What Is the Function of the Liver in a Living Pig?

The liver and its functions are referred to as the hepatic system, from the Greek word meaning liver. Living pigs need their liver to properly digest and metabolize the nutrients they eat. Metabolism is the readjustment of molecules into a form usable by the pig's body systems. In the case of toxins, liver metabolism breaks down poisonous molecules into less harmful molecules, sending unneeded chemicals out through the urine.

  1. Function

    • The liver performs hundreds of functions for the pig's whole body, but the most important function is metabolism of nutrients and toxins pulled from digestion in the intestines. The pig's liver also produces bile, needed to break down fats during digestion; this is secreted into the intestinal system via the gall bladder.

    Types

    • In a living pig, the liver functions in the digestive system and the lymphatic system, busy with protein synthesis, toxin and hormone breakdown, vitamin storage and manufacture of blood cells and blood components.

    Location

    • The liver in pigs is located behind the diaphragm in the abdominal cavity, connected to the digestive system through the bile ducts, gall bladder and duodenum. Blood supply to the liver is 75 percent from the venous system, directly from the intestines.

    Features

    • Pig livers have four main lobes for filtering toxins and nutrients from the bloodstream: the right, left, caudate and quadrate. Bile ducts connect the lobes to the gall bladder, where excess bile is stored until needed.

    Considerations

    • Ascaris suum (pig roundworm) infections of the liver are common in pigs, as well as cysts formed by other parasites such as tapeworms. These parasites can impact the efficiency of the pig's liver, however livers can function normally with even small amounts of healthy tissue.