Avian Disease Virus and Nutrition Relationships

Abstract

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection of immature White Leghorn cockerels on ad libitum, restricted, and force-fed regimens, increased nitrogen retention during incubation of the disease and depressed retention in the active involvement stage. The extent to which the infection influenced N retention was related to the virulence of the disease which, in turn, affected dietary N intake. Only during the recovery stage of the disease, when dietary N intake returned to normal, did N retention approach that of the noninfected controls.