Abstract

Buffalo ovaries were collected from abattoir and oocytes were aspirated from 2–6 mm size follicles. Good quality oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 and HAMS F-10 medium supplemented either with fetal calf serum or bubaline estrus serum or buffalo calf serum. Oocytes were cultured at 38–39°C, with five per cent CO2 and high humidity for 24 hours and then the maturation rate was recorded. The maturation rate observed in TCM-199 containing feotalcalf serum, bubaline estrus serum and buffalo calf serum was 58.87, 67.89 and 53.35 per cent with an overall 60.56 per cent while the corresponding values for Hams F-10 medium were 51.25, 60.83 and 46.35 per cent with an overall average of 53.19 per cent. The present findings conclude that TCM-199 is more suitable for buffalo oocytes than Hams F-10 and the supplementation of bubaline estrus serum can enhance the buffalo oocyte maturation in vitro.