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Author Topic: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!  (Read 3531 times)

loosey

  • Joined May 2010
  • Cornwall
Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« on: May 13, 2011, 01:29:34 pm »
Bascially, we have a neighbour who has been in the house up the lane from us for just over a year. He moved there because his dad lives in the farm at the very top of the hill and has been doing it up. He has about 8 acres there but he only uses one paddock behind his house where he has made a huge jump for his dirt bike!!

We get on well and he came down the other day very stressed about what to do with his ground this year (his sister had it for hay for her horses last year but is now pregnant and all horses are out on loan). He said he has no inclination to do anything with it and asked if we could make use of it ...  :o :o

We decided between us that as he has some lovely old stone pig houses up there, that we can use them for weaning our babies at the end of this month. He is more than happy to see livestock in the field as long as we keep him in good supply of meat!

We sell our piglets as weiners and only keep one or two back for us and friends each time because of feed costs ... so it strikes me that keeping kune kune's may be a way of managing to produce meat year round because of their eating habits.

Will do some more in depth research over the next few weeks but the 3 acre field I have my eye on backs onto my horses winter field so we are up there 2 or 3 times a day every day anyway. Need to have a look into feed etc and no doubt will have hundreds of questions for you all but found it all rather exciting and had to share! :wave: :pig: :pig:

Beewyched

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • South Wales
    • tunkeyherd.co.uk
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2011, 02:09:23 pm »
Hiya Loosey  :wave:
Great to see someone else being "serious" about Kunes - would definately give them a thumbs-up for this idea  ;)  They are really hardy & will live outside for you all year round (no matter what the weather) as long as they have a dry, draught-free house & access to water.   They will need somewhere for shade in the summer & will olove you for ever if you can provide them with a wallow ;D  When the grass is growing over the spring/summer our adults have only about a pound of feed a day - unless they are in the latter stages of pregnancy or lactating.  Don't overfeed, they run to fat very easily & can get feet problems - a bit like laminitis in ponies.  You can keep 6 adults to an acre, allowing for rotation paddocking.
If you get them young & are able to spend some time with them they get REALLY friendly & will lay-down for tummy tickles - something I would advocate, as it makes them so easy to handle for any feet trimming, injections etc.  If you get them used to a "call" for feed they will gallop across a field when you call them & follow you into a trailer if you have a bucket ;)
They are grazing pigs, BUT, they can dig-up the ground - 2 of ours do & it doesn't matter what size of paddock/how much grass/feed they have - they just like to dig ::)
Be careful to get pure-bred Kunes (if it's Kunes that you want) there are folks out there crossing them with other breeds - attempting to get "micros" :o there are also plenty of genuine folk crossing them to get leaner porkers too.  All litters have to be "birth notified" with the KK Society or they cannot be registered, ever. 
Not sure what prices are like down your way, but up here registered breeding stock piglets are about £125-150 per head (folks will do deals for those wanting several piglets or just wanting them to rear for the freezer).  They mature sexually very young, but don't make meat weights until about 8-10 months or so.
Keep us all posted with progress - You will get plenty of advice & support from folks on here  :love: :pig: :love:
Tunkey Herd - registered Kune Kune & rare breed poultry - www.tunkeyherdkunekune.com

loosey

  • Joined May 2010
  • Cornwall
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2011, 02:24:10 pm »
Thanks Beewyched.

I'm not interested in any of this "micro pig" nonsense ... I want some meat! ;) We have Large Blacks and Old Spots down at the house and they are fantastic diggers! I think I may have made Daisy a bit too friendly though as she tried to sit on my OH's lap last week and nearly broke his leg ... woops! :D

Beewyched

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • South Wales
    • tunkeyherd.co.uk
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2011, 02:26:10 pm »
Thanks Beewyched.

I'm not interested in any of this "micro pig" nonsense ... I want some meat! ;) We have Large Blacks and Old Spots down at the house and they are fantastic diggers! I think I may have made Daisy a bit too friendly though as she tried to sit on my OH's lap last week and nearly broke his leg ... woops! :D

 ;D ;D ;D
Tunkey Herd - registered Kune Kune & rare breed poultry - www.tunkeyherdkunekune.com

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2011, 03:02:55 pm »
I have been waiting for a breeder of Kune Kune's to let me know when his sow gave birth, He called last night and we are off and Sunday to see them. I put my name down weeks ago for 2 weaners and she has only given birth to the two. So excited, the paddock is full of grass and OH will be building the pig ark. Last time we had the Large Blacks, they were kept in the side stable paddock which has poor grazing but it meant they could walk in and out of one of the stables in the barn so no need for an ark. We found that it was a bit too much pork hence now trying the Kune. I adore pigs.  :pig: ;D

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2011, 03:38:35 pm »
Kune Kunes are just the nicest pigs ever  ;D Mine share with the Large Blacks quite happily Loosey.
As Beewyched says - 1lb of hard feed a day and plenty of grass and fuit & veg. for the first year and after that adults should get by perfectly well on grass and fruit & veg (except when pregnant/nursing)
Wonderful, friendly little pigs that also taste great  :yum: Anyone who buys Kune Kunes won't be disappointed  :wave:
Karen x

ellisr

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • Wales
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2011, 04:00:21 pm »
I wish I had stuck to my guns when I first got pigs as I wanted Kune Kunes but the lady I spoke to said they were no good for meat so we got OSB which I love to bits and we have decided to keep these two and breed from them for meat and try to help supplement the cost of keeping them but they are very big girls and I would have preferred a little smaller.

loosey

  • Joined May 2010
  • Cornwall
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2011, 04:00:31 pm »
They'll be living up the road Karen so Daisy nad her girl wil stay down y the house in the bottom paddock ... I believe she helps keep foxes away from the chickens too!

Not sure if we'll be able to afford it this year as I am desperate to get some sheep but soon I hope!x

Eastling

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2011, 07:36:13 pm »
Really pleased for you, all very exciting don't forget the pics when you get them,
Labradors leave foot prints on your heart as well as your clothes

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2011, 07:44:14 pm »
Just remember if you get both  ;) to think about giving your pigs a lambivac vaccine (or if your pigs are on ground that sheep have been on recently) to guard against sudden death from clostridium.
Karen x

TESS1963

  • Joined Mar 2011
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2011, 10:29:45 pm »
Hi - I have taken in two kune kune gilts from a lady who no longer wanted them. I have had them for four months now, so they are nine months old. I have my own herd of GOS and the kune kune's are kept in a separate paddock which is about seven acres and therefore has sheep on it as well. I have just read the previous thread and its author writes about 'sudden death from clostridium' - can you please give me some further information and let me know what I need to do etc. to vacinate.

Many thanks
Teresa
Pennymoor Herd of Gloucester Old Spots

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Think I might look into some Kune Kune's!
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2011, 07:42:07 am »
Here's some info on Clostridium Teresa http://v2.mlc.org.uk/pigs/technical/index.html/?i=1050509214&action=view&s=Pigs%7CTechnical%20advice%7CAdvice%20to%20the%20farmer and info on the lambivac vaccine http://www.vetmedsdirect.co.uk/products/Lambivac-50ml-%282ml-dose%29.html
My vet did say it's personal choice as to whether you use it or not, but obviously if you don't and it occurs you have little chance of catching it and treating it because of the speed with which it manifests itself.
HTH
Karen x

 

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