In vitro culture of in vivo Saanen goat embryos by vitrification

The purpose of this study was to investigate the survival rate of high-quality embryos (n: 101) derived in vivo from Saanen goats (n: 15) in culture following their vitrified freezing and thawing during the breeding season. The in vitro postthaw survival rates of 101 vitrified embryos at 24, 48, and 72 h were 59.4%, 33.6%, and 25.7%, respectively. According to the developmental stage of the embryos, the survival rates were 51.3%, 20.5%, and 15.4% in the morula, and 64.5%, 41.9%, and 32.3% in the blastocyst, respectively. The survival rates of the blastocysts and morulae at 48 and 72 h were significantly different (P < 0.05). While the survival rates of the embryos of Grade 1 quality at 24, 48, and 72 h were 78.6%, 46.4%, and 32.1%, Grade 2 quality survival rates were 35.5%, 17.8%, and 17.8%, respectively. The survival rates of Grades 1 and 2 embryos at 24 h (P < 0.001) and 48 h (P < 0.05) were significantly different. As a result, it was concluded that the embryos to be frozen should be selected according to their development stage and quality, and preferably should be of Grade 1 quality in the blastocyst stage for the cryopreservation of in vivo-derived goat embryos by vitrification.