Genetic Differences in Resistance to Newcastle Disease Virus in Three Local Chicken Ecotypes of Ghana

ABSTRACT

The potential benefits of local chickens to the rural economy is compromised annually by regular outbreaks of Newcastle Disease (ND). Every year over 80% of the local chicken population is lost to ND, depriving the rural people of the much needed protein and income from chicken. In an effort to reduce the effect of Newcastle Disease on local chicken production, this study was conducted to determine if there is variation in the genetic resistance to NDV in three local chicken ecotypes of Ghana. Local chicken sampled from the Forest, costal savanna and Interior savanna eco-zones were bred and their offspring challenged with the La Sota strain of the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) at four weeks old. Antibody titre levels were determined using ELISA before infection and ten days post-infection. Chickens from the Forest ecozone were found to have significantly higher antibody titres (p