Black soldier fly defatted meal as a dietary protein source for broiler chickens: Effects on growth performance, blood traits, gut morphology and histological features

Table 5 Least square means of the intestinal morphometric indices of the broiler chickens in relation to the diet and intestinal segment (n = 16)

Index	Fixed effect	Effect levels	Least square mean^a	SEM
Vh, mm	Diet	HI0	1.66^a	0.05
		HI5	1.64^a
		HI10	1.70^a
		HI15	1.49^b
	Intestinal segment	DU	1.99^a	0.05
		JE	1.57^b
		IL	1.30^c
Cd, mm	Diet	HI0	0.16^a	0.01
		HI5	0.17^a
		HI10	0.17^ab
		HI15	0.19^b
	Intestinal segment	DU	0.18^a	0.00
		JE	0.16^ab
		IL	0.15^b
Vh/Cd, mm/mm	Diet	HI0	10.79^a	0.41
		HI5	10.83^a
		HI10	10.45^a
		HI15	8.89^b
	Intestinal segment	DU	11.71^a	0.36
		JE	10.14^b
		IL	8.79^c

HI Hermetia illucens, Vh villus height, Cd crypt depth, Vh/Cd villus height to crypt depth ratio, DU duodenum, JE jejunum, IL ileum
^aMeans with different superscript letters (a, b) within the same column per fixed effect (i.e. diet, intestinal segment) differ significantly (P < 0.05)

ISSN: 2049-1891