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Abstract

The ability to collect oocytes directly from follicles of mares would allow either in vitro fertilization or in vivo fertilization in the recipient mare to be used as a technique for obtaining foals from older mares with poor reproductive histories. In this study, three mares were used to obtain oocyte using recto vaginal method follicles were obtained using 18 gauge needle and aspiration of 5Oml syringe. Aspiration was repeated 36 times in two phases, follicular and luteal. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the number of follicles (10mm) in follicular phase (2.1±0.8) compared to the luteal phase (2.5± 1.3). The aspirated vacum of fluid in the follicular phase (34.8± 10.2) was significantly different in comparison with the luteal phase (20.1±10.5) (P<0.05). Number of oocytes obtained during follicular phase was more than these obtained in the luteal phase. Aspiration interval in the follicular phase was 14 or 15 days, but in the luteal phase it was 7 to 10 days. Generally, this study showed that the rectovaginal method is a safe and repeatable method for oocyte collection in mares.

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