Effects of maturation and co‐culture treatments on the developmental capacity of early bovine embryos

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Abstract
A total of 901 cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from bovine ovaries obtained at a local abattoir. COCs randomly assigned to Treatment I (n=451), were cultured in TCM‐199 + 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and hormones, while oocytes in Treatment II (n=450) were cultured in TCM‐199 + 20% estrous cow serum (ECS). Assessment of maturation revealed that 91.3% (42/46) of oocytes in Treatment I had reached metaphase II of meiosis, which was greater (P P P<0.0001) (41.1%) versus 24.6% (IA), 11.3% (IIA) and 18.3% (IIB). The proportion of day 6 morulae that progressed to form day 8 blastocysts was similar for both co‐culture treatments (IA, 70.1%; IB 70.2%; IIA, 51.5%; IIB 50.8%) and varied only between in vitro maturation groups. Results indicate that the combination of in vitro maturation in TCM‐99 + 10% FBS and hormones followed by co‐culture on oviductal monolayers is a superior system for the production of early bovine embryos.