Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs), particularly in vitro fertilization (IVF), have revolutionized livestock breeding by enhancing genetic gain, reproductive efficiency, and conservation efforts. This review article includes the recent advancements and applications of IVF across species like cattle, pigs, and horses. It aims to provide a role of complementary techniques like intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), gamete and zygote intrafallopian transfer (GIFT/ZIFT), cryopreservation, and genomic screening in improving embryo quality and animal reproduction. The integration of IVF with other technologies resulted in various advancements like optimized vitrification protocols, novel sperm capacitation methods and genomic tools to enable precise trait selection for disease resistance, productivity, and adaptability. The combination of IVF with ovum pick-up (OPU) and embryo transfer has enabled high yields in embryos for mass production of livestock animals to tackle the food crisis due to rising human population. Along with these technologies, challenges need to be answered which include polyspermy in porcine IVF, reduced embryo cytotolerance in goats, large offspring syndrome (LOS) linked to serum-based media, and species to species technical barriers. Innovations such as serum-based media, use of embryokines and gene editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9 technology present new opportunities to optimize IVF efficiency and reduce developmental anomalies. Livestock breeding strategies can be integrated with genomics and advanced reproductive technologies to meet global demands for food security, sustainability, and animal welfare. This review article also highlights the transformative impact of IVF in livestock biotechnology and outlines future directions to overcome current challenges and enhance practical application in animal reproductions.
Teja et al. (Tue,) studied this question.