[Innovation in Large Animal Breeding] OPU Ovum Pick-Up Equipment: Making Elite Genetic Transmission More Efficient and Precise

As a manufacturer deeply engaged in the field of large animal husbandry medical equipment, we have always believed that efficient breeding technology is the core key to solving the problems of “slow propagation of elite breeds and difficulty in genetic improvement” in modern animal husbandry. The OPU (Ovum Pick-Up) equipment is precisely the critical executor of this key—it takes ultrasound guidance as its “eyes” and minimally invasive operation as its “scalpel,” breaking the limitations of the natural cycle for collecting high-quality oocytes and accelerating the genetic improvement of large animals such as cattle, horses, and sheep.

l.Technical Principle: “Precise Follicle Hunting” Guided by Ultrasound

The core logic of OPU equipment lies in the in-depth integration of “visualization + minimally invasive technology”

1.Ultrasound Positioning for Millimeter-Level Precision: Equipped with a 5-10MHz high-frequency micro-convex probe (e.g., a slender Type-B probe), it can clearly capture tiny follicles as small as 2-3mm, and real-time display the ovarian structure via an 8.5-inch anti-glare screen. Different from the “experience-based operation” of traditional blind collection, ultrasound images directly show the position, size, and maturity of follicles, avoiding puncture blind spots (such as the guide needle gap issue with Type-A probes) and ensuring each needle insertion directly targets the intended follicle.

2.Gentle Oocyte Retrieval via Negative Pressure Aspiration: The built-in intelligent negative pressure system allows adjustable micro-pulsating suction force (0-60kPa), which not only ensures the smooth flow of follicular fluid into the collection tube but also prevents damage to oocytes caused by excessive negative pressure. Combined with a constant temperature tank (maintained at 37℃), the collected oocytes can be transferred to laboratory culture within 5 minutes, increasing the viability retention rate by over 30%.

3.Intelligent Assistance to Lower Operation Threshold: The dedicated software automatically calculates puncture angles, marks guide lines, and supports wireless remote control to freeze images. Even novice veterinarians can master the operation proficiently after 2 days of training. Data from a pasture shows that after using OPU equipment, the average time for oocyte collection per cow was reduced from 15 minutes to 8 minutes, with the number of recovered oocytes stably ranging from 8 to 12 per session.

ll.Three Core Application Scenarios to Reshape Breeding Logic

1.Unleashing the “Super Potential” of Elite Cows

Traditional artificial insemination relies on the natural estrus of cows, allowing only 1 calf per cow per year. However, the OPU + IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) technology enables **twice-monthly oocyte collection for elite cows, with an annual average of 50-80 embryos obtained**. For example, a core farm of Holstein dairy cows used OPU equipment to increase the number of usable embryos from a single champion cow by 6 times, resulting in an average 3kg increase in the birth weight of offspring calves and a 15% increase in milk production. **Operation Process**: Secure the cow → Insert the ultrasound probe with a guide needle into the vagina → Locate the follicles → Perform negative pressure aspiration → Screen mature oocytes in the laboratory. No anesthesia is required throughout the process, the cow’s stress response is extremely weak, and the operation can be performed continuously for more than 10 times.

2.“Genetic Preservation” for Racehorses/Breeding Horses For million-dollar breeding horses, OPU technology solves two major pain points: – **Ovum Pick-Up During Non-Estrus Periods**: It breaks the limitation of only 3-4 estrus cycles per year for mares, enabling high-quality oocyte collection at any time throughout the year and avoiding the waste of the “golden breeding period.” – **Rare Gene Preservation**: For elderly or injured breeding horses, OPU is used to quickly preserve oocytes, which, combined with embryo cryopreservation technology, realizes the continuation of endangered bloodlines. A European horse farm once collected 27 oocytes from an 18-year-old champion mare and successfully bred 3 offspring, continuing its competitive genetic lineage.

3.“Acceleration Engine” for Scientific Research and Breeding In embryo engineering laboratories, OPU equipment serves as the front-end entry point for gene editing and cloning technologies. For instance, screening follicles at specific developmental stages via ultrasound can improve the efficiency of transgenic embryo preparation; for small ruminants such as sheep and goats, OPU combined with laparoscopic technology enables multi-species compatibility, supporting research on meat sheep breed improvement. A team from an agricultural university used OPU equipment to increase the embryo transfer pregnancy rate of meat sheep from 45% to 68%.

lll.Why Choose Professional-Grade OPU Equipment? — Advancing from “Usable” to “Easy to Use”

Some devices on the market claim to have “OPU functions,” but there are significant differences in their actual performance. Genuine professional equipment must meet three core standards:

1.Probes with “No Blind Spots”: Choose Type-B probes with sensors extended to the opening of the guide needle (e.g., 128-element micro-convex horseshoe design), which eliminates imaging blind spots when the ovary is attached and increases the small follicle recovery rate by 40%.

2.Negative Pressure with “Breathing” Function: The intelligent negative pressure pump must support dynamic adjustment (e.g., 0.1kPa fine adjustment gears) to avoid the embarrassment of “excessive suction breaking follicles or insufficient suction missing oocytes.” A certain brand of equipment uses AI algorithms to automatically match negative pressure values based on follicle size, achieving an oocyte integrity rate of 92%.

3.Full Adaptability to Scenarios: Features such as IP65 waterproof and dustproof design, 3-hour long-lasting battery, and support for wireless image synchronization with mobile phones/tablets meet the needs of extreme environments such as field pastures and underwater (e.g., hippopotamus breeding). Feedback from a frontier pasture shows that the equipment can still work stably at -20℃, ensuring the winter breeding plan.

IV.The Future is Here: How Will OPU Rewrite Animal Husbandry?

When we see round oocytes under the laboratory microscope, we are not only witnessing the starting point of life but also the turning point of animal husbandry from “experience-driven” to “data-driven”. The value of OPU equipment lies not only in improving the breeding efficiency of individual pastures but also in:

1.Building Elite Gene Banks: Establishing traceable oocyte/embryo databases through standardized ovum pick-up processes to support the development of AI-based breeding models;

2.Reducing Breeding Costs: Transforming elite breeding stock from “sky-high price auctions” to “affordable supply”—for example, in a beef cattle breed improvement project, the average shared breeding cost per calf decreased by 60%;

3.Promoting Green Animal Husbandry: Reducing the inventory of breeding stock and lowering feed and site resource consumption to contribute to the carbon neutrality goals of animal husbandry.

Conclusion

As developers of large animal husbandry medical equipment, we have always believed that good technology should turn “elite breeding” from the privilege of a few into a tool for the majority. The OPU ovum pick-up equipment is precisely such a link connecting science and practice—it makes every follicle’s pulse a heartbeat of genetic improvement.