[wellies]

Harry's new friend has arrived (along with a Sow and two porkers, but thats another story  ). Maud is a three year old KK who is rather over weight and her feet look a little over grown. At the moment I have put her on some hard standing and have given her some hay to eat and some fresh fruit and veg to try and reduce her waist line. I was just wondering if anyone had any other tips on low calorie foods she may enjoy. I am not sure she would allow me to trim her feet so for the time being I am hoping she can file them herself a little by walking  on the concrete? Any advice would be greatly appreciated 

[little blue]

hay and straw, grass & very little pig meal (or whatever you use!) and plenty of exercise will do wonders for her waistline!
We have a kune called Maud.... shows us yours and I'll show you mine!!

[wellies]

thank you for the advice, I will try and take a photo of her tomorrow 

[ambriel]

I keep worrying that I'm over-feeding mine but someone gave me a rule of thumb a while ago - so long as I can feel their ribs they're OK.

[HappyHippy]

The concrete will help wear them down a bit, but you may find you still need to trim them. The best way to do this is, once she's used to you and will happily lie there getting her tummy scratched, get someone who's in the habbit of trimming sheeps' feet to give them a quick trim. It's being slightly 'porky' that causes the problem, made worse if they're constantly on soft ground. My wee sow's around the same age and hers are fairly long, but she's showing no signs of discomfort or problems when walking (or bounding  )
She'll be fine purely on grass and a bit of fruit if you feel you've got to give her something (puppy dog eyes have nothing on a pair of hungry Kune eyes  ) providing she's not in-pig and as much space as you can give her. Kune Kunes were scavengers, travelling over big areas to find food - my Kunes are always out and about nibbling and don't spend much time sleeping or lounging compared to the other pigs I have.
Ambriel is right with their rule - you should be able to feel the ribs quite clearly and just be able to feel the backbone, if you can't they're too fat. But don't panic, all Kunes are prone to this (just like labradors) you've just got to be cruel to be kind initially but long term it's worth it.

[Beewyched]

Hiya Wellies 

Agree with HH - & hopefully she'll sort herself in time. 

Just to add - we added to our herd recently & bought-in an "in-pig" Kune gilt (who wasn't - but that's another story  ) who was rather over weight & had overgrown feet.  She wasn't that used to being handled (part of the sad story  ) so didn't do the "tummy tickle & flop over" so in order to trim her feet & not upset her, while she was in our isolation area (old cow byre) I would put her feed in the cow trough & while she was busy "pigging-out" I'd trim a little off each foot (the over-growth seems to curve upwards a bit like a pony with laminitis - so it's easy to get the trimmers under them on a solid floor).  It took over a week to get them in some sort of shape & now 4 months later & definately "in-pig" now  her feet look like they may need a bit of a trim again, but nothing as bad as they were.
 

[Sylvia]

When I got my Kune Kune gilts they were very fat. I took a bucketful of fruit and veg and spread it around the field so that they had to go searching for it every day. They were soon slim and trim............ I just wish someone would do the same for me

[SallyintNorth]

When I got my Kune Kune gilts they were very fat. I took a bucketful of fruit and veg and spread it around the field so that they had to go searching for it every day. They were soon slim and trim............ I just wish someone would do the same for me

 Me too!!!

Modified to make it clear I wish someone would do the same for me, Sally, not that I also wish someone would do it for Sylvia. 

Think I'll stop digging now.

[wellies]

Thank you for all your replies. Maud is slimming down nicely on her grass and exercise although I must say the exercise is slow going. She has two paces... parked & amble. Harry on the other hand likes to zoom around so really they couldn't be more different. They have taken to each other quite well although Maud only needs to look at him in the wrong way and Harry squeals and runs away, very dramatic  I did find them sun bathing together today though so hopefully a friendship is forming 

[Hilarysmum]

although Maud only needs to look at him in the wrong way and Harry squeals and runs away,

She must have been taking lessons from Hilary!!!!

[wellies]

Just another quick question. Hopefully you experienced guys will be able to help me. Maud has been here two weeks now and has made friends with Harry but for the last two days she has been a bit bargy with me and occasionally doing a low grunting noise at me with her mouth open (they are very large teeth  ). I am not sure what to do, she seems happy for me to touch her and scratch her but is this not a sign of aggression and if so how do I deal with it  I think she is a little hormonal at the moment and not sure if that will affect her mood. Any advice greatly received 

[thestephens]

could she be getting more confident and "chatting" to you, my roxy chats to just me, noone else, when she wants attention and a good old rub!

[little blue]

it does sound quite hormonal ... is it like a "panting" grunt?! 
 the piggie greeting is quite a low grunt, she nay just be saying hello, or it could be a come on!!

[wellies]

Thanks for your replies. It is a raspy breathy grunt and she is really pushing at me and hubby. Hubby is going to ring her previous owner to see if she has displayed this behaviour when he was with him. I guess my major worries are that she may harm either me or the one of the other pigs. She was a bit scary today infact I am sure she barked which really does signal aggression surely? Non of oir other pigs have ever behaved in this way and I really do want to make sure she feels comfortable 

[SallyintNorth]

I was recognising your description, wellies.  I get this from Meg very occasionally - and she did it one time last week when I went to fetch her in for insemination.  Unfortunately she was right at the far end of her pasture and there was a very strong wind in the wrong direction, so I'd had to walk right over to her to get her and hence had to walk all the way back with her.  Normally she'd just walk alongside, chattering, occasionally touching her nose up to my hand and sometimes just walking around in front of me for a pat.  But on this occasion she was exactly as you describe Maud and at one point I was measuring up the pros and cons of stopping to open a wired-up gate midway along the pasture and getting out early.

I wasn't sure whether it was hormonal and she was 'coming on' to me (can I get arrested for saying that?!) or whether she was just particularly hungry and cross that I wasn't carrying a bucket of food.  (Which I more often am than not, but I do go and spend time with her without food sometimes.)  She was back to her usual friendly laid-back self later the same day - after having been both fed and inseminated.  So I still don't know which it was!