Method to alter sex ratios in avian offspring

• US 8,889,662 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
• Inventors: Navara, Kristen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUI, SAN MING R
• Application Number:
  US13/201,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20120046263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 514/182
• US Class Current: 514/182
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 45/00 Other aviculture appliances, e.g. devices for determining whether a bird is about to lay
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 67/02 Breeding vertebrates
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00

Abstract

The present invention includes methods of influencing the sex chromosome ovulated by a female bird and altering the sex ratio in avian offspring by altering the exposure of an ovulating female bird to one or more stress hormones. In some aspects, the method includes exposing an avian female to a glucocorticoid, such as for example, corticosterone, after the completion of rapid yolk deposition and prior to ovulation.

Claims

1. A method of altering the sex ratio in avian offspring, the method comprising the acute administration of an adrenal glucocorticosteroid to an ovulating avian female.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adrenal glucocorticosteroid is corticosterone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the glucocorticosteroid is provided before the completion of meiosis I in an oocyte and/or at the time of sex chromosome segregation in an oocyte.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the glucocorticosteroid is provided after the completion of rapid yolk deposition and prior to ovulation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the resultant sex ratio in the avian offspring is more than 50% male offspring.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of a male embryo is greater than 50%.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the avian is a chicken.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the chicken is a broiler or a layer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the avian is a passerine or an exotic.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein acute administration of the adrenal glucocorticosteroid consists of administration in the interval of the completion of rapid yolk deposition to ovulation.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein acute administration of the adrenal glucocorticosteroid comprises administration of a single dose of an adrenal glucocorticosteroid.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein acute administration of the adrenal glucocorticosteroid consists of administration about one to about six hours prior to ovulation.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein acute administration consists of administration just prior to the completion of Meiosis I and sex chromosome segregation.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein administration is oral or topical administration.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein administration is by injection.

2. A method of influencing the sex chromosome ovulated by a female bird, the method comprising the acute administration of an adrenal glucocorticosteroid to an ovulating female bird.

6. A method of altering the sex ratio in avian offspring, the method comprising providing an adrenal glucocorticosteroid to an ovulating avian female by exposing the ovulating avian female to a stress.

9. A method of influencing the sex chromosome ovulated by a female bird or altering the sex ratio in avian offspring, the method comprising the administration of an inhibitor of a stress hormone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the inhibitor of a stress hormone is administered before the completion of meiosis I in an oocyte, at the time of sex chromosome segregation in an oocyte, or provided after the completion of rapid yolk deposition and prior to ovulation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the resultant sex ratio in the avian offspring is more than 50% male offspring or more than 50% female offspring.