Table 2.
Effects of dietary BA supplementation on small intestinal morphology of weaned piglets with NBW and IUGR.
| Items | NBW | IUGR | SEM | p-values | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| −BA | +BA | −BA | +BA | IUGR | BA | IUGR*BA | ||
| Jejunum | ||||||||
| VH (μm) | 475.62 | 432.02 | 394.48 | 421.13 | 13.66 | 0.09 | 0.75 | 0.19 |
| CD (μm) | 248.42 | 219.17 | 242.63 | 264.51 | 8.13 | 0.23 | 0.82 | 0.12 |
| VH/CD | 1.83 | 2.01 | 1.65 | 1.62 | 0.08 | 0.03 | 0.55 | 0.38 |
| Ileum | ||||||||
| VH (μm) | 436.83a | 381.97b | 371.53b | 405.68ab | 10.44 | 0.30 | 0.60 | 0.03 |
| CD (μm) | 166.79 | 169.64 | 178.23 | 170.75 | 4.19 | 0.48 | 0.80 | 0.56 |
| VH/CD | 2.68a | 2.27a,b | 2.10b | 2.39a,b | 0.08 | 0.16 | 0.71 | 0.04 |
Data are expressed as means with pooled SEM (n = 11–12). a,bMeans with different superscript letters in the same row are significantly different (p < 0.05). BA, bile acids; NBW, normal birth weight; IUGR, intrauterine growth retardation. −BA, piglets received a basal diet; +BA, piglets received a basal diet with 400 mg/kg BA. VH, villus height; CD, crypt depth; VH/CD, the ratio of VH to CD.