The country will venture into a precedent-setting embryo transfer technology for the production of the Cagayan Valley signature goat breed through the expertise of Dr. Miguel Marvin Pajate, a renowned Filipino veterinarian based in Dubbo,New South Wales, Australia.
Through the project “Innovative Systems in Advancing Technology -based Goat Production, funded by PCAARRD, Pajate was invited as a short term “Balik Scientist” to train Isabela State University (ISU) veterinarians and researchers on the embryo transfer technique including cocyte collection, grading transfer, and preparation for freezing.
Led by Dr. Jonathan N. Nayga of ISU, part of the project goals is to upgrade the ISU Embryo Transfer and enable the use of such techniques, particularly to support the production of the Cagayan Valley Signature Goat, a meaty type goat breed proven adoptable to the conditions of the region.
Pajate said the embryo transfer technique allows one to acquire the genetics of a superior animal and transfer it to an inferior animal as a surrogate. It can also stimulate the superior animal to produce multiple embryos, which can be transferred to a surrogate.
He also said an embryo can be frozen for 40 years and can still be transferred to make a surrogate animal pregnant. This technique enables genetic improvement of the population to happen faster than regular mating.
