EMBRYO TRANSFER FROM SEROPOSITIVE GOATS FOR CAPRINE ARTHRITIS-ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS (CAEV) WITH BIRTH OF SERONEGATIVE KID (Transferência de embriões de cabras soropositivas para artrite-encefalite caprina a vírus (CAEV) com nascimento de cria soronegativa)

The aim of this study was to determine whether recipient goats would seroconvert following transfer of embryos collected from donor goats seropositive for CAEV and if kids produced would be clinically normal and seronegative for CAEV. Four does (Saanen and Alpine), seropositive for CAEV, were used as donors, receiving superovulation treatment consisting of progestagen, cloprostenol and FSH. During estrus the donors were mated with seropositive bucks. Seven days after estrus, embryo recovery was performed by surgery. The embryos were then frozen according to the protocol of the International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS). Twelve seronegative does were used as recipients and received an estrus synchronization treatment consisting of progestagen, cloprostenol and eCG. Embryo transfer was performed seven days after synchronized estrus using the semilaparoscopy technique. Pregnancy was verified in one of twelve recipients, that remained seronegative until six months after giving birth and the kid until six months of age. The preliminary success in producing CAEV negative kids and failure of seroconversio n in previously seronegative recipients in this study suggests that embryo transfer technology may offer an alternative in the prevention of CAEV transmission in goat herds as well for the utilization of genetic patrimony of seropositive goats.