a Body weights: recorded at pre-treatment, days 1 and 4 and then once weekly until study end. Food consumption: estimated daily from 5 days before start throughout the study b Dermal observations at the injection sites were recorded at 3 and 24 h after each vaccination c Performed for groups 4-6 only d On days 1 and 57, tests were done just before and 1 h post immunization. A test at day 85 was done before sacrifice for only one animal e Blood sampling for clinical pathology performed for groups 1-6 only f At day 55 or day 56, blood samples for haematology, coagulation parameters and blood biochemistry were taken before immunisation. On day 85, samples were taken before necropsy g Day 11, day 85 0 time points of termination of the animals of groups 1-3, groups 4-6 respectively Total RNA was extracted from the samples using an RNeasy 96 kit with the Biorobot 3000 (both Qiagen) and reagents and protocols recommended by the manufacturer. Briefly, the lysed samples in 0.2 ml of chloroform were homogenized (15 s), left at room temperature for 2-3 min and centrifuged (12,000×g, 15 min, 5°C). The aqueous phase was transferred to 96-well plates and placed on the Biorobot for automatic extraction (by vacuum or centrifugation). Ethanol (600 μl, 70 % (v/v)) was added to each well. After mixing, samples were placed in the column for RNA adsorption on the membranes. After three wash steps (once with 800 μl RW1 buffer and twice with 800 μl RPE buffer), columns were centrifuged (5,600×g, 10 min). RNA was then eluted with 60 μl elution buffer (RNase free water) and stored at temperatures below −70°C.