Sharma, ArunShivanshi2022-07-192022-07-192020-10-29https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810185568The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding Urtica dioica (Stinging nettle/ Bichu Buti) in commercial broiler birds under complete randomized block design. Day old broiler chicks (n=180) were divided into six treatment groups T0, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 with three replicates of ten chicks in each. All the birds were fed isonitrogenous and isocaloric standard diet. The birds in treatment T0 (control group) were fed standard poultry diet while in treatments T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, the standard poultry diet was supplemented with antibiotic (zinc bacitracin), 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% nettle leaves powder, respectively. The result of the study showed that treatment group T4 fed with 1.5% nettle leaves in basal diet showed significantly (P<0.05) enhanced growth performance in terms of gain in body weight and feed conversion efficiency. It significantly (P<0.05) increased the dressing percentage. Highest % weight of gizzard was observed in group fed 1% nettle leaves powder mixed in standard diet. Among blood parameters, the value of Hb and PCV was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T3 and T4 treatment groups. The value of RBCs was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T4 treatment group whereas the value of WBCs, MCV, MCH and MCHC did not exhibit any significant differences amongst different treatment groups. However, plasma cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations were significantly low (P<0.05) in T4 and T5 treatment groups as compared to control and other treatment groups. Overall economic analysis revealed that group of birds supplemented with 1.5% nettle leaves powder exhibited 41.37% higher gross profit as compared to the control in terms of body weight gain and feed efficiency and increasing supplementation beyond this decreased profitability as well as growthEnglishThesis