Digestive Tract of Swine

1. Mouth
   • gather and chew feed using tongue and teeth
   • salivary glands moisten feed to aid in swallowing
   • saliva begins the carbohydrate breakdown with salivary amylase

2. Esophagus
   • tube from mouth to stomach that is open at the mouth end
   • separated from stomach by the esophageal sphincter

3. Stomach
   • muscular gland lined sac that receives ingesta from the esophagus and conducts both physical and chemical digestion
   • primary secretions: pepsin - enzyme that digests protein; hydrochlorides - acids that aid in protein digestion

4. Small Intestine
   • enzymatic digestion and absorption
   • Functions of the small intestine: digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; absorption of the end products of digestion
     1. duodenum - most digestion occurs here
     2. jejunum - some digestion and some absorption occur
     3. ileum - mostly absorption

   • Bile
     • made in liver
     • stored in gall bladder
     • active in the small intestine
     • emulsifies fat to aid in digestion

5. Cecum - essentially non functioning in monogastrics

6. Large Intestine
   • bacterial activity
   • water absorption
   • waste storage

For more information see:

• ASC 106: Introduction to Animal Sciences - Gastrointestinal Tract - Monogastric.

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