WORTHINGTON — Local veterinarian Andrew Bents shared his wealth of knowledge about pigs with youth and 4-H volunteers during a swine clinic Oct. 22 at the Nobles County Fairgrounds in Worthington.

Through an autopsy, the young people examined the internal anatomy of a pig. Participants learned the purpose of each organ and discussed what the organ looked like, whether it was healthy or unhealthy.

Human and porcine organs are very similar, making them suitable for studying human diseases and potential treatments. Pig heart valves have been used for many years to repair the human heart.

Currently, some pigs are bred for specific human organ donation.

From locating an organ as small as the tonsils, to observing the filters inside the kidney, to learning about cuts of meat that come from pork, participants came away with an abundance of knowledge.