This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of cysteamine on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism of male minks in growing period.The experiment was designed in a double factorial experiment, and fifty-six healthy male minks aged (86±5) days were randomly divided into 7 groups with 8 replicates per group and 1 mink per replicate.The minks in control group (group Ⅰ) were fed a basal diet, the minks in groups Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ were continuously fed the experimental diets which supplemented with 60, 90 and 120 mg/kg cysteamine on the basis of the basal diet (air-dry basis), respectively, and the groups Ⅴ, Ⅵ and Ⅶ were fed the same diets with groups Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ, respectively, but at interval supplementation (continuously supplemented 1 week and at interval of 1 week).The adaptation period lasted for 7 days and the formal period lasted for 53 days.The results showed as follows: 1) the final weight, average daily gain and average daily feed intake of interval supplementation group were significantly higher than those of continuous supplementation group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The average daily feed intake of 90 mg/kg group was significantly higher than that of 60 mg/kg group (P<0.05), and the feed/gain of 60 and 90 mg/kg groups was significantly lower than that of 120 mg/kg group (P<0.05).There were no significant interactions on growth performance indices between cysteamine supplemental way and supplemental level (P>0.05).2) the dry matter and ether extract digestibility of interval suppletentation group were significantly higher than those of continuous supplementation group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).Cysteamine supplemental level had no significant effects on all nutrient digestibility (P>0.05), but the highest values of them were found in 90 mg/kg group.There were no significant interactions on all nutrient digestibility between cysteamine supplemental way and supplemental level (P>0.05).3) Cysteamine supplemental way and supplemental level had significant effects on nitrogen intake (P<0.05), but had no significant effects on fecal nitrogen and urinary nitrogen excretion, net protein utilization and biological value of protein (P>0.05).The way of interval feeding had significantly higher nitrogen intake than continuous feeding (P<0.01), and the group supplemented with 90 mg/kg cysteamine had significantly higher nitrogen intake than supplemented with 60 mg/kg cysteamine (P<0.05).There was significant interaction on urinary nitrogen excretion between cysteamine supplemental way and supplemental level (P<0.05).Considering above all indices, the cysteamine in diets for male minks in growing period is appropriate to add at the level of 90 mg/kg at interval supplementation (continuously suplemented 1 week and at interval of 1 week).