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Beneficial Effects of Alfalfa, Aureomycin and Cornstarch on the Growth and Survival of Hamsters Fed Highly Purified Rations¹

Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, University of Southern California, Los Angeles

A marked variation was observed in the response of hamsters obtained from different breeders in respect to growth and survival when fed highly purified rations containing casein as the protein and either glucose or sucrose as the carbohydrate. Whereas hamsters obtained from one breeder showed excellent growth and survival on highly purified rations containing the above ingredients, animals obtained from two other suppliers failed to survive on identical rations although hamsters from all three sources grew equally well when fed a natural food ration. The poor growth and survival of hamsters on the above diets could be ameliorated by the substitution of cornstarch for the glucose or sucrose in the ration, the addition of aureomycin HCl at a level of 100 mg/kg of ration or the incorporation of alfalfa meal at a 20% level in the diet. The protective factor (or factors) in alfalfa was retained in the alfalfa residue fraction (the water washed pulp remaining after the extraction of the juice). Supplements of all the known nutrients were without significant effect.

Manuscript received 12 March 1956.