This list of problems that can affect kune kunes was written by vets Colin Wakelin and Gavin Struthers.
EXTERNAL PARASITES
Lice are a parasite. They suck the blood and cause anaemia. The piglets will be weak and not do well. transmission is by contact. They are large lice and will only affect pigs, but bite humans too, although they won't breed on us. As they are blood sucking they tend to be red.
Mange mites are very itchy as they burrow into the skin of the pig and cause irritation. The pig scratches and this can cause secondary infection. Transmission is by contact and treatment can be difficult, but the easiest way is one Ivomec injection, which will clear it up. A pour-on is available but may be very expensive. You can use cattle formula of Ivomec at the rate of 1mL per 30kg weight.
INTERNAL PARASITES
Round worms generally cause ill thrift and can cause stomach rupture so piglets might die. Transmission occurs mainly when piglets are suckling.
Lung worm has a two host cycle. The earthworm is the secondary host.
Kidney worm is not seen in the South Island (of New Zealand)........
BACTERIAL DISEASES
Leptosporosis: Transmission is by urine getting into the eyes and mouth of other animals or humans. It is carried by rats. Causes blood in the urine, abortion and neo-natal death. It is a serious disease in humans. We need to be aware of it. Keep rat population down.
Tuberculosis: There are two forms. Avian TB is the most common and there is quite a high level in the south. Not a health hazard to humans. Kill the affected pigs and don't eat the meat. The lesions are indistinguishable from bovine TB which pigs get also.
Bovine TB: This tends to cause assesses in the lymph nodes or similar, sometimes in the gut, lungs. Needs to be assessed by a lab or a culture to distinguish it. It's zoonosis; it affects humans. If you live in an area where there is a known bovine TB problem don't let your pigs out near the cows. Don't feed opossums to pigs either raw or boiled ever, as they carry this disease.
Pneumonia: Pigs living outside are more prone to it. There are a lot of different bacteria involved in it. It can be vaccinated against but isn't recommended if the pigs aren't in great numbers.
Scouring: Usually food related. Feeding to many sheep nuts can make them scour. If it continues, treat it. There are commercial preparations available to stop it.
DEFORMITIES
Cow-hocked back legs are seen in many Kune-Kunes at various shows. If you are raising show-pigs, cull all pigs with deformities and those that don't match up, they're good to eat!
CONGENITAL DEFECTS
These are not passed on but are faults of development.
HEREDITARY DEFECTS
These are passed on. Inbreeding will increase the hereditary defects we will see, e.g. Microthalmea - tiny eyes.
AUJESKY'S DISEASE
This is a viral disease. Only seen in young pigs in New Zealand. It affects the central nervous system, fitting, paddling, frothing at the mouth etc. The virus is passed on in semen and in the sow's milk and infection usually occurs in the uterus. It's a very difficult disease to prevent infection and cure. The South Island is free of it. It's endemic throughout the North Island, mainly in the southern part.
Symptoms you would notice if your pigs had Aujesky's would be sneezing, coughing, pigs lying on their sides paddling, disorientated, elevated temperature and abortion in sows.
Basic Feeding - Kune-Kunes are pretty self-sufficient through most of the year. So long as the grass holds they're happy. During the winter when there is little grass growth, they can be fed on a wide range of foodstuffs, soaked or crushed grains, spuds, windfall fruit, household scraps, surplus vegetables, silage etc. The Kune-Kune is unique in that it survive on a high fibre diet and is commonly run on pasture. Well balanced pasture will provide most of the nutrients they require.
Water - an adult sow requires approximately 5 litres per day. Lactating sows require 4 or 5 times that amount. Salt obtained in household scraps can lead to salt poisoning if not enough clean, fresh water is available at all times.
Energy is required for the maintenance of bodily functions and high energy foods, eg: grains, can be fed to vary the fat contents of the animals.
Proteins and Amino Acids - essential for maintenance and growth, gestation and lactation. A balanced diet is best, protein available in meat or fish meal and in legume type pasture. It's very important that the protein level is high for lactating and pregnant sows, and young pigs, for optimum growth.
MINERALS
Calcium and Phosphorus - used in bone and skeletal growth. Common feeds will provide most of these. A balance is necessary. When calcium is too low and phosphorus is too high the bones become too soft.
Iron - applies mainly to pigs that are housed. Pigs with access to the soil shouldn't require iron supplements. Oral supplements or injections are available. Shouldn't be necessary with Kune-Kunes.
Selenium Deficiency - Can cause sudden death in growing pigs. You get the characteristic liver lesions, pale mottled areas across the liver. It can lead to white muscle, pale muscle with white streaks through it. The animal has difficulty trying to support itself particularly if it's being rushed around at all. Selenium can be given either orally or by injection. To treat individual pigs put a little on a piece of bread and give it to the pig. Or top dress your pasture with prills annually.
FEEDING FOODSCRAPS TO PIGS
There is a resemblance to lesions (which you get from feeding parsnips or celery) of Foot and Mouth disease. It's indistinguishable and has been the result of some major scares in New Zealand. It's caused by a combination of contact or feeding these vegetables and sunlight. It produces typical vesicles (blistering) on the nose and feet and then two or three days of sunlight. The M.A.F. would prefer to inspect cases of parsnip poisoning because they don't want the one to slip past as parsnip poisoning when it really is foot and mouth disease.
TREATING FOR WORMS AND MITES
Ivomec is best - inject at any age. Treat sows before you take them to the boar. Treat your sow again three weeks before farrowing so that the piglets don't come into contact with mange mites when they're born. If piglets do get mites, ask your vet for a small needle and small quantity and inject them high on the neck under the skin. Always draw back on the syringe first to drench to see if there is blood in it. Do it again if there is. If you put the drench into the vein you could kill the pig!
For mange you can use Taslin in your garden spray to treat the pigs and spray their housing too.
When giving intramuscular injections, make sure it does go into the muscle, they're designed that way.
SELENIUM
Give selenium prior to mating as it can cause embryonic death just after fertilisation. Selenium deficiency can be a cause of small litter size.
Sagging in the back legs could be caused by selenium deficiency or calcium or phosphorus imbalance.
There is a test available to check the selenium level in pigs.
Hay can be an irritant depending on what the hay is made of eh: barley grass, pollens, thistles etc. Straw may be warmer and drier.
DERMATITIS
Change the bedding and ask your vet. It may need to be treated with antibiotics.
Chicken bones, fruit stones or corn cobs, lumps of fat, shouldn't be fed to pigs as they may damage the alimentary canal or choke or obstruct them.
Iron is still available to pigs in the soil even when they have a ring in their nose.