AGRICULTURAL NEWS - The first Cape Buffalo conceived through IVF was unveiled recently by Embryo Plus, a specialist family-run practice in bovine embryo transfers and semen collection.
The three-month old bull calf Pumelelo was born in June this year on a ranch in Limpopo.
“Extensive preliminary research was necessary to mature and fertilise the eggs, and to incubate the embryos to an advanced stage of development, as all species have different requirements for growth and utilise different nutrients during the laboratory phase of the largely uncharted path of IVF/IVP in African game species,” said Dr Morné de la Rey (BVSc), who heads up Embryo Plus.
The techniques developed by Embryo Plus has the potential to save critically endangered wildlife.
The techniques developed by Embryo Plus has the potential to save critically endangered wildlife.
“The use of assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) in wildlife management, although still in its infancy, is becoming more of a reality. This success is of major importance for the prospective breeding of endangered species, and that is the reason why we are undertaking this work,” he said.
Saving the Northern white rhino
Dr De la Rey’s work is considered to be among the first steps in an international collaborative effort to save endangered wildlife species such as the northern white rhino. There are only three northern white rhino left in the world.
The San Diego Zoo Global has pledged to work with a team of scientists including Embryo Plus to save this rhino species and has created a herd of southern white rhinos that have been trained for non-invasive procedures that are providing unprecedented information about the reproductive physiology of rhinos.
Saving the Northern white rhino
Dr De la Rey’s work is considered to be among the first steps in an international collaborative effort to save endangered wildlife species such as the northern white rhino. There are only three northern white rhino left in the world.
The San Diego Zoo Global has pledged to work with a team of scientists including Embryo Plus to save this rhino species and has created a herd of southern white rhinos that have been trained for non-invasive procedures that are providing unprecedented information about the reproductive physiology of rhinos.
