Table 8 Effects of Qiamagu polysaccharide on intestinal villus length and crypt depth of yellow-feathered broilers (Means ± SE)

21 days old

Duodenum

V(µm)

1226.43 ± 40.32

1257.76 ± 220.14

1266.65 ± 70.99

1227.35 ± 50.43

0.071

C(µm)

243.91 ± 13.12^a

237.02 ± 18.15^a

227.31 ± 16.10^b

238.14 ± 16.34^a

0.027

V/C

5.03 ± 0.35^c

5.30 ± 0.50^b

5.57 ± 0.86^a

5.15 ± 0.17^bc

0.036

Jejunum

V(µm)

832.12 ± 7.72

845.40 ± 4.57

853.97 ± 4.49

838.92 ± 2.71

1.136

C(µm)

167.86 ± 12.58

173.01 ± 6.50

177.26 ± 3.04

165.13 ± 4.64

0.173

V/C

4.97 ± 0.33

4.89 ± 0.16

4.82 ± 0.06

5.08 ± 0.12

0.271

Ileum

V(µm)

816.23 ± 3.89

823.34 ± 13.15

831.32 ± 8.70

815.22 ± 5.08

0.063

C(µm)

162.76 ± 6.92

169.50 ± 9.58

174.43 ± 6.12

165.55 ± 4.40

0.096

V/C

5.01 ± 0.19

4.86 ± 0.20

4.77 ± 0.12

4.92 ± 0.10

0.065

42 days old

Duodenum

V(µm)

1262.62 ± 25.87^b

1310.34 ± 42.53^b

1612.46 ± 43.51^a

1395.14 ± 27.04^ab

0.037

C(µm)

280.64 ± 3.65^a

239.78 ± 2.90^b

220.54 ± 2.93^b

246.98 ± 0.68^b

0.022

V/C

4.51 ± 0.03^c

5.43 ± 0.11^bc

7.35 ± 0.12^a

5.65 ± 0.12^b

0.031

Jejunum

V(µm)

866.67 ± 6.15

942.68 ± 11.12

1116.14 ± 14.77

975.16 ± 10.49

0.233

C(µm)

178.44 ± 21.06

179.54 ± 12.10

194.74 ± 15.35

184.24 ± 15.23

0.345

V/C

4.86 ± 0.54

5.25 ± 0.29

5.73 ± 0.38

5.29 ± 0.38

0.512

Ileum

V(µm)

923.16 ± 74.20^b

913.45 ± 31.87^b

1096.60 ± 32.42^a

918.30 ± 37.81^b

0.032

C(µm)

176.60 ± 8.48

172.36 ± 16.60

185.34 ± 16.82

174.48 ± 15.43

0.444

V/C

5.23 ± 0.17^b

5.30 ± 0.33^b

5.92 ± 0.36^a

5.26 ± 0.25^b

0.035

43–63 days old

Duodenum

V(µm)

1368.60 ± 22.84

1412.23 ± 25.30

1403.50 ± 26.31

1395.77 ± 31.17

0.115

C(µm)

221.12 ± 18.27

232.64 ± 15.53

224.36 ± 17.28

225.02 ± 22.18

0.077

V/C

6.19 ± 0.41

6.07 ± 0.30

6.26 ± 0.36

6.23 ± 0.48

0.068

Jejunum

V(µm)

1111.21 ± 24.15

1123.34 ± 13.78

1134.34 ± 33.16

1153.80 ± 23.17

0.086

C(µm)

211.71 ± 10.66

187.24 ± 13.06

215.41 ± 18.29

220.36 ± 16.02

0.063

V/C

5.25 ± 0.15

6.00 ± 0.34

5.27 ± 0.29

5.24 ± 0.27

0.057

Ileum

V(µm)

1163.23 ± 25.57

1177.04 ± 35.60

1150.13 ± 13.66

1153.80 ± 31.44

0.062

C(µm)

198.01 ± 20.10

193.47 ± 11.99

186.35 ± 12.23

189.13 ± 12.85

1.33

V/C

5.87 ± 0.47

6.08 ± 0.19

6.17 ± 0.35

6.10 ± 0.25

0.074