In vitro production of bovine embryos

Biotechnology is used for the purpose of improving production, and developing animal and pharmaceutical products. In roder to achieve these objectives, it is necessary to manipulate these processes. Reproductive biotechnology can be used independently, or it can be used in connection with other techniques. Thus, for instance, successful culture of embryos in laboratory conditions is a necessary precondition for the production and creation of transgenic and cloned animals. The in vitro process of embryo production is narrowed down to three basic steps: 1. collecting oocytes form a female donor, 2. fertilization of oocytes under laboratory conditions, 3. growth of the embryo in a medium and transfer of the embryo into the recipient. The paper describes the IVP procedure (in vitro production) of bovine embryos; the advantages and shortcomings of this method, as well as possibilities for its application in cattle breeding. This technology is still quite new, so taht both the technique and the mediums are constantly being improved. The technique of fertilizing bovine oocytes, as well as their development in laboratory conditions was discovered in 1980, and the first calf produced using in vitro fertilization (IVF) was born in 1982. IVP implies a series of steps, and if just one of them is not done perfectly, the result is a small number of embryos, or even none at all.