Enterohepatic circulation of sulphur in female goats.

Sulphur flow through the gut was monitored in eight adult female goats at different stages in their reproductive cycle. The amount of S transferred from the body into digesta between the mouth and the transverse duodenum was directly proportional to the amount of nitrogen retained in the body and secreted in milk. S secretion into digesta was also a function of metabolic body-weight (body-weight 0.75) in non-pregnant, non-lactating goats and in pregnant goats. During lactation there was an additional S input into digesta, and S gain was directly proportional to the yield of milk N. The S was conserved by intestinal absorption and was recycled to the gut predominantly as carbon-bound (neutral) S in bile. The enterohepatic circulation may act as a mobile reserve of S, particularly of taurine.