Pancreatic duct ligation (PDL) was performed in 5-week-old male chickens. Growth and food intake were studied over a 2-month period after the operation in PDL chickens fed a regular diet or a diet supplemented or not with 0.5 or 3% porcine pancreas powder. Sham-operated (SO) and intact birds were used as controls. Balance studies were performed at 1 and 8 weeks after ligation on PDL chickens and SO chickens fed a nonsupplemented diet. A 50% growth retardation was noted in PDL chickens 2 months after ligation. Balance studies performed soon after ligation showed that the apparent digestibility of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates was 40, 66 and 75% less than that of controls (SO), respectively. At 2 months after operation, there was no evidence for digestive compensation. At the end of the experiment, the wet weights of proventriculus, duodenum, jejunum, ileum and cecum were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the PDL chickens. The histological study revealed a complete degeneration of the exocrine pancreas, but no alteration of the endocrine part of the pancreas could be found by immunological and histological studies of islets and by measurement of the variations of the plasma glucose level in response to a meal.