Genetic Variation in Resistance of Turkeys to Experimental Infection with Newcastle Disease Virus

Seven hundred eighty male and female turkeys representing four genetic lines were challenged in four experiments with the Texas GB strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The lines of turkeys included two randombred control lines (RBC1 and RBC2), a subline (E) of RBC1 selected for increased egg production, and a subline (F) of RBC2 selected for increased 16-week body weight. Mortality in turkeys of subline F (32.5%) was significantly higher than that in turkeys of line RBC2 (15.8%), subline E (17.5%), and line RBC1 (18.4%). At the end of each experiment, surviving birds were tested for antibody to NDV using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test. Turkeys of subline E and line RBC1 had significantly lower ELISA antibody titers than those of subline F and line RBC2. Subline F had the highest HI antibody titers, followed in decreasing order by lines RBC2 and RBC1 and subline E. No apparent correlation was found between antibody response and mortality after NDV challenge.