Table 3 Intestinal mucosal histomorphology of 16-day-old ducks in the pantothenic acid-deficient (PAD) and control (CON) group

 Villus height (μm)

666^b

893^a

27.7

< 0.001

 Villus width (μm)

108

130

5.60

0.093

 Crypt depth (μm)

175

214

9.90

0.153

 Villus surface area (mm²)

0.23^b

0.36^a

0.018

0.001

 Villus height (μm)

467^b

678^a

42.4

0.033

 Villus width (μm)

121

134

7.20

0.249

 Crypt depth (μm)

123

158

8.30

0.076

 Villus surface area (mm²)

0.18^b

0.28^a

0.019

0.010

 Villus height (μm)

305^b

534^a

32.4

< 0.001

 Villus width (μm)

118

122

3.40

0.618

 Crypt depth (μm)

126^b

194^a

10.5

0.002

 Villus surface area (mm²)

0.11^b

0.20^a

0.014

< 0.001