Potential use of the stinging nettle as an enhancer of weight gain and innate immune response in broiler chickens

Researches were conducted to investigate the in vivo effect of an nettle plant alcohol extract on the phagocytosis and body weight in 48 days old broiler chickens (n=34). The birds were divided into three groups: subcutaneously injected with 0.5 ml of saline (control, n = 12), with 0.5 ml of alcohol (group II, n=11) or with 0.5 ml of alcoholic nettle extract (group III, n=11). Sterile heparinized blood, sampled on days 0, 7 and 13, was processed by an in vitro carbon particle inclusion test, the phagocytosis being expressed in optical density units. The birds were weighed simultaneously with the blood sampling. We concluded that a single nettle extract treatment does not significantly influence the phagocytosis, while the second administration intensified it. The alcoholic nettle extract had a beneficial effect on the body weight of broiler chickens.Key words: Broiler chickens; Nettle extract; Phagocytosis; Body weight.