Transcervical artificial insemination in the brown brocket deer (Subulo gouazoubira): A promising method for assisted reproduction in deer

The present study aimed to test the efficiency of transcervical artificial insemination techniques with cervical immobilization (TCAI-CI) or cervical traction (TCAI-CT), associated or not with the use of oxytocin (OT) as a protocol for cervical dilation, in the brown brocket deer ( Subulo gouazoubira ). The study was carried out in a crossover design using four adult females in two replicates with an interval of 60 days. Estrus was synchronized with oral melengestrol acetate (MGA) associated with estradiol benzoate and sodium cloprostenol. TCAI techniques were performed from 18 to 24 hours after estrus onset. All females received either an i.v. Apply 50 IU OT (G-OT, n = 4) or 1 mL saline solution (G-Control, n = 4) 20 minutes before the TCAI procedure. The TCAIs were performed using frozen-thawed semen from the same batch. Behavioral estrus was observed in 100% of females, within the two replicates, with a mean time of onset of 44.0 ± 22.0 h after cloprostenol application. The average length of the vagina was 13.0 ± 1.2 cm. It achieved a 50% (4/8) success of cervical transposition with semen deposition in the uterine. Regarding inseminations, most of them (87.5%) were performed using the TCAI-CT technique, and the overall conception rate was 50%. Cervical transposition times (< 1 minute) and TCAI procedures (~ 17 minutes) could be considered satisfactory. Thus, the TCAI-CI and TCAI-CT techniques performance was successful when applied in S. gouazoubira females, regardless of the use of OT as a cervical dilation protocol. This procedure is proposed as a method of choice for artificial insemination with greater applicability in different conservation centers, compared to more advanced reproductive biotechniques, and with a favorable impact on the conservation of deer species.