Significance of infectious bursal disease serology in an integrated quality control program under European epidemiologic conditions.

In this study performed between 1993 and 1997, infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) antibody titers and performance data were recorded in a vertically integrated monitoring scheme in order to make a follow-up from day-old parents down to the broilers at slaughter. All measured data were used two by two in a simple correlation study to calculate the degree to which they were linearly correlated. It appeared that high and/or uniform antibody titers in the parents were correlated with increased daily weight gain and decreased mortality and slaughterhouse condemnation in the broilers. Antibody titers and their CVs were negatively correlated in broiler parents and their offspring at day-old and even at slaughter. Results indicate that high and uniform antibody titers against IBDV in broiler parents are important for good performance of the broiler offspring, at least under the epidemiologic conditions of this study, which included the presence of very virulent IBDV strains in the field and the sole use of live intermediate vaccines in broilers as well as broiler parents.