Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Measuring or testing process involving enzymes or... – Involving antigen-antibody binding – specific binding protein...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-23
2003-01-14
Chin, Christopher L. (Department: 1641)
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Measuring or testing process involving enzymes or...
Involving antigen-antibody binding, specific binding protein...
C435S002000, C435S004000, C435S005000, C435S006120, C435S007800, C435S007920, C435S008000, C435S011000, C435S028000, C435S086000, C435S287300, C435S287100, C435S287200, C435S287700, C435S287800, C436S086000, C436S094000, C436S514000, C436S534000, C530S350000, C530S359000, C530S367000, C530S368000, C530S389100, C530S412000, C530S827000, C530S852000, C530S853000, C424S561000, C536S024300, C536S024310
Reexamination Certificate
active
06506570
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to methods of sorting birds by gender, and particularly relates to such methods that can be carried out in ovo.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commercial birds are generally sorted by gender after hatch. Gender sorting is typically carried out by hand by visual inspection, and can be a time-consuming, tedious, and inaccurate process. Since the failure to properly sort birds by gender can lead to problems in poultry or egg production, it would be extremely useful to have a reliable means for sorting birds by gender without the need for visual inspection of the bird.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a means for sorting birds by gender.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means for sorting birds by gender that can be carried out without the need for visual inspection of the bird.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a means for sorting birds by gender that can be carried out while the birds are in ovo.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other objects and aspects of the present invention may be accomplished by the method of determining the gender of a bird in ovo disclosed herein.
As a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of determining the gender of a bird in ovo, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of a sex-related hormone in the extra-embryonic fluid of a bird egg; and determining the gender of the bird within the egg from the presence of an elevated level of the sex-related hormone in the extra-embryonic fluid.
As a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of sorting a plurality of bird eggs by the gender of the birds in ovo therein, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of a sex-related hormone in the extra-embryonic fluid of each of the eggs; and then separating the plurality of eggs into a first subset of eggs having elevated levels of the sex-related hormone and a second subset of eggs not having elevated levels of the sex-related hormone, so that the first subset of eggs contains birds of one sex and the second subset of eggs contains birds of the other sex.
As a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of determining the gender of a bird in ovo, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of estrogen in the extra-embryonic fluid of a bird egg; and determining that the gender of the bird within the egg is a female from the presence of an elevated estrogen level in the extra-embryonic fluid.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method of sorting a plurality of bird eggs by the gender of the birds in ovo therein, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of an elevated estrogen level in the extra-embryonic fluid of each of the eggs; and then separating the plurality of eggs into a first subset of eggs having elevated estrogen levels and a second subset of eggs not having elevated estrogen levels, so that the first subset of eggs contains female birds and the second subset of eggs contains male birds.
These and other aspects of the present invention are described in more detail in the following description of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Disclosed herein are methods of sorting birds by gender in ovo by detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of a sex-related hormone in the extra-embryonic fluid of the egg. The phrase “sex-related hormone” as used herein, is any hormone that stimulates accessory sex structures and/or secondary sex characteristics in male or female birds. Exemplary sex-related hormones include estrogens and androgens. Alternately, a “sex-related hormone” is a hormone that is present at relatively high concentrations in birds of one gender and are present only at relatively low levels in birds of the other gender. For example, progestogens, which play a role in regulating the estrous cycle and maintaining pregnancy are also encompassed by the term “sex-related hormone”. As a further alternative, “sex-related” hormones are those hormones that are characteristic of one of the sexes of birds and, thus, can be used to distinguish one sex from the other. The disclosed methods can be carried out by detecting the levels of more than one sex-related hormone. Generally, however, methods that involve detecting the presence or absence of elevated levels of one sex-related hormone are preferred.
Estrogens include, but are not limited to, estradiol, estradiol 17&bgr;, estriol and estrone. Also included are estrogen precursors, such as dihydroepiandrosterone, metabolic by-products of estrogen degradation, and naturally-occurring estrogen derivatives and variants. Androgens include, but are not limited to, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Also included are androgen precursors, such as androstenedione, androstenediol and androstanediol, metabolic by-products of androgen degradation, and naturally-occurring androgen derivatives and variants. Progestogens include, but are not limited to, progesterone and 17-0H progesterone. Also included are progesterone precursors, such as pregnenolone, metabolic by-products of progesterone degradation such as pregnanediol, and naturally-occurring progesterone derivatives and variants.
Preferred are methods of sorting birds by gender in ovo which involve detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of estrogen in the extra-embryonic fluid of the egg. The presence of an elevated level of estrogen in the extra-embryonic fluids is indicative of a female bird. Any estrogen that is secreted into the extra-embryonic fluid in the egg may be used to carry out the present invention, with estradiol being preferred.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive methods disclosed herein also encompass methods of sorting birds by detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of a sex-related pheromone, protein or enzyme. Such pheromones, proteins or enzymes are present at relatively high concentrations in birds of one sex and at relatively low concentrations in birds of the opposite sex. Further, sex-related pheromones, proteins and enzymes can be used to distinguish one sex from the other.
To describe the present invention in an alternative way, the inventive methods disclosed herein provide a method of determining the sex of a bird in ovo, by measuring the level of a sex-related hormone in the extra-embryonic fluid of a bird egg and comparing that level to a predetermined standard, where a measurement above the standard indicates that the bird in ovo is of one sex, and a measurement below the standard indicates the bird in ovo is of the other sex. The predetermined standard will vary depending upon the species of bird being examined, the age of the egg at the time of examination, the acceptable percentage of error, and the hormone being examined. Experiments to determine a standard useful in a particular setting may be carried out using methods available in the art, and would be apparent to one skilled in the art (see, eg., Examples 1-6 herein). In a preferred method, the eggs are chicken eggs, the hormone is estrogen, and the extra-embryonic fluid is allantoic fluid.
The terms “bird” and “avian” as used herein, are intended to include males or females of any avian species, but are primarily intended to encompass poultry which are commercially raised for eggs or meat. Accordingly, the terms “bird” and “avian” are particularly intended to encompass hens, cocks and drakes of chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quail and pheasant. Chickens and turkeys are preferred, with chickens being most preferred.
The term “in ovo,” as used herein, refers to birds contained within an egg prior to hatch. The present invention may be practiced with any type of bird egg, including chicken, turkey, duck, goose, quail, and pheasant eggs. Chicken and turkey eggs are preferred, with chicken eggs most preferred.
Eggs sorted by the method of the present invention are fertile eggs whi
Chin Christopher L.
Cook Lisa V.
Embrex Inc.
Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec P.A.
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