Title: Digestive System of the Pig: Anatomy and Function | The Pig Site
Headings: Digestive System of the Pig: Anatomy and Function
Digestive System of the Pig: Anatomy and Function
Mouth
Stomach
Small Intestine, Pancreas and Liver
Large Intestine
Further Reading

Content: Figure 2. Regions of the stomach
Small Intestine, Pancreas and Liver
The small intestine is the major site of nutrient absorption, and is divided into three sections. The first section is the duodenum. The duodenum is approximately 12 inches long and is the portion of the small intestine that ducts from the pancreas and the liver (gall bladder). The pancreas is involved with both exocrine and endocrine excretions. This means the pancreas is responsible for secretion of insulin and glucagon in response to high or low glucose levels in the body. In addition, it has exocrine functions of secreting digestive enzymes and sodium bicarbonate. The digestive enzymes secreted break down (hydrolyse) proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in the chyme. In addition, the sodium bicarbonate serves a vital role to provide alkalinity so chyme can be transported though the small intestine without causing cell damage because of the low pH after leaving the stomach. The pancreas serves as the most vial organ in the digestive process for producing and secreting enzymes needed for the digestion of chyme and the prevention of cell damage due to pH.
In addition to the pancreas secreting into the duodenum, bile, which is stored in the gall bladder and produced by the liver, is secreted as well.