Table 2.

Changes of intestinal length in Escherichia coli–challenged Ma chickens treated with heat stress.

Item	Control (cm)	E. coli group (cm)	HS + E. coli group (cm)
Small intestine	69.25 ± 8.17	86.17 ± 10.35#	62.50 ± 4.19∗
Duodenum	17.25 ± 2.49	22.50 ± 2.69#	18.00 ± 1.73∗
Jejunum	32.75 ± 4.26	27.00 ± 4.13	29.67 ± 3.86
Ileum	19.25 ± 4.26	36.67 ± 4.33##	14.83 ± 1.86∗∗
Cecum	9.50 ± 1.12	16.17 ± 2.03##	7.81 ± 1.92∗∗

^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01 vs. control group; ∗P < 0.05, ∗∗P < 0.01 vs. E. coli group, n = 12.

Abbreviation: HS, heat stress.