The highest vitamin contents can be found in the leaves. Poultry: Egg yolk colouring in laying hens
In laying hens, nettle can be used as an egg yolk colorant instead of artificial pigments or other natural pigments (derived from marigold for yellow). Nettle has high carotenoid contents, especially lutein, β-carotene and zeaxanthin, of which lutein and zeaxanthin act as yellow pigments. Feeding as little as 6.25 g dry nettle per kg feed is as effective as the synthetic pigments to colour the egg yolk. Feeding nettle has no detrimental effect on the performance of the laying hens or on the general quality of eggs. Ruminants
Ruminants avoid fresh stinging nettles; however, if the nettles are wilted or dry, voluntary intake can be high. Use in agriculture / horticulture
In the European Union and United Kingdom, nettle extract can be used as a insecticide, fungicide, and acaricide under Basic Substance regulations. As an insecticide nettle extract can be used for the control of codling moth, diamondback moth, and spider mites. As a fungicide, it can be used for the control of Pythium root rot, powdery mildew, early blight, late blight, Septoria blight, Alternaria leaf spot, and grey mould. Gardening
Nettles have a number of other uses in the vegetable garden, including the potential for encouraging beneficial insects.
The cist dated from between 1730 and 1600 BC. It contained various high value beads as well as fragments of a sash made from nettle fibre. It is possible that the sash was traded from mainland Europe, but perhaps more probable that it was locally made. See also
Nettles in folklore

References
Further reading
Elliott, C. (1997). "Rash Encounters". Horticulture. 94: 30. Schofield, Janice J. (1998). Nettles ISBN 0-585-10500-6
Thiselton-Dyer, T. F., (1889). The Folk-Lore of Plants. Glawe, G. A. (2006). Sex ratio variation and sex determination in Urtica diocia. ISBN 90-6464-026-2

External links
"Urtica dioica L." Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Flora of China: Urtica dioica