The present study aimed to use an in vitro follicle culture (IVFC) biotechnique as a tool to evaluate the influence of whole flaxseed as a feed supplementation in the diet on the in vitro development of caprine early antral follicles (EAFs) and further embryo production. In total, 18 adult goats were homogeneously allocated into two diet groups: Control and Flaxseed. EAFs from both experimental groups (300-400 µm) were isolated and cultured in vitro for 18 days. After IVFC, recovered cumulus-oocyte complexes were submitted to in vitro maturation, and subsequently to IVF and in vitro embryo culture. The endpoints evaluated were follicular growth and morphology, oocyte recovery rate and diameter, sperm penetration, pronuclei formation, embryo development, and estradiol production. The addition of the whole flaxseed in the diet did not affect (P > 0.05) follicular growth and diameter. A higher (P < 0.05) percentage of oocytes ≥ 110 µm was recovered from the flaxseed treatment. However, the sperm penetration rate was higher (P < 0.05) in the control treatment when compared with the flaxseed treatment, but no differences were found regarding the rate of fertilization nor cleaved embryos. In conclusion, dietary flaxseed increased the recovery rate of fully grown oocytes, but it did negatively affect the sperm penetration rate, even though there was no further effect on the cleavage rate.
Keywords: Early antral; Embryos; Flaxseed; Follicle culture; Goat.