Delivery of a live calf after in vitro maturation and fertilization of oocytes obtained from ovaries removed from a moribund cow.

An aged Holstein cow of high genetic merit and economic value was determined to have a squamous cell carcinoma of the tarsus. Treatment was unsuccessful, as was an attempt at superovulation and embryo collection; thus, the owner elected euthanasia. On day 17 of the estrous cycle, the ovaries were removed via laparotomy and the cow was immediately euthanatized. Oocytes were aspirated from ovarian follicles and subjected to in vitro maturation and fertilization procedures. Seven morulae that developed in culture were transferred nonsurgically to 3 recipient females, resulting in birth of a full-term healthy male calf. In vitro maturation and fertilization procedures can be used to obtain offspring from valuable, terminally ill cows for which conventional embryo collection techniques have proven unsuccessful.