The present study examined the competence of oocytes from bovine ovaries stored at low temperatures for at least 1 day, which is the necessary time period to complete inspection for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Storage of ovaries at 10 degrees C for 24 h did not affect oocyte maturation (68% versus 68%) or the potential of oocytes to develop into day 8 blastocysts after in vitro fertilization (25% versus 27%), parthenogenetic activation (19% versus 25%), or somatic cell nucleus transfer (27% versus 32%) compared with controls. In vitro-fertilized and parthenogenetic oocytes from ovaries stored at 10 degrees C for 48 h had a significantly decreased maturation rate and developmental potential, but nucleus-transferred oocytes that received cultured cumulus cells did not (27% versus 32%). Thus, bovine ovaries can be stored at 10 degrees C for at least 24 h without decreasing oocyte maturation competence or the developmental potential of in vitro-fertilized, parthenogenetically activated, and somatic cell nucleus-transferred oocytes, at least to the blastocyst stage. The present study provides valuable information with regard to removing bovine ovaries from abattoirs after testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy.