OPU–IVF–ET Technology: UPSC Current Affairs

Description

Why In News

Scientists at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, have successfully produced five healthy Sahiwal calves from a single donor cow using advanced OPU–IVF–ET technology.

What is OPU–IVF–ET Technology?

OPU–IVF–ET (Ovum Pick-Up, In Vitro Fertilization, and Embryo Transfer) is an assisted reproductive technology (ART) designed to bypass the natural biological limit of one calf per year per cow.

What is the Process?

Ovum Pick-Up (OPU): Oocytes (eggs) are retrieved from a genetically superior "donor" cow using ultrasound-guided needles.

IVRI uses non-stimulated conditions, which avoids heavy hormone injections and protects the donor's long-term health.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): The collected eggs are fertilized in a controlled laboratory environment using high-quality semen from a proven bull.

Embryo Culture: Fertilized eggs are grown into blastocysts (early-stage embryos).

IVRI has achieved a blastocyst production rate of over 47%, which is globally competitive.

Embryo Transfer (ET): These embryos are implanted into "surrogate" mothers— cows with lower genetic milk-yield potential.

Gestation: The surrogates carry the calves for approximately 9 months, producing offspring that carry 100% of the superior genetic traits of the original donor and bull.

Strategic Significance

Genetic Multiplication: A single elite cow producing over 12 liters of milk per day can now "mother" dozens of calves in a single year, spreading superior genes.

Conservation: The technology ensures the preservation of indigenous germplasm, reducing dependency on imported exotic breeds like Holstein Friesian or Jersey.

Economic Impact: By upgrading the productivity of "non-descript" cattle using them as surrogates for high-quality embryos, the technology directly enhances the income of small-scale dairy farmers.

Breeding on Demand: Through cryopreservation, embryos can be frozen and transported across the country, allowing for high-quality breeding even in remote areas.

What is Sahiwal Breed?

Origin and Habitat: Originally from the Montgomery region (Pakistan), it is now prevalent in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

High Yield: It is recognized as the best indigenous dairy breed, with lactation yields reaching up to 3,320 kg.

Milk Quality: Their milk is rich in fat and primarily contains the A2 beta-casein protein, which is linked to better digestibility and health benefits compared to A1 milk from many exotic breeds.

Resilience: Sahiwal cattle are highly heat-tolerant and resistant to parasites (ticks), making them vital for food security in a changing climate.

Source: INDIANEXPRESS

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements regarding OPU-IVF-ET technology recently seen in the news:

1. It involves extracting mature eggs directly from the ovaries of an elite donor cow.

2. The laboratory-fertilized embryos are implanted back into the original donor cow to ensure genetic purity.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: a

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Ovum Pick-Up (OPU) is the first step in the process. It involves using ultrasound-guided needles to collect mature eggs (oocytes) directly from the ovaries of a genetically superior "elite" donor cow.

Statement 2 is incorrect: A key advantage of this technology is that the donor cow does not have to carry the calves herself. The laboratory-fertilized embryos are implanted into surrogate cows. This allows a single elite donor to produce many more offspring than she could naturally in her lifetime, as multiple surrogates can carry her genetic offspring simultaneously.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

OPU-IVF-ET stands for Ovum Pick-Up, In Vitro Fertilization, and Embryo Transfer. It is an advanced Assisted Reproductive Technology where mature eggs are collected from a high-quality donor cow via ultrasound-guided needles, fertilized in a controlled laboratory, and the resulting embryos are implanted into surrogate cows to produce superior calves.

The Rashtriya Gokul Mission is a key Indian government initiative under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying aimed at the conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds. It promotes technologies like IVF by providing financial allocations and a 3% interest subvention on loans for farmers.

The primary challenges include the prohibitively high baseline cost of the procedure for marginal farmers, logistical bottlenecks in maintaining the cold chain for embryo cryopreservation in rural areas, and a significant skill gap that requires highly specialized veterinary embryologists to perform the ultrasound-guided ovum pick-up.