Clinical signs of fatty liver and kidney syndrome in broilers and their alleviation by the short-term use of biotin or animal tallow.

1. Birds affected by fatty liver and kidney syndrome (FLKS) had elevated concentrations of serum Na+, K+, lactate, pyruvate and uric acid and reduced concentrations of serum HCO-3 and glucose. 2. Short-term treatment with biotin or animal tallow reduced the mortality from FLKS and prevented the clinical signs. 3. Lactic acidosis may be a major factor contributing to the mortality and physical symptoms observed in birds affected by FLKS. The lactic acidosis and the hypoglycaemia observed in FLKS are due primarily to an accumulation of pyruvate as a result of an insufficiency of biotin for normal pyruvate carboxylase activity.