*E-mail address: bjyotsana@gmail.com
A study was conducted to develop a culture system and to investigate the effect of modified Charles Rosenkarns 2 (mCR2) and modified Synthetic Oviductal Fluid (mSOF) media on in vitro production of ovine embryos. A total of 570 oocytes were obtained from 297 slaughter-derived ovaries with an average retrieval rate of 1.92 oocytes/ovary by puncturing method. For in vitro fertilization (IVF), oocytes were matured in TCM-199 media supplemented with growth factors for 27 h. The oocytes were incubated with processed and CASA-tested Patanwadi ram semen for 1618 h in Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate (TALP) medium for IVF, thereafter it was cultured up to 8 days post insemination in mSOF culture medium for production of blastocysts. Cleavage and morulae formation rate were 12.74±4.43% and 3.10±6.70% in mSOF and 7.26±1.03%, 2.21±0.38% in mCR2 media, respectively. However, these results were statistically nonsignificant (P<0.05). The study indicated that mSOF media was found better than mCR2 in IVF of sheep oocytes.
Fertilization, In vitro embryo production, Oviductal fluid, Sheep
