The impact of using newborn bovine serum as fetal calf serum substitute in the in vitro bovine embryos production system

This study was conducted to assess the effects of addition of 10% newborn bovine serum (NBS) in the maturation and culture media of bovine system on oocytes maturation and developed morula and blastocyst rates. For this purpose, 10% NBS was added to in vitro maturation (IVM) medium alone (Experiment I), in vitro culture (IVC) (Experiment II), and in IVM + IVC (Experiment III). In vitro bovine oocytes maturation and developmental rates of bovine embryos were then compared with control group where the basal maturation or culture media were supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Results revealed that maturation, cleavage, morula, and blastocyst formation rates of in vitro fertilized embryos were not significantly different in NBS and control groups in the 3 experiments. In conclusion, NBS is an efficient macromolecule in bovine system when added either to IVM or to IVC or to both stages. Thus, NBS could provide cheaper and more available treatment to be used as FCS substitute in the IVC system of bovines.