| This study was carried out to investigate the assisted reproductive technology in forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii). From September 2001 to January 2003, the experiments were conducted in the Shanghai Xinyang experimental farm of forest musk deer, which included the semen collection, estrous synchronization and embryo transfer. The results were as follows.1. Under the artificial breeding conditions, the age of sexual maturity averages 15 to 18 months with live weight of 5 to 6 kilograms. The male musk reach on puberty later 1 to 2 months than the females. Mature body is attained in 30 to 36 months, and the weight averages 7 to 8 kilograms at that age. The female and male musk deer both exhibit a distinct breeding season every year from September to March of the next year. The female musk occurs estrous later than the male during the breeding season. The length of estrous cycle averages 18 to 23 days and the duration time of estrous is 32 to 48 hours. The pregnant period averages between 178 and 183 days. Musk deer has one pregnant time and bear 1 to 3 offsprings annually. The annual reproductive rates and survival rats were 152.05%, 74.04%, respectively.2. Testes are elongated ovoid organs placed vertically with their long axis in the scrotum. Epididymis is an elongated body, closely adherent to back of the testis. The head of epididymis is upwards and the tail of epididymis is downwards. The vas deferens, lying side by side above the bladder, become gradually thicker, and then form the ampullae. The accessory sexual glands, including the vesicular glands, prostate glands and bulbourethral glands are full growth. The penis is long and thin in the musk deer. The head of the penis is slightly twisted and forms spirality. The ovary is ovoid and almond-shaped in the musk deer.3. The volume and pH of the ejaculation are 0.356±0.062 ml, 7.31±0.274 . The spermatozoa concentration, motility spermatozoa and the percentage of abnormal sperm average (4.038±0.624)×108, (78.75±4.432)% and (14.57±2.031) %, respectively. Electrical stimulation is one of preferable methods for musk deer semen collection while the animal is under aesthesia by the use of Sumianxin injection.4. Three extender used in frozen forest musk semen were studied. The results showed that the best formulation of musk deer semen diluents was group A (sodium citrate-fructose-glucose) with post-thaw motility 44.813%, but there was no significant different between group A and B (P>0.05). There was significant different between concentration of 5% and 10% glycerol supplied in musk deer semen diluents (P<0.05).5. Thirty forest musk deer were treated with 10, 20 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP), 0.1 mg or 0.2 mg prostaglandin Fia (PG). The results showed that the incidence of estrus synchronization was similar (62.5% vs.75%P>0.05) between 10 mg and 20 mg MAP-treated groups. Also, there was no significant difference between MAP-treated group and PG-treated group in incidence of estrus synchronization (68.7% vs.50%, P>0.05). Incidence of estrus synchronization was not significance difference (28.5% vs. 71.4%, P<0.05) between 0.1 mg or 0.2 mg PG-treated groups.6. Embryo transfer (ET) was performed in forest musk deer and China water deer. The pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) was used in these two kinds of animals within the natural breeding season. Surgical embryo collection method was conducted at 8-10 day but embryo failed to be collected, and some corpus luteum was to be found from the two overa. The results also showed that surgical embryo collection might be a preferable method for forest musk deer. |
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