The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: mamapapapig on June 16, 2011, 11:15:22 pm
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our kune kune pigglets are three months old. we have had them a few weeks now and they are in a mixed pasture area. they eat all the broad leaf weeds but they are just digging up the grass. we have moved them :pig:to prevent them destroying their paddock and we are feeding them a handfull of pig nuts each a day as they seem so hungry.
when will they graze? :pig: ???
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Sometimes they graze straight away, but more often they'll tend to root a bit when they are young and grow out of it as adults.
I've also heard of Kunes that in one location will root everything up, but when moved to a different holding they graze happily - it would seem that not all grass is the same to Kunes ::) Mine seem to like quite a bit of clover in their diet. You could try sectioning their area into 2 and rotate them to see if that makes a difference, it'll also let one area re-grow while they are on the other.
Hope that helps,
Karen :wave:
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we have sectioned them off so that we can move them about. they are wonderfull little things to watch too.
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A handful of pig nuts does not sound much? I gave my kune kune piglets a large scoop between them. They are about 8 months now, and I cannot fill them. Fruit and veg are what they like. They have churned up their field, and eaten all the grass, so I pick them a big pile from the lane ,and they love it.
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I give mine around 1lb of pig nuts each per day - split into 2 feeds. Agree with Roxy, they'd eat non-stop if they could ;)
They are great to watch - even better to get in with and give 'em belly rubs. Call me mental but I was rubbing noses/snouts with some of mine yesterday (after I'd given theirs' a quick wipe lol!) and they really love to play with the straw when you fill their arc - that's really entertaining ;D
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i would say that they should still be getting their pig nuts (1lb per piglet) our pglets are the same age and they constantly come running with a mouthful of grass, so far so good, no rooting.........YET!
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I do the belly scratching, and talking in a daft voice - passers by on the lane will think I am strange, but never mind;. Never done the kissing them bit yet. Arrived at work the other day, was there a while, dealt with a man come to fit a blind - passed a mirror, and realised I had numerous bits of straw in my hair, and a black smear on my face - oh dear :)
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I do the belly scratching, and talking in a daft voice - passers by on the lane will think I am strange, but never mind;. Never done the kissing them bit yet. Arrived at work the other day, was there a while, dealt with a man come to fit a blind - passed a mirror, and realised I had numerous bits of straw in my hair, and a black smear on my face - oh dear :)
Are we supposed to look any different then? ;) ;D
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I know that feeling ... went to work on Wednesday and throughout the day, kept finding more spots of "mud" (could well have been a mud/pig poo compound!) in different places on my clothes!!
So I remembered why I try and avoid visitig the pigs when I'm "dressed" for work!
My dad has "gardening shirts" ... I have whole grades of clothes for going to work, going to town, going to my parents' (!) etc, gardening, animal tending, then mucking out!!
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Could it be that the grass is too long? If it's tall and tough and stalky, it won't be as palatable as young, fresh grass. Put a topper or strimmer over it.
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I know that feeling ... went to work on Wednesday and throughout the day, kept finding more spots of "mud" (could well have been a mud/pig poo compound!) in different places on my clothes!!
So I remembered why I try and avoid visitig the pigs when I'm "dressed" for work!
My dad has "gardening shirts" ... I have whole grades of clothes for going to work, going to town, going to my parents' (!) etc, gardening, animal tending, then mucking out!!
Thought it was just me ;D mind the going to work clothes are on a "career break" in the wardrobe & the animal tending ones are getting lots of use at the mo ;)
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My o/h wanted some things from the shop earlier ... as I went to the car, I asked him "are there hoof prints on my back?!" - the little goat kid is still at the climbing stage & I hadn't bothered changing!
Good job the neighbours are used to us, and in several shops in town I'm known as "the goat lady" or the "one with pigs/chickens/animals" :D
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Thought it was just me ;D mind the going to work clothes are on a "career break" in the wardrobe & the animal tending ones are getting lots of use at the mo ;)
is it not quite normal to have a muddy snout mark on ur jeans?
;D ;D ;D ;D
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Thought it was just me ;D mind the going to work clothes are on a "career break" in the wardrobe & the animal tending ones are getting lots of use at the mo ;)
is it not quite normal to have a muddy snout mark on ur jeans?
;D ;D ;D ;D
Totally abnormal at the mo not to ;) ;D