The effects of time and the type of dietary fat on biliary physiology in rats with 50% resection of the distal small intestine were investigated. The effects of ursodeoxycholic acid as an exogenous source of bile acid added to the diet were also studied. The fat composition of all diets was the same in quantitative terms (4%), and differed only in the type of lipid supplied: olive oil (diet A) or one-third medium chain triglycerides, one-third sunflower seed oil and one-third olive oil (diet B). In resected rats given diet A for 1 or 3 months, there was a decrease in biliary secretion of cholesterol and phospholipids, and in the lithogenic index, with respect to the control group. Resected rats fed diet B for 1 or 3 months showed increases in biliary secretion of cholesterol and phospholipids, and in the lithogenic index, in comparison with resected rats fed diet A. The addition of ursodeoxycholic acid to diet B led to the decoupling of bile acid and bile lipid secretion.