Method of fertilizing an avian egg in the shell

• US 20010027569A1
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Published: 10/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ovo Biosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ovo Biosciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Cantrell, Tim, Wooten, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 6,573,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 800/21
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 45/007 Injecting or otherwise treating hatching eggs
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 67/02 Breeding vertebrates
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 19/00 Instruments or methods for reproduction or fertilisation

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of avian egg fertilization. In particular, the present invention provides a method of fertilizing an egg in a shell. The invention also provides a method of fertilizing an egg in a shell, whereby a live chick is hatched. The invention also provides developmentally early stage oviposited avian eggs.

Claims

1. A method of fertilizing an oviposited avian egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane, comprising:

a) obtaining a sperm sample comprising avian sperm in a physiologically acceptable carrier; and

b) delivering the sperm sample into the egg, so as to fertilize the egg.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the egg and the sperm are derived from members of the same species.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the carrier is seminal fluid.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the carrier is diluted seminal fluid.

5. The method of

claim 4

, wherein the diluted seminal fluid comprises Avidiluent.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the sperm sample is delivered adjacent to a membrane enclosing the yolk.

7. The method of

claim 6

, wherein the sperm sample is delivered adjacent to a region of the membrane that is adjacent to the germinal disc.

8. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the sperm sample is delivered beneath the membrane.

9. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising treating the membrane so as to increase fertilization.

10. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the avian species is selected from the group consisting of chicken, quail, duck, turkey, pheasant, ostrich, goose, and rhea.

11. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the avian species is chicken.

12. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the sperm sample comprises a mixture of sperm obtained from more than one bird.

13. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the delivery of the sperm sample is achieved by creating an opening in the shell by penetrating the shell and introducing the sperm sample into the egg.

14. The method of

claim 13

, wherein penetration and introduction are achieved with a needle.

15. The method of

claim 13

, wherein the opening is sealed.

16. The method of

claim 15

, wherein the opening is sealed with an adhesive.

17. The method of

claim 1

, wherein multiple eggs are fertilized substantially simultaneously.

18. The method of

claim 17

, wherein at least 20 eggs are fertilized.

19. The method of

claim 17

, wherein at least 50 eggs are fertilized.

71. An egg produced by the method of

claim 1

, wherein the egg comprises a zygote.

20. A method of fertilizing an oviposited avian egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane, and hatching a live chick, comprising delivering a sperm sample comprising avian sperm in a physiologically acceptable carrier into the egg, so as to fertilize the egg and incubating the egg until hatching.

21. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the egg and the sperm are derived from members of the same species.

22. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the carrier is seminal fluid.

23. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the carrier is diluted seminal fluid.

24. The method of

claim 23

, wherein the diluted seminal fluid comprises Avidiluent.

25. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the sperm sample is delivered adjacent to a membrane enclosing the yolk.

26. The method of

claim 25

, wherein the sperm sample is delivered adjacent to a region of the membrane that is adjacent to a germinal disc.

27. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the sperm sample is delivered beneath the membrane.

28. The method of

claim 20

, further comprising treating the membrane so as to increase fertilization.

29. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the avian species is selected from the group consisting of chicken, quail, duck, turkey, pheasant, ostrich, goose, and rhea.

30. The method of

claim 29

, wherein the avian species is chicken.

31. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the sperm sample comprises a mixture of sperm obtained from more than one bird.

32. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the delivery of the sperm sample is achieved by creating an opening in the shell by penetrating the shell and introducing the sperm sample into the egg.

33. The method of

claim 32

, wherein penetration and introduction are achieved with a needle.

34. The method of

claim 32

, wherein the opening is sealed.

35. The method of

claim 34

, wherein the opening is sealed with an adhesive.

36. The method of

claim 20

, wherein multiple eggs are fertilized substantially simultaneously.

37. The method of

claim 36

, wherein at least 20 eggs are fertilized.

38. The method of

claim 36

, wherein at least 50 eggs are fertilized.

39. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the egg is a chicken egg, and incubation of the egg lasts from 21 to 23 days.

40. The method of

claim 39

, wherein incubation is performed at a temperature of about 99.5°

F. from day 1 to about day 18 of incubation and a temperature of about 98.5°

F. from about day 19 of incubation to hatching.

41. The method of

claim 39

, wherein incubation is performed at 80% humidity from day 1 to hatching.

42. The method of

claim 20

, further comprising vaccinating the embryo during incubation.

43. A method of fertilizing a chicken egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane, comprising:

a) obtaining a chicken sperm sample in a physiologically acceptable carrier; and

b) delivering the sperm sample into the egg, so as to fertilize the egg.

44. A method of fertilizing a chicken egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane comprising:

a) obtaining diluted chicken sperm; and

b) delivering the diluted sperm into the egg, so as to fertilize the egg.

45. A method of fertilizing a chicken egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane comprising:

a) obtaining diluted chicken sperm; and

b) delivering the diluted sperm into the egg by penetrating the shell and introducing the diluted sperm into the egg.

46. A method of fertilizing a chicken egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane comprising:

a) obtaining diluted chicken sperm; and

b) delivering the diluted sperm into the egg adjacent to a region of the membrane that is adjacent to the germinal disc, by penetrating the shell and introducing the diluted sperm into the egg.

47. A method of fertilizing an oviposited chicken egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane, and hatching a live chick, comprising delivering a chicken sperm sample in a physiologically acceptable carrier into the egg, so as to fertilize the egg and incubating the egg until hatching.

48. A method of fertilizing an oviposited chicken egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane, and hatching a live chick, comprising delivering diluted chicken sperm into the egg, so as to fertilize the egg and incubating the egg until hatching.

49. A method of fertilizing an oviposited chicken egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane, and hatching a live chick, comprising delivering diluted chicken sperm into the egg by penetrating the shell and introducing the diluted sperm into the egg, so as to fertilize the egg and incubating the egg until hatching.

50. A method of fertilizing an oviposited chicken egg in a shell, wherein the egg comprises a yolk enclosed by a membrane, and hatching a live chick, comprising delivering diluted chicken sperm into the egg adjacent to a region of the membrane that is adjacent to the germinal disc by penetrating the shell and introducing the diluted sperm into the egg, so as to fertilize the egg and incubating the egg until hatching.

51. An oviposited avian egg comprising a native embryo having fewer than 30,000 cells, wherein the embryo can develop into a live chick.

52. The egg of

claim 51

, wherein the embryo has fewer than 20,000 cells.

53. The egg of

claim 51

, wherein the embryo has fewer than 10,000 cells.

54. The egg of

claim 51

, wherein the embryo is a zygote.

55. The egg of

claim 51

, which is a chicken egg.

56. An oviposited chicken egg comprising a native yolk and an embryo having fewer than 30,000 cells, wherein the embryo can develop into a live chick.

57. An oviposited chicken egg comprising a native yolk and an embryo having fewer than 20,000 cells, wherein the embryo can develop into a live chick.

58. An oviposited chicken egg comprising a native yolk and an embryo having fewer than 10,000 cells, wherein the embryo can develop into a live chick.

59. An oviposited chicken egg comprising a native zygote.

60. An oviposited avian egg comprising an embryo having fewer than 30,000 cells, wherein the embryo can develop into a live chick and wherein the egg shell has an opening less than 4 centimeters.

61. The egg of

claim 60

, wherein the embryo has fewer than 20,000 cells.

62. The egg of

claim 60

, wherein the embryo has fewer than 10,000 cells.

63. The egg of

claim 60

, wherein the embryo is a zygote.

64. The egg of

claim 60

, wherein the opening is sealed.

65. The egg of

claim 60

, wherein the opening is less than 1 centimeter.

66. The egg of

claim 60

, wherein the opening is less than 5 millimeters.

67. An oviposited chicken egg comprising an embryo having fewer than 30,000 cells, wherein the embryo can develop into a live chick and wherein the egg shell has an opening of less than 4 centimeters.

68. An oviposited chicken egg comprising an embryo having fewer than 20,000 cells, wherein the embryo can develop into a live chick and wherein the egg shell has an opening of less than 1 centimeter.

69. An oviposited chicken egg comprising a zygote, wherein the zygote can develop into a live chick and wherein the egg shell has an opening of less than 4 centimeters.

70. An oviposited chicken egg comprising a zygote, wherein the zygote can develop into a live chick and wherein the egg shell has an opening of less than 1 centimeter.