Nutritive value of leaf protein from lucerne (Medicago sativa): Growth responses in rats at different protein levels and to supplementation with lysine and or methionine.

Weanlin~ albino rats gained weight in increasing
order with increasing leveis of protein in diets; the optimum
feed and protein efflciencies were at 15% protein
level. Methionine caused significant Improvements in
growth of rats and also with respect to feed and protein
efficiencies at all protein levels, indicating it to be the
most limiting amino acid. Methionine supplementation
showed best responses at 10% protein level. Ly_
sine, when added either singly or in combination with
methionine, did not show any hnprovements suggesting
its nutritional adequacy in leaf protein.