Feather pulp as a source of antibody to avian viruses.

Feather pulp from White Leghorns that had been inoculated with the RAV-1 strain of avian leukosis virus (ALV) was tested for antibody by ELISA. In an ELISA on three feather pulps and serum from each of four inoculated chickens, there was a highly significant correlation between antibody levels in feather pulp (1 pulp per 800 mul of buffer) and a 1:500 dilution of serum. Also based on ELISA, there were highly significant correlations between levels of maternal and actively acquired antibody to Newcastle disease virus in feather pulp and serum collected from meat-type birds at intervals between 10 and 108 days of age.