SPECIALIZED UNITS FOR IMPROVED SWINE THROUGH THE USE OF SUIS<TM>-A COMPLETE NON SURGICAL EMBRYO RECOVERY AND TRANSFER SYSTEM

摘要

An apparatus and method for the non-surgical removal of embryos in swine and for the transfer and placement of the embryos into a surrogate mother sow. An introducer and speculum are used and are introduced through the cervix of the sow. The tip of the introducer vibrates at a high frequency those vibrations are transmitted to the distal end of a specially contoured tip. A catheter apparatus is used after gaining entry to the uterus, and the catheter apparatus includes coaxially aligned inner and outer catheters. The outer catheter has a pair of individually inflatable and deflatable cuffs and an ingress port between the cuffs and an outlet for the discharge of fluid. The inner catheter is slidingly sealed within the outer catheter and includes an inlet for receiving a flushing fluid and an egress port(s) in its distal end. In carrying out the method, the distal end of the outer catheter is placed at the entrance to the uterine horn of the sow and the entrance sealed by inflating both of the cuffs. The inner catheter is then advanced t have its distal end at the remote are of the uterine horn, while, at the same time, discharging the flushing fluid from the egress port(s). The distal cuff is deflated to create a fluid path from the tip of the uterine horn through the outlet to a collection chamber. Continued discharge of the flushing fluid from the distal end of the inner catheter causes a flushing of the embryos from the uterine horn to the collection chamber. The embryos are separated from the flushing fluid and subjected to a standard protocol in order to provide pathogen free embryos for transfer and international distribution.