Growth of Mice Fed Milk Fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus1

The effects of milk fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus on growth of Swiss albino mice were tested. Mice were fed a stock diet and drinking water containing one of these milk additions: no supplementary milk (control), 10% liquid skim milk, 10% milk containing a viable culture of L. acidophilus, or 10% milk fermented by L. acidophilus. After 4 weeks mice receiving the fermented acidophilus milk had consumed more total feed and gained more weight than had the control mice, but not more than those fed the liquid skim milk or the nonfermented acidophilus milk.