160 SUCCESSFUL PREGNANCY IN ESTRUS-SYNCHRONIZED HIMALAYAN TAHRS (HEMITRAGUS JEMLAHICUS) BY TRANSCERVICALLY INSEMINATING FRESH AND EXTENDED-CHILLED SEMEN COLLECTED BY ELECTROEJACULATION

Abstract

In December 2009, 8 female Himalayan tahrs (Hemitragus jemlahicus) were synchronized by inserting CIDR devices for 13 or 15 days. One day before removal of the CIDRs, a combination of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) 400 IU and hCG 200 IU (PG600®, Intervet, Boxmeer, the Netherlands) was intramuscularly injected into each animal and PGF2α was injected at the time of CIDR withdrawal. Semen was collected by electrical stimulation, diluted, cooled to 5°C for 2 h, and maintained in a refrigerator before performing AI twice. Pregnancy diagnosis was conducted by Doppler ultrasonography on March 2, 2010. Four female Himalayan tahrs were impregnated, showing a fetus present in their uteri. In the first experiment in which CIDRs were inserted into the vagina of 4 Himalayan tahrs for 13 days, 3 of the tahrs were transcervically inseminated with fresh semen, whereas 1 was inseminated with frozen–thawed semen 33 h after CIDR removal. As a second insemination experiment, 46 h after CIDR removal, all 4 tahrs were inseminated with diluted (1:3) fresh semen. While the tahr that was later inseminated with frozen–thawed semen did not become pregnant, the other 3 Himalayan tahrs became pregnant. In the second experiment, CIDR devices were inserted into the vaginas of 4 Himalayan tahrs for 15 days. Extended (1:7)-chilled semen was used for transcervical insemination 42 and 49 h after CIDR withdrawal. When performing the second insemination, it was difficult or impossible to penetrate cervical canals. Thus, only 1 tahr became pregnant. These findings show 13 days of CIDR insertion, the dose of PMSG 400 IU and hCG 200 IU, and the use of PGF2α as beneficial for inducing oestrus synchronization, and prove that extended-chilled semen may also be used for artificial breeding of Himalayan tahrs. This is the first report of successful pregnancy induced by artificial insemination of fresh or extended-chilled semen in oestrus-synchronized Himalayan tahrs.