Eight postoperative goats with intestinal trauma were orally supplemented with cysteamine hydrochloride (CS) in a dose of 45 (Exp, n=4) or 0 mg·kg^-1BW per day (Con, n=4), respectively, to investigate the effects of CS on mucosal morphology. The duodenal epithelial cells of cows (n=3) were cultured to determine DNA synthesis and anti-oxidation capacity. Compared with Con the villous height in duodenum (DM) and in proximal jejunum (PJ) was enhanced significantly (P<0.05) in Exp, the crypt depth also increased in these two tissues (P=0.08, P=0.06). The RNA/ DNA ratio decreased in Exp for DM (P=0.10) and for PJ (P<0.05). CS also enhanced mucosal γ-glutamyl transferase activity in the DM or PJ (P<0.05), and the alkaline phosphatase activity in the PJ (P=0.08). These data indicated that CS induced mucosa hyperplasia rather than hypertrophy in DM and PJ. This was supported by in vitro experiment, in which CS stimulated DNA synthesis and enhanced total anti-oxidation capacity and the intracellular glutathione concentration in cultured duodenal cells of cows (P<0.05).