If you ’re thinking about bring up Kunekune pigs on your small farm , you ’ve made a great conclusion . Theseheritage - strain pigsare great for small to moderate - sized farms and homesteads . They are native to New Zealand .
Kunekune pig are friendly and colorful , weighing around 100 to 250lbs . There are plenty of other cause to raise these intelligent hogs on your homestead . I ’ll tell you everything you need to know in this clause .
What Are Kunekune Pigs?
Kunekune pig are smaller pigs aboriginal to New Zealand . Nobody love for certain , but most mass agree that they are credibly cross of Poland China , Berkshire , and Gloucester Old Spots pigs ( along with a few blue-ribbon breed from Indonesia ) .
These pigs do n’t grow overly large , usually only reaching around 100 to 175lbs ( for females ) and 200 to 250lbs ( for males ) .
They can be found in all sort of color , including cream , pep , smutty , gold - baksheesh , tricolored , and brown . They ’re often continue as pets and on occasion raised for sum , too .
Benefits of Raising Kunekune Pigs
1. Their Size
If you ’re raising pigs as pet , you wo n’t come up a better cop breed than the Kunekune . It is not a monumental breed , so its small size can be unadulterated for somebody who is new toraising pigsand does n’t need a behemoth Sus scrofa to deal with ! They are well-disposed and easy to train , too , which works in tandem with their low size to make them some of the practiced best-loved pigs around .
2. Disposition
Kunekune pigs are some of the friendliest , most mild - mannered pigs you may lift . Of course , this at long last comes down to the personality of the individual pig bed . Some hog are just naturally more ill - mannered than others , just as you might find with the great unwashed .
However , Kunekune pigs are known for being jolly put back . You wo n’t have to concern about them pass after your toes when you step into the pen !
They are also known for being great with children . They do n’t nip and harass as much as other breed of pigs do .
3. Good for Confined Spaces
I always advocate forraising pigs on pasturefor a number of reason . Not only does it help spread feces around so you are n’t left dealing with huge piles of hog manure to shovel , but it also improvessoil fertility .
Plus , raising Sus scrofa on lea is just good for the pigs ’ wellness . They ’ll have slew of room to roam around and take root , and they ’ll be less probable to get into fuss as a solvent of their boredom !
That order , if you ’re going to farm pigs in a smaller pen , Kunekunes are ideal . They are less likely to gainsay fencing than other more rum breeds , a major welfare if you do n’t want yourpigs to get out all the time .
Kunekune pigs have a unique anatomical feature film that hold them less probable to rout and destroy pasture , too . Their snouts are shorter and more upturned than those of other bull . Therefore , although they will still settle down ( this is a instinctive behavior for all slob , regardless of breed ) the results will likely be less black !
4. Diet
Kunekune pigs are double-dyed for pasturage - breeding for another vital intellect . They hump eating forage !
Really , no pig will turn up its olfactory organ at some fresh greenery , but Kunekune pigs are exceeding in that they really lie with green grass . They can well be raise on pasture without requiring you to input quite as much grain or commercial-grade provender . That not only lends itself well to produce healthier meat but also intend you could expend less money , too .
5. Lard
Do you like eating lard ? If so , you may want to take conjure Kunekune pigs . They put on a mass of fat rather than muscle , so they ’re some of the honest lard pigs you may raise .
6. Cost of Production
There are some people who will say that Kunekune pigs are odorless , but I ’ve never found this to be straight with any kind of bull . Really , an “ odorless ” grunter is one whose manure has just been properly planned for by the farmer .
I believe Kunekunes are often believed to be odorless because they are oftentimes raise on forage . This think of the manure is fan out out over a larger area . They are n’t as likely to be raised in barns .
Because Kunekunes take well to being raised on pasture , you could spend less money to get the same amount of pork . You wo n’t have to put as much money into feeding them or the prison term into hauling away manure , either .
How to Raise Kunekune Pigs
1. Food
If you could , raise your Kunekune pigs on pasture . This will not only reduce the amount of space you need in your shelter but will also improve your soil wellness and distribute the manure around a act , too . For all the reason I mentioned sooner in this clause , Kunekunes do very well when raised on pasture .
When place permits – I realize this might not be possible on small farm – you should also rotate your pastures . Move your pigs as often as your clip and quad limitation grant . This will give the eatage or forested area time to “ bounce back ” before the pig riposte to it . Although Kunekunes do n’t settle as actively as other pig breed , they do still inflict some harm on the vegetation in a given area .
In most cases , you will still need to supplement a bit with a traditional feed . you’re able to eat once in the aurora and once at night or you’re able to ready up an automatic eater . How much you ’ll require to feed will depend on the size and age of your pig bed along with the timbre of the usable pasture .
As with any other pigs , Kunekunes love being fed snacks like fruit vegetable scraps , dairy , brewery waste , and lawn waste , too . Theoccasional breador pastry dough kickshaw is totally fine , too . Just avoid meat .
In the winter , when your Kunekunes are n’t on grazing land , the near way to fertilize them is with alfalfa hay . Kunekunes are unique in that they will eat hay . Many pig will not . Again , you ’ll likely need to supplement with grain .
2. Housing
When it comes to lodging for your Kunekune pig , you do n’t postulate much besides some rudimentary shelter to keep them out of the rain . you’re able to make a simple-minded overhang that will give them a billet to huddle up , or you’re able to build a three - sided b . Athree - sided barnis unadulterated for almost all weather condition condition except acute cold and drive snow .
If you plan on keep back Kunekunes through the winter , you ’ll want anactual barn(although it ’s important to note that they are much more cold - tolerant than many other breeds of sloven ) . Kunekunes , like other fuzz , do n’t need auxiliary hotness unless you havepiglets being bornin insensate weather condition . Just provide plenty of bedding .
They ’ll usually do all of their “ job ” in one nook of the shelter , which pull in it a lot easier when it come to clean - ups in the spring .
3. Health Needs
Kunekunes have minimum wellness needs and maintenance requirements , except for those that you would do for all other pig breeds , too .
For example , you may need todeworm your pigsto make certain they are n’t picking up parasites from the dirt . You will also demand to pay up special attention to your sows and boars during the education season , too . When it fall tofarrowing and breeding , Kunekunes follow the same schedules and expose the same behaviors as other hog .
There are really only two thing to be aware of that differ when it comes to raising Kunekune pigs versus pig of other breeds .
The first is that Kunekune boars grow monumental tusk . Although these pigs are not aggressive and will rarely use their tusks against other pig bed , you may want to lodge them down . This can prevent stroke from fall out . This can easily bedone at home , supposedly , although I have not done this myself .
You also require to be cognizant of the dangers of overfeeding your Kunekune hog . This is something that is a peril for all hog owners ( not just possessor of Kunekunes ) but the peril is more marked with Kunekunes . This is because they have a disposition to become overfat .
Challenges of Raising Kunekune Pigs
There are several challenges associated with raising Kunekune squealer . Although these certainly are n’t dealbreakers , you should be aware of them before you adjudicate to invest in your own ruck .
For crank , Kunekune pigs are some of the smallest pigs you will find . Although a 100lbs pig sounds like a lot , when it comes to meat product , they are from the large animals you will find .
Not only that , but Kunekunes turn slowly , too . If you plan on raising Kunekunes for meat , you wo n’t get a flock of it . It also involve them longer to mature than other slovenly person ( often nine months to a twelvemonth , compared to the distinctive five or six months required by pig of other stock ) .
When fully grow , it ’s important to note that Kunekunes bring on a lot of fat . So while Kunekunes are keen for lard production , they are n’t the best when it come to the product of muscle meats ( like porc chops ) .
That being said , there are some chefs who absolutely love work with Kunekune meat , as it tends to be richer - tasting and darker in color . The choice is yours . However , keep in mind that many nester choose to keep these squealer as pets instead of choosing to raise them for meat .
Are Kunekunes Right For Your Farm?
Consider your homestead end before you jump into raising Kunekunes . Although these pigs are perfectly adorable and quite well-disposed to sour with , there are some disadvantage to raising them , too . If you contrive on raising pigs entirely for marrow and want to do so in the most efficient way possible , this strain might not be for you .
Otherwise , this hairy , lay back squealer is sure to be one that slip your bosom !
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