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Sex Determination of Bovine Embryos Based on Embryonic Cleavage Rates

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 30, pages 147–153 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

Bovine embryos (n = 64) collected at day-6 from 10 superovulated and inseminated donors were evaluated upon recovery and again after incubation for approx. 12 hrs. According to cleavage rate they could be divided into a fast, an intermediate and a slow developing group, respectively. This grouping was correlated to embryonic sex determined by karyotyping (n = 29). From the fast developing group we found 7 males and 2 females (male ratio 78 %), from the intermediate group 3 males and 8 females (male ratio 27 %) and from the slow group 1 male and 8 females (male ratio 11 %). From this preliminary study it is concluded that the rate of embryonic development may be used as a sex discriminator.

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Acknowledgments

We want to thank Ms. I. Heinze for excellent technical assistance and Ms. P. Hoffmann for typing the manuscript. This project was funded by The Danish Agricultural and Veterinary Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Reproduction, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, 13 Bulowsvej, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Birthe Avery, Mette Schmidt & Torben Greve

Authors
  1. Birthe Avery
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  2. Mette Schmidt
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  3. Torben Greve
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Avery, B., Schmidt, M. & Greve, T. Sex Determination of Bovine Embryos Based on Embryonic Cleavage Rates. Acta Vet Scand 30, 147–153 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548051

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548051

Keywords

  • sex ratio
  • cattle
  • karyotyping
  • fast and slow developing embryos

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147