Table 8.

Duodenum, jejunum, and ileum morphometry variables of white laying hens fed different sources and levels of trace minerals from 78 to 98 weeks of age.

Item	VH, μm	VW, μm	CD, μm	CW, μm	AREA, μm2	V:C ratio
Duodenum
ZMCGly source	1771B	217.7	259.2	84.0A	17.7B	8.3
ZMCAA source	1909A	213.3	266.9	66.5B	21.5A	8.5
Low level	1855	223.0	245.0	78.7a	19.2	8.7
High level	1826	207.9	281.7	71.6b	20.1	8.1
P-value
Source	0.022	0.642	0.606	<0.001	<0.001	0.581
Level	0.633	0.092	0.010	0.001	0.130	0.191
Source × Level	0.216	<0.001	0.011	0.857	0.798	<0.001
SEM	30.3	4.63	7.28	1.20	0.33	0.26
Jejunum
ZMCGly source	1342	154.6	148.8	70.4	9.6	17.1
ZMCAA source	1399	147.4	145.1	62.8	10.1	18.5
Low level	1444a	156.6	154.9	70.7	10.4	17.5
High level	1296b	145.3	138.3	62.3	9.3	18.1
P-value
Source	0.355	0.174	0.72	0.003	0.239	0.045
Level	0.001	0.005	0.025	0.001	0.001	0.001
Source × Level	0.146	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001
SEM	24.9	0.13	0.16	1.39	0.24	0.01
Ileum
ZMCGly source	1383	145.9	166.2	62.1	19.0	9.3A
ZMCAA source	1285	140.4	166.9	60.6	17.4	8.4B
Low level	1374	142.0	181.1	64.6	17.8	8.2b
High level	1296	144.4	151.8	58.0	18.5	9.5a
P-value
Source	0.006	0.345	0.911	0.438	0.003	0.041
Level	0.049	0.649	0.003	0.001	0.203	0.003
Source × Level	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	0.0 01	<0.001	0.164
SEM	18.3	2.45	4.45	0.90	0.21	0.24

VH = villus height; VW = villus width; CD = crypt depth; CW = crypt width; AREA = absorption area; V:C ratio = villus height to crypt depth ratio; SEM = standard error of the mean.

ZMCGly = Zn, Mn, and Cu bis-glycinates.

ZMCAA = Zn, Mn, and Cu amino acid complexed minerals.

Low level = 20, 20, and 3.5 mg of Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively.

High level = 40, 40, and 7 mg of Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively.

^A,B Within a column, values with different letters differ significantly from the source by Tukey's test (P < 0.05). ^a,b Within a column, values with different letters differ significantly from the level by Tukey's test (P < 0.05).