Experiments were conducted to find the best assay method to evaluate the inhibitory effects of animal-waste composts on crop growth. The inhibitory effects of 14 kinds of animal-waste composts on seed germination and seedling growth of 7 forage crops (corn, sorghum, Italian ryegrass, African millet, red clover, alfalfa and soybean) and Komatsuna (Brassica rapa L) were tested under laboratory conditions. The parameters measured were seed germination rate and root length, shoot length, fresh weight and dry weight of 72 h old seedlings. The inhibitory effects of animal-waste composts varied among the test plant species and parameters. It is difficult to evaluate the inhibitory effects of a given compost by using a given parameter of a single plant. These results indicate that toxic substances in composts and their activity differ among the crop plant species. The necessity to identify the causal substances and to clarify their mode of action in plant growth is also indicated.