Abstract
Three kinds of legume, alfalfa, red clover, ladino clover and Italian ryegrass were used in this experiment. All legume were harvested at full bloom of the 1st growing and Italian ryegrass was harvested at heading stage of the 2nd growing. Ethyl ether extract of alfalfa, red clover, ladino clover and Italian ryegrass were added to the estrogen-free basal diet at the rate of 18, 18, 28 and 13mg per one gram diet, respectively. In this case, the amount of each extract was equivalent to 0.66 gram herbage dry matter. Each experimental group was formed of five hamsters and they were fed on one of these experimental diets for 60 days. The animals were weighed and the amount of feed consumed in each group was recorded every five days. Body weight gains of these herbage extract groups, alfalfa, red clover, ladino clover and Italian ryegrass, were 46, 31, 27 and 49 percent more larger than the control group and feed efficiencies of these experimental groups were, 28, 6, 10 and 18 percent higher than that of the control group, respectively. Growth promoting effect of these experimental diets were apparently owing to the estrogenic substances in these herbage, but correlation between estrogenic activity and growth promoting effect of the diet was indistinct.
