| Embryo Flushing and Transfer | |
| The ewes are synchronised in a similar manner to AI and then super-ovulated so that they produce a lot more eggs when they come into season. These eggs are then fertilised using AI and the resulting embryos are taken at about 6 days old. The whole programme takes about 20 days. |
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| Any healthy ewe can be used as a recipient or surrogate mother. Depending on breed and seasonal variation one can expect an average of 6-10 embryos per flush. | |
The benefits of ET are:
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| Selection of ET Success Stories:
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From the Goldies’ Maunby flock of Bleu Du Maine: Dam EJG Z10 (mother of Maunby Butch EJG AB003, top price at Carlisle 2004) had 7 ET lambs to one flush by Haydon Chester (1st Prize senior ram at Royal ‘07). She then immediately conceived a natural ewe lamb to stock tup Maximum Ace. The lambs were born to Charollais and BDM recipient mothers, there are 4 ewes and 3 tups shown here at 3 weeks old. |
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The Hodgsons’ Halfpenny flock at North Fields Farm, Patrick Brompton have a Charollais ewe YUU 1033 (out of a Cairnhill Cavalier ewe by Southfield Northern Star) who had 6 ET lambs by Elmwick Alien (purchased from Thomas Hunter and winner of 4 breed championships and 2 interbreeds in ‘03). There are 6 ET lambs shown here, 3 of each. The ewe also conceived a natural gimmer lamb at the first turn also shown here. There are 3 other embryos from the same flush in the tank ready for this year. |
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From the Quercus flock of John Howard: an “immense, powerful Douganhill Ferrari ewe”, privately purchased from E.W.Quick & sons Loosebeare flock in 2006, flushed 17 embryos. Out of the 17 embryos transferred 13 lambs were born giving 7 tups and 6 gimmer lambs. Four weeks later the ewe lambed natural twins, one tup and one gimmer (centre left in photo). All are to Loosebeare Lordship, a “massive” Woodend Gladiator tup owned in half share with the Quicks. John said "You just cannot under-estimate the value of embryo transplant, this ewe unfortunately developed mastitis in summer 2007 losing a quarter, so her breeding capabilities would have been very much limited without this option. She is a huge ewe with great character which she looks to have passed on to her lambs”. Three other ewes flushed yeilded 11 embryos. |
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2007 Tim and Sarah Dunn of Breck House are very pleased with their 8 embryo lambs, 4 tups and 4 gimmers, especially good since they ewe had only bred tups before! The ewe also had two natural lambs 3 weeks later. |
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2007 Giles and Gillian Pyman and Thacka Texels hit the jackpot with 25 embryos from a 7 year old dutch ewe of theirs. 20 embryos held in the end (4 were sold) and 16 are shown above together with the ewes own natural lamb conceived 3 days after the flush ! (9 tups and 8 gimmers). |
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2006 Keith and Iola Evans of Plas Llewelyn had a bumper flush of 27 embryos. 16 were transferred yielding 12 lambs. The rest of the embryos frozen for future use. |
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2005 - Janet and Steve Symes of Anglesarke's bumper flush of 26 embryos yielding 15 lambs (1 recipient and 2 embryos lost with prolapse) and 2 natural lambs conceived 3 weeks later. |
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Susan & Edgar Cooper of Craigshield Farm were happy with their lambs in 2004. |
