians working with these animals. And the gestation period is a lengthy 11 months. How then, can a breeder reproduce multiple crias from the most valuable animals in a relatively short period? Through embryo transfer, a technique now being perfected by the reproduction specialists at The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center.

Drs. Marco da Silva and Carlos Pinto, both faculty in the Theriogenology and Reproductive Medicine Service, have been working for the past two years to validate several reproductive procedures for camelids. The Reproductive Medicine Service also includes resident Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Coffman, who received her DVM from the University of Tennessee, and embryologist Chelsey Messerschmidt, research assistant and clinical technical support. In addition, Dr. Jeff Lakritz, Vernon Tharp Professor of Farm Animal Medicine and service head in the Veterinary Medical Center, is known by the alpaca industry for his expertise in camelid medicine.

While embryo transfer procedures have been developed for alpacas elsewhere, Drs. da Silva’s and Pinto’s creative approach was designed to validate a non-surgical procedure that does not require manipulation of the reproductive tract per rectum. “We are really pleased with the success of this embryo transfer,” said Dr. da Silva. An embryo transfer is the process of harvesting fertilized eggs from a high-value female camelid and transferring the embryo into a reproductively sound and less valuable surrogate female for gestation, birth, and care. Typically, the embryos can be collected in a non-surgical process during which the female is only lightly sedated, about a week after breeding. This allows the high-value camelids to be bred again in a few weeks, which can have an impact on the genetic improvement of an entire herd.

“We received the results of a DNA test this week that proved the birth was the result of our first successful transfer,” said Dr. da Silva. “We look forward to repeating this success in the near future with a client-owned camelid. I would also like to publicly thank Dr. Jeff Lakritz for his support of this project.”

Morris Animal Foundation awards to Drs. Bill Kisseberth and Cheryl London

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) are a new class of antitumor drugs being developed for cancer treatment that have been found to inhibit growth of several types of tumors in humans and mice. Drs. Bill Kisseberth and Cheryl London will investigate an Ohio State derived drug called AR42, developed for human cancer patients at the Ohio State James Cancer Hospital. This novel HDACI has significant antitumor activity in vitro against a variety of canine tumor cell lines and in ex vivo treated primary malignant canine mast cells. The study will determine the dose of the drug that is safe and well-tolerated in a clinical trial. The results of this work will provide support for further development of AR-42 for dogs with cancer.

See more Morris Foundation awards on page 25.