Claims
- 1. A method of raising an uncastrated male food-producing animal for meat production comprising vaccinating said animal with a first vaccine composition comprising a GnRH immunogen prior to or during the fattening period of said animal to cause a reduction in circulating testosterone levels, and vaccinating said animal with a second vaccine composition comprising a GnRH immunogen at about 2 to about 8 weeks before slaughter of the animal to substantially reduce the level of one or more androgenic and/or non-androgenic steroids.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first vaccine composition is administered to said animal at a time between the birth of the animal and about 10 weeks of age.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second vaccine compositions further comprise an immunological adjuvant.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the immunological adjuvant in said first vaccine composition comprises an oil and dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide.
- 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the immunological adjuvant in said second vaccine composition comprises an oil and dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide.
- 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the GnRH immunogen in the first and second vaccine compositions is the same.
- 7. The method of claim 3, wherein the GnRH immunogen in the first and second vaccine compositions is different.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein administration of the first vaccine composition results in the production of antibodies that cross-react with endogenous GnRH of said animal and the second composition is administered after the antibody levels have declined.
- 9. The method of claim 3, wherein said GnRH immunogen in said first vaccine composition is a GnRH multimer comprising the general formula (GnRH-X-GnRH)y wherein:
GnRH is a GnRH immunogen; X is one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of a peptide linkage, an amino acid spacer group, a carrier molecule and [GnRH]n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and y is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
- 10. The method of claim 3, wherein said GnRH immunogen in said first and second vaccine compositions is a GnRH multimer comprising the general formula (GnRH-X-GnRH)y wherein:
GnRH is a GnRH immunogen; X is one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of a peptide linkage, an amino acid spacer group, a carrier molecule and [GnRH]n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and y is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
- 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the carrier molecule is a leukotoxin polypeptide.
- 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the carrier molecule is a leukotoxin polypeptide.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said GnRH immunogen is a nucleic acid molecule.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second vaccine composition is administered at about 4 to about 6 weeks before slaughter of the animal.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the immunological adjuvant in said second vaccine composition is an aqueous adjuvant.
- 16. A method of raising an uncastrated male bovine, ovine or porcine animal for meat production comprising vaccinating said animal with a first vaccine composition comprising a GnRH immunogen prior to or during the fattening period of said animal to cause a reduction in circulating testosterone levels, and vaccinating said animal with a second vaccine composition comprising a GnRH immunogen at about 2 to about 8 weeks before slaughter of the animal, to substantially reduce the level of one or more androgenic and/or non-androgenic steroids.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second vaccine compositions further comprise an immunological adjuvant.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the GnRH immunogen in the first and second vaccine compositions is the same.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the GnRH immunogen in the first and second vaccine compositions is different.
- 20. The method of claim 16, wherein said GnRH immunogen in said first vaccine composition is a GnRH multimer comprising the general formula (GnRH-X-GnRH)y wherein:
GnRH is a GnRH immunogen; X is one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of a peptide linkage, an amino acid spacer group, a carrier molecule and [GnRH]n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and y is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
- 21. The method of claim 18, wherein said GnRH immunogen in said first and second vaccine compositions is a GnRH multimer comprising the general formula (GnRH-X-GnRH)y wherein:
GnRH is a GnRH immunogen; X is one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of a peptide linkage, an amino acid spacer group, a carrier molecule and [GnRH]n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and y is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
- 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the carrier molecule is a leukotoxin polypeptide.
- 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the carrier molecule is a leukotoxin polypeptide.
- 24. The method of claim 16, wherein the second vaccine composition is administered at about 4 to about 6 weeks before slaughter of the animal.
- 25. A method of raising an uncastrated male bovine, ovine or porcine animal for meat production comprising:
(a) vaccinating said animal with a first vaccine composition comprising an immunological adjuvant and a GnRH multimer comprising the general formula (GnRH-X-GnRH)y wherein:
GnRH is a GnRH immunogen; X is one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of a peptide linkage, an amino acid spacer group, a leukotoxin polypeptide and [GnRH]n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and y is an integer greater than or equal to 1, wherein said first vaccine composition is administered prior to or during the fattening period of said animal to cause a reduction in circulating testosterone levels; and (b) vaccinating said animal with a second vaccine composition comprising an immunological adjuvant and a GnRH multimer comprising the general formula (GnRH-X-GnRH)y wherein:
GnRH is a GnRH immunogen; X is one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of a peptide linkage, an amino acid spacer group, a leukotoxin polypeptide and [GnRH]n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and y is an integer greater than or equal to 1, wherein said second vaccine composition is administered at about 2 to about 8 weeks before slaughter of the animal, to substantially reduce the level of one or more androgenic and/or non-androgenic steroids.
- 26. The method of claim 25, wherein said first and second vaccine compositions comprise the same GnRH multimer.
- 27. The method of claim 25, wherein said GnRH multimer in the first vaccine composition comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIGS. 3A-3F (SEQ ID NO:______), or an amino acid sequence with at least about 75% sequence identity thereto.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein said GnRH multimer comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIGS. 3A-3F (SEQ ID NO:______).
- 29. The method of claim 26, wherein said GnRH multimer in the first and second vaccine compositions comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIGS. 3A-3F (SEQ ID NO:______), or an amino acid sequence with at least about 75% sequence identity thereto.
- 30. The method of claim 29, wherein said GnRH multimer comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIGS. 3A-3F (SEQ ID NO:______).
- 31. The method of claim 25, wherein the second vaccine composition is administered at about 4 to about 6 weeks before slaughter of the animal.
- 32. A method of raising an uncastrated male bovine, ovine or porcine animal for meat production comprising:
(a) vaccinating said animal with a first vaccine composition comprising an immunological adjuvant and a GnRH multimer comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIGS. 3A-3F (SEQ ID NO:______), or an amino acid sequence with at least about 75% sequence identity thereto, wherein said first vaccine composition is administered prior to or during the fattening period of said animal to cause a reduction in circulating testosterone levels; and (b) vaccinating said animal with a second vaccine composition comprising an immunological adjuvant and a GnRH multimer comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIGS. 3A-3F (SEQ ID NO:______), or an amino acid sequence with at least about 75% sequence identity thereto, wherein said second vaccine composition is administered at about 2 to about 8 weeks before slaughter of the animal, to substantially reduce the level of one or more androgenic and/or non-androgenic steroids.
- 33. The method of claim 32, wherein said GnRH multimer in said first and second vaccine composition comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIGS. 3A-3F (SEQ ID NO:______).
- 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the second vaccine composition is administered at about 4 to about 6 weeks before slaughter of the animal.
- 35. The method of claim 32, wherein the immunological adjuvant in said first vaccine composition comprises a light mineral oil and dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide.
- 35. The method of claim 31, wherein the immunological adjuvant in said second vaccine composition comprises a light mineral oil and dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide.
- 36. The method of claim 31, wherein the immunological adjuvant in said first and second vaccine compositions comprises a light mineral oil and dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to provisional patent application serial No. 60/084,217, filed May 5, 1998, from which priority is claimed under 35 USC §119(e) (1) and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60084217 |
May 1998 |
US |