Test-tube deer method developed in Southland

Press, 29 January 1988, Page 25

Test-tube deer method developed in Southland

PA Invercargill A technique developed in Southland for transplanting frozen deer embryos is offering exciting potential for importing and exporting animals.

A team headed by a Winton veterinary surgeon, Mr Mike Bringans, and a Canadian, Dr Martin Wenkoff, has successfully transplanted six embryos, with four live fawns resulting and one hind yet to produce. According to the Invermay Research Centre, near Dunedin, these are the first successful frozen embryo transplants in deer in the world. The first three embryos were taken on April 14 from red deer hinds which had been mated with a German stag a week earlier at Winton.

They were taken in a test-tube inside a pocket to Lumsden where they were frozen and placed in liquid nitrogen for storage until they were implanted in recipient hinds on May 2. Two other hinds were then flushed for fertilized embryos, which were also frozen. On May 17, three were thawed and implanted, including two twinned into one hind. “Everyone was thrilled when this recipient produced live twins,” Mr Bringans said. Unfortunately they were born on a very cold night and only one fawn survived. Advanced Southland Deer Genetics, Ltd, has been set up to continue the development. Mr Joe Wilson, of Rimu,

and his son, Allan, of Wainuiomata, provided the animals used in the experiment. Mr Wilson, sen., said he was keen to support the veterinarians’ trial after visiting Australia and seeing the potential export markets there. Since the successful live births, the company had begun preparations to build an operating theatre and to import freezing equipment from Canada to establish a programme in Southland. Mr Wilson said the successful trials opened many possibilities within the deer industry. The imported German stag used in the trials cost the Wilsons about $30,000 by the time it arrived in New Zealand. Importing embryos would be

cheaper and simpler, he said.

Goat and frozen embryos are commonly frozen and transported around the world.

The goats were usually given a hormone treatment to induce the flushing of eggs, said Dr Colin Mackintosh, of the Invermay Research Centre. “The problem with deer is that they are very difficult to super-ovulate,” he said. The team’s success could lead to increased opportunities to import of export deer.

New Zealand breeders wanted to import Euro*pean deer to improve their bloodlines, but high transport costs and delays with quarantine could cost $15,000 to $20,000. > “It would cost consider.-

ably less to hop on a plane with a container of liquid nitrogen,” Dr Mackintosh said. Disease risk and problems . with quarantine could also be reduced.

Embryos could be washed and treated to eliminate many dangerous diseases and they did not carry parasites. Frozen embryo transplants could also open export markets for New Zealand deer, particularly in Australia, he said.

The deer population in Australia was small, as was the genetic pool. But the tissue worm, elaphostrongylus, which Australian breeders believe they did not have, was widely spread in New Zealand so quarantine on export animals was rigid, he said.

Embryo export Should overcome this.