Assisted reproduction in cervids: Results, limits and prospects

Reproductive biotechnologies may help ex-situ conservation programs for endangered cervid species. The creation of banks of frozen semen or frozen embryos was suggested to store and exchange genetic material between conservation sites. Some methods developed for domestic small ruminants, such as sperm freezing, were easily adapted to cervid species and may be applied to rare species. However, the transfer of technologies required to create banks of frozen embryos in cervids is not as straightforward. The strategy based on in vitro production of embryos is potentially the most effective, but there are still major technical hurdles to overcome.