Table 6.

Effects and combinational effects of Bacillus subtilis (BS) and montmorillonite (MMT) on the gut morphology in laying hens.¹

BS (cfu/kg)	0	5 × 108	0	5 × 108	Pooled SEM	P-value
MMT (g/kg)	0	0	0.5	0.5		BS	MMT	BS × MMT
Duodenum
Villus height (μm)	643.63	856.07	973.87	704.13	63.26	0.818	0.476	0.064
Crypt depth (μm)	222.41	227.53	225.03	223.87	4.71	0.846	0.959	0.758
Villus height-to-crypt depth ratio	2.94	3.79	4.28	3.18	0.28	0.820	0.520	0.098
Jejunum
Villus height (μm)	739.87	803.30	723.47	993.90	41.97	0.040	0.266	0.189
Crypt depth (μm)	169.79	146.26	152.15	157.27	4.32	0.698	0.287	0.104
Villus height-to-crypt depth ratio	4.39	5.40	4.96	6.32	0.27	0.024	0.138	0.718
Ileum
Villus height (μm)	469.25	557.72	542.65	638.70	38.09	0.246	0.329	0.961
Crypt depth (μm)	150.14	122.51	141.91	134.61	5.24	0.853	0.105	0.334
Villus height-to-crypt depth ratio	3.20	4.57	3.86	4.75	0.29	0.466	0.063	0.683

¹Means represent 6 replicates per treatment, with 1 hen per replicate.