AMN / HAMILTON, New Zealand
The New Zealand-based laboratory, Vytelle is working on a five-year plan, initiated at the conclusion of their Series A funding to provide accessible hormone-free bovine in vitro fertilisation (IVF) to producers across the globe. Part of the five-year plan, included doubling the laboratory capacity to produce bovine embryos through in vitro fertilisation. Vytelle announced opening a laboratory in Hamilton.
Vytelle’s integrated technology platform combines Vytelle ADVANCE, a breakthrough in vitro fertilisation technology, with Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system, and Vytelle INSIGHT, an artificial intelligence-based genetic analytics engine. The platform provides progressive cattle producers the technology to make reliable data-driven mating decisions that improve the predictability of genetic progress replicating the right genetics faster.
Laboratory will utilise Vytelle’s modern hormone-free in vitro fertilisation process including their proprietary media – developed in-house – that results in high-quality embryos for producers to implant fresh or frozen into recipient cows.
“New Zealand livestock producers can rely on hormone-free IVF technology to replicate the genetics from their elite donors faster than traditional methods we’ve been accustomed to using,” explained Andrew Donoghue, Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand for Vytelle. He continued, “Since Vytelle produces the media used to culture the oocytes into embryos, producers can be assured embryos are produced consistently with rigid quality standards.”
New Zealand livestock producers can take advantage of the hormone-free IVF process today by scheduling an on-farm ovum pick-up. Qualified donors can be open, 15 days post-calving, or up to approximately 100 days pregnant. Heifers as young as 6 months of age are also eligible.
The Vytelle process is the most accessible, reliable, and predictable IVF process available. Livestock producers can follow the steps below to begin hormone-free IVF.
- Livestock producers are encouraged to contact Vytelle to discuss their reproduction program and schedule an on-farm ovum pick-up.
- Next, select elite donors for collection.
- A specialized Vytelle technician will come to the farm to collect oocytes
- Then, determine an implantation method. Vytelle can deliver fresh or frozen embryos.
- Finally, the producer will receive a simple invoice only for the Grade 1 embryos produced. As an added benefit, donors used for IVF remain in the conventional breeding cycle for a natural calf.