PREVALENCE OF NEWCASTLE DISEASE IN VILLAGE CHICKENS REARED IN LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE. NIGERIA. By

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Newcastle Disease in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Five districts were selected which includes; Lafia central, Shabu, Kwandare, Assakio and Agyaragu. A total of 1,250 samples were randomly collected for a period of 18 months (June2011 to November, 2012). Haemagglutination Inhibition (HI) Test was used to analyze 820 males and 430 female chickens’ sera for Newcastle Disease (ND) virus antibodies using the haemagglutination test method. Haemagglutination Inhibition test was used for detection and quantification of antibodies against Newcastle Disease virus. The HI titre of each bird was determined and expressed in log2 and the mean for each specie was calculated. The results showed that the disease was present and infection had taken place with an overall serum antibody level of 28.72%.birds of the age 13-24 and >48 months were observed to have been mostly affected. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). It also showed that only chickens from Assakio had a mean antibody against death from challenge by virulent Newcastle Disease virus.