KuneKune Pigs
Such a phenomenal little heritage breed of pig! We absolutely adore our KuneKune pigs here on Rocky Bottom Mini Farm! They are notoriously sweet, personable animals. These pasture pigs are unlike common hogs in lots of ways. First and foremost, they forage for their food instead of root! Their cute, upturned snouts mean they can’t root as much as their larger hog counterparts. The meat from a KuneKune is indeed divine! A definite multipurpose pig for any homestead.
We highly recommend when starting your herd that you begin with registered breeding stock. Purchasing registered breeding stock means you know what you’re getting! There are lots of imposters out there that may look similar enough to a KuneKune, but they are often crossed with something else that will have less desirable traits than the reason you likely decided on this breed.
As we have discussed in other blogs, there are three basic needs of any animal. Food, water and shelter! We’ll start with food. KuneKune’s thrive on a diet of grass, fruit and vegetables! But don’t feed these little guys meat! They adore sweet feed . . . well they adore just about anything! There are lots of lists out there on the internet detailing what these little guys can and can’t have. Here are a couple of links to some great articles about feeding KuneKunes:
Water, water, water! Making sure any animal on your farm has access to a clean supply of water is always a must! And did you know that pigs don’t sweat? For this reason, they love to take a dip from time to time and get a little mud on their hide! There always seems to be a spot to spray down so they can have a little mud hole to cool off on those hot summer days. There are all kinds of ways to set up waterers for your Kune babies! Pinterest has been my friend! Another awesome resource is the AKKPS (American KuneKune Pig Society) website! Here is a link to lots of helpful information and guides as you’re researching this breed!
Last, but certainly not least, shelter! These little guys need a safe, warm/cool place to get away from the elements of Mother Nature! Shelters have a huge range and variety. Everything from the fanciest barn to the simple lien to. I may sound like a broken record here but Facebook groups and Pinterest can be your friend here in coming up with awesome ideas that will work for your farm! There is no one size fits all answer here other than to say, yes, they need shelter.
Fencing is another item that is important. Again, there are so many ways to accomplish this. Research my friends to see what all is out there! Not sure what will work for your farm? Shoot us a message and we can help you come up with some ideas.
One of the best places to start for all kinds of breed specific information is of course the AKKPS page. Who else knows this breed better?! Their educational articles are fantastic. Here is a link specifically to that page. Take a gander over there and let us know how we can help!
