Table 2 Least square means of mucin staining intensity in the intestinal crypts and villi of free-range chickens in relation to diet, mucin type, gut segment and fragment

Crypts

Diet

C

1.11 ± 0.03

TM7.5

1.14 ± 0.03

Mucin type

Neutral

1.04 ± 0.03^b

Acidic sialylated

1.28 ± 0.04^a

Acidic sulfated

1.06 ± 0.03^b

Gut segment

Duodenum

1.38 ± 0.04^a

Jejunum

1.05 ± 0.04^b

Ileum

1.31 ± 0.04^a

Cecum

0.83 ± 0.03^c

Fragment

Base

1.36 ± 0.04^a

Midsection

1.03 ± 0.03^b

Tip

1.01 ± 0.03^b

Villi

Diet

C

1.65 ± 0.04

TM7.5

1.65 ± 0.04

Mucin type

Neutral

1.63 ± 0.05

Acidic sialylated

1.72 ± 0.05

Acidic sulfated

1.61 ± 0.05

Gut segment

Duodenum

1.09 ± 0.04^c

Jejunum

1.91 ± 0.06^b

Ileum

2.16 ± 0.06^a

Fragment

Base

1.78 ± 0.05^a

Midsection

1.64 ± 0.05^ab

Tip

1.55 ± 0.05^b