Effect of the physical form of the diet on the morphometric traits of terminal ileum and ileocecal valve for potential prevention of small bowel retrograde contamination in the growing pig

•Diet's physical forms (DPF) induce morphological changes in different organs of GIT.•Such changes display adaptive responses to diverse mechanical stimuli from ingesta.•The ileocecal valve (IV) resulted significantly affected as thickness is regarded.•The prevention of digesta backflow into foregut can relate to IV morphometric traits.•Prevention of retrograde contamination by hindgut pathogens should account also DPF.