Unless your pig lives inside with you, it is usually necessary to contain it in some way. Although an enclosed area such as a field or sty is generally best, the small size of the kune kune makes tethering an option for young pigs. This requires a dog-style harness that goes around the chest as well as the neck area and a very strong anchor. Be aware that pigs have very stong shoulders and necks for rooting up the soil and are expert escape artists!
A better way of making sure your pig doesn't roam out of its area is by putting up a snout-high electric wire around its enclosure. Once the pig receives a shock it will usually take great care to avoid it in the future. If you cannot use electric wire, the best alternative to prevent small piglets from wandering is to put planks along the fence line.
Even if you live in a warm climate your pig will need some sort of shelter to sleep in when it gets wet and cold. This is especially important for piglets who are at higher risk of pneumonia. In some areas it is possible to buy pig arcs - custom-built kune kune arcs are even available in the UK!
A cheaper option is a half water barrel or something similar to a tethered goat's hut, or even a hen house or small barn if many pigs are being kept. Initially you should put a fair amount of hay in the pig's house which will need to be topped up as it gets squashed down. Often a sow, especially if she has young piglets and there is plenty of long grass available, will build a large cosy nest with grass she has pulled up which she and her piglets will sleep in.
In hot weather, kunes love wallowing, so access to a stream or pond is greatly appreciated, as it prevents overheating and sunburn. If no wallow is provided in hot weather, tippable water bowls are likely to be tipped in an attempt to make a wallow, leaving the pig without drinking water. Heavy concrete troughs are the best option to ensure this doesn't happen.
When the soil is soft and damp, some kunes will root around in search of grass grubs and other goodies. This usually happens after a heavy rainfall and can go on for days until the ground dries out. A ring through the snout will sometimes help to discourage this behaviour.
Kune kunes make great scrap disposals. They will eat most food, but there are several things you should avoid feeding your pig.
Celery and parsnips can cause blisters that resemble the symptoms of foot and mouth disease. Also, in Britain it is important not to allow your pig to eat any sort of meat, bones, blood, offal, poultry or hatchery-derived product, or any scraps which may have been in contact with any of these substances.
Pigs in an orchard will not only keep the grass down between trees, they will also eat up fallen fruit which helps to prevents a disease cycle.
Finally, pigs need water. Use a sturdy concrete bowl or trough, preferably self-filling. A sow will drink about five litres of water a day, or up to 25 litres when lactating, so make sure there is enough available.
Kune kunes can be wormed and drenched in a similar way to sheep. Kunes in Britain require worming every four to six months and vaccinations against Erysipelas every six months. Injectable Ivomec clears up skin parasites and controls worms. In New Zealand, supplemental selenium helps with skin problems. A drop or two on a piece of bread for each pig is the easiest way to administer it.
Kune kunes are increasingly seen at agricultural shows, and registered animals, especially those outside of New Zealand, can be very valuable.
There are several shows in New Zealand and the UK which regularly include a kune kune category.
The standards of perfection use for judging for the breed are as follows:
Physical well being/Show condition - 10 Points
Housing /
Enclosures
Feeding
Kune kunes fatten on a sustenance diet of grass alone, but may require supplementary feeding over the winter months in cooler climates. As a breed, kunes require more fibre and less protein than other pig breeds, so a diet of commercial pig pellets only is not suitable in the long term. A lactating sow should be fed a 16% protein meal and lots of fresh grass.
Health
As health considerations vary from country to country, it is a good idea to get in touch with your local breeders' association for specific information.
Breeding
Boars become fertile at six to seven months and gilts can get pregnant as early as five months. However it is recommended that they should not be mated until they are at least one year old. Infertility is rare but is sometimes caused by boars and sows being too fat. If a male and female are brought up together they may not mate until they have been separated for a couple of weeks and put back together again. Gestation is three months, three weeks and three days, and three to eleven piglets can be expected in each litter. The piglets will require access to a heat lamp in colder weather. Piglets can be weaned at six weeks and the sow mated again after about a week of weaning from her piglets. Kune kunes are very generous mothers and will usually allow their piglets to be handled quite willingly. Breeding sows in the UK require vaccination against the Parvo virus, which can cause embryo death.
Tassels: Two well attached, well formed tassels - 10 Points
Ears: Pricked or flopped ears are acceptable - 10 Points
Snout: Medium to short - 5 Points
Mouth: Well set teeth suitable for grazing - 10 Points
Legs: Straight and able to support the weight with adequate mobility - 10 Points
Feet: Sound and able to support the weight bearing in mind the age and weight of the Kune-Kune - 10 Points
Sexual Characteristics: Female - should have evenly spaced adequate teating; Male - should exhibit masculine characteristics - 10 Points
Temperament: Placid natured - 10 Points
Sound conformation: Tail present, coat may be any colour and texture - 15 Points
Pork
Even though most people keep them as pets, kune kune pork has an excellent ratio of meat to fat. Apparently the nicest pork is that of a pig killed from eight to ten months old. After eight months fat builds up, but can be easily removed from the carcass. Kune kunes are considered by many to be nicer eating than the faster grown commercial breeds of pig, and their pork is sold in parts of New Zealand and the UK.
