Effect of taurine on intestinal morphology and utilisation of soy oil in chickens

1. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of taurine on intestinal morphology and utilisation of dietary fatty acids in chicken. One-day-old broilers chickens were fed with a maize- and soybean-based diet containing soy oil, and supplemented with taurine at either 0 or 0·5 g/kg. 2. Result showed that the total bile acid in blood and lipase activity in the small intestine were elevated in 3-week-old broilers given the taurine-supplemented diet. No differences were observed for total serum bile acid and lipase activity between the groups of 6-week-old broilers. 3. The development of the jejunum villus and ileum villus was inhibited, and the weight of jejunum and the relative height of intestinal mucosa were decreased in the chickens fed the taurine-supplemented diet. 4. The rate of diet fatty acid utilisation was not different between the groups of 3- and 6-week-old chickens. 5. Our results showed that dietary supplementation with taurine had no beneficial effect on intestinal morphology or utilisation of a soy oil diet in chickens.