Luja Speckle Park Stud’s challenge: Luja Speckle Park Stud’s challenge: Traditional embryo production methods had proven time-consuming, labour-intensive, and stressful for cattle.
How Vytelle helped: On-farm, hormone-free IVF system removing the need for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) injections.
The Problem
Traditional embryo production methods, such as conventional flushing with hormone injections, can be time-consuming, labour-intensive, and stressful for cattle. Many cattle breeders have reported disappointment with earlier IVF experiences due to old technology, high costs and underwhelming results. For example, the toll of taking the donor out of production along with long term effects of continued hormone use have been problematic for the beef cattle industry. Producers need a faster, more efficient, and welfare-conscious method to stay competitive, particularly as genetic advancements become more crucial in the industry.
The Solution
Vytelle offers a hormone-free IVF system that provides producers with a more efficient, animal-friendly approach to genetic improvement. By removing the need for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) injections, Vytelle’s process allows for weekly oocyte collection without compromising the health of the donor animals.
Vytelle’s Regional Director for Australia and New Zealand, Andrew Donoghue, explains, “IVF is the easiest embryo production method available, especially with a hormone-free system. The ability to make embryos on a donor every two weeks allows producers to keep up with the competitive genetic pace, while ensuring cattle welfare and managing day-to-day responsibilities.”
WHY HORMONE-FREE MATTERS
Hormone-free IVF offers key advantages over conventional methods, including faster and more efficient embryo production, the ability to collect from pregnant cows or recently calved cattle, an increase in the longevity of donor cows, and reduced stress on animals.
Using naturally derived media formulations, Vytelle’s proprietary process allows for consistent oocyte collection rates without the use of FSH injections. This not only saves costs and labour but also offers a more humane treatment for the cattle.
“It’s easier on the animals and more cost-effective,” Andrew says. “One straw of semen can be used across multiple donors, and the reduced donor preparation means less handling and stress for the animals.”
SUCCESS LIES IN THE MEDIA
Andrew acknowledges that not all IVF processes deliver the same results. Success in hormone-free IVF lies in Vytelle’s use of its own propriety media for all stages of IVF embryo production media. It is designed to closely mimic the uterine environment, ensuring optimal oocyte maturation and fertilisation.
“Some IVF systems are designed for use with FSH, but hormone-free systems can achieve superior success rates without the upfront costs or labour associated with hormone injections,” Andrew explains.
SPECKLE PARK PRODUCERS GET RESULTS
Jade Baker of Luja Speckle Park Stud in Kempsey, NSW, shares her positive experience with Vytelle’s hormone-free IVF technology. In partnership with Nether Grove Speckle Park, the stud successfully completed two ovum pick-up (OPU) events with 35 individual donors, collecting a total of 248 embryos—an average of 5.2 embryos per donor.
“The convenience of allowing our girls to stay on-farm and the hormone-free process were key for us,” Jade explains. “It’s been more effective than conventional methods, and we’re already seeing genetic improvements.”
The OPU process uses ultrasound to remove available follicles, each containing an oocyte, from the cow’s ovaries. The oocytes are then transported to the lab for fertilisation. “We love that our cattle are only off pasture for a short time and are back to grazing by the afternoon with no noticeable change in their disposition,” Jade says.
FUTURE PLANS
Looking forward, Jade and her family plan to continue expanding their herd sustainably. “We’re currently sitting at 100 breeders with plans to add another 40 heifers soon. Working with Vytelle ensures we’re building a herd that is not only profitable but also genetically superior,” Jade concludes.