The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: nelson on September 22, 2012, 03:22:01 pm

Title: Hernias
Post by: nelson on September 22, 2012, 03:22:01 pm

What is the 'expected level' of hernias that one would normally see in a litter from a pedigree herd.


I always believed that it came from the boar but talking to some breeders at a recent show in the UK - they say it can be from sow or boar.


Would appreciate other breeders experiences. Thanks
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 22, 2012, 03:44:04 pm
We had quite a few incidences of scrotial hernia's in the Kunekunes (but they are more prone to it than most breeds I believe due to a weakness in the inguinal canal) In my case I would say it was the boar who passed it on, because recent litters with a different boar have had none. I did do a bit of research into the numbers/patterns with other Kunekune breeders, but everyone had different experiences, and there wasn't a pattern that stood out  :-\ :thinking:

I've not had any with my 'big' pigs, but have only seen 47 'big pig' piglets born so far.

Does that help at all ?
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 22, 2012, 04:10:47 pm
never had it in breeding pedigree pigs       and only onehernia in a castrated boar  (cross breed)   and that cured itself  as the pig grew
 
if you goggle hernias in pigs this will give you a better indication     although hygiene and care of the piglet after birth  has a greater bearing in it :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: rispainfarm on September 22, 2012, 04:15:02 pm
You can also encourage hernias if you pick a piglet up incorrectly, many people pick up and carry by the legs but recent research has shown that this can cause hernias.  We always grabbed by the back leg then scoop up and hold that way. Piglet yells but that is part of the course.
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 22, 2012, 05:58:12 pm
Just for clarification - are we talking scrotal or umbilical hernias here  ???
 :love: :pig: :love:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: rispainfarm on September 22, 2012, 07:30:09 pm
sorry I am talking umbilical
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 22, 2012, 07:35:43 pm
sorry I am talking umbilical
No need to apologise Linda  ;)  - just finding the thread starting a wee bit ambiguous  :innocent:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: nelson on September 22, 2012, 08:01:27 pm
Oh sorry - I don't write very well and tried not to be ambiguous.


Beewyched - it is scrotal - it looks like fluid and is on the left testicle. Our vet will deal with it but I am trying to detect why it is happening and from what sow or boar.

Twice this year same sow (served by a different boar)  in her litter 2 piglets that have an enlarged testicle - looks like fluid. Not noticable at birth - until about 3-4 weeks.

HH yes thanks useful info - I am trying to see if there is a pattern too. I am pointing the finger at the sow and so want to be wrong ... could be the boar (s) I am going to AI her next and see what happens.

thanks everyone for the input - I posted this to see if other breeders experienced hernias with their pigs - I knew about the KKs but these are in my Berkshire herd although not many over the period of 4 years -  but -may be there should be none - hence the question? what is the expected level and what breeders do when this happens.  Thanks again.

Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 22, 2012, 08:26:08 pm
Hi Nelson  :wave:
Thanks for the clarification, as both Karen & Linda had answered your question, depending on which type you were asking about  :thumbsup:
TBH I think all breeds experience scrotal hernias to some degree, they are just noticed more in KKs because
a) 99% of male piglets are castrated, as KKs are often kept as "outdoor pets" or companion pigs
and
b) KKs are usually castrated by a vet (because of the hernia possibility), so the vet will offer to repair it - adding to the cost of the castration by many vets  ::)
KKs, though small, start maturing sexually very young (from about 5 months), so even if they are being reared for meat, they are often castrated to prevent unwanted pregnancies or "boar taint".  Whereas the "big pig" breeds are rarely castrated, as they are ready "for the chop" a lot younger.
Any boar piglet that I looking at keeping entire (only 1 in the last 2 years) gets checked by my vets at 3 weeks & 5 weeks of age for scrotal hernias, as they can be very slight.  I personally do not ask my vet for a repair in any piglet going to a new long-term home, they get kept-back for meat, as a repair is not guaranteed.
Certainly scotal hernias can be passed down either the sow or the boar sides, & with KKs there is such a small gene pool in the UK they more likely to occur - though I guess this could relate to any low-numbers breed.
 :love: :pig: :love:
 
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 22, 2012, 09:00:43 pm
don't agree with Lynne on the small gene pool   yes if a breeder cant be bothered to travel to get a different line    but even if there are two boars with the same male breed line they can be totally unrelated  through the sow line
i think nelson has answered his own question     which brings the breeding of pigs into the same question  as the breeding of dogs with known problems      not all piglets should or could make it perpetuate there breed   and comes down to the breeder to be more ruthless in the selection of the future breeding stock
we castrate nearly all the males  and it is only a lucky one or two that get left intact
 
the cattle world  only use pedigree sires for service  and only the very best at that  the meat trade buy the cheaper ones or the ones that don't quite have that edge for breeding :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 23, 2012, 11:20:33 am
Twice this year same sow (served by a different boar)  in her litter 2 piglets that have an enlarged testicle - looks like fluid. Not noticable at birth - until about 3-4 weeks.

What we had with one of ours (KK) was what looked like a hernia, similar story to yours, we were rearing him for meat (unrepaired) when some folks came looking for pet pigs, they liked the look of Lumpy too  :innocent: so he went along with them. They decided not to eat him and took him to their vet for a hernia repair job  ;)
It turned out it wasn't a hernia after all, but that one testicle hadn't developed properly and there was excess fluid in the area........ was it definately a hernia in yours ?
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: nelson on September 23, 2012, 02:14:11 pm
Hi HH - interesting


We intend to take him down to the vet Monday and will see then - will let you know. Thanks again for input.

Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 23, 2012, 08:15:41 pm
don't agree with Lynne on the small gene pool   yes if a breeder cant be bothered to travel to get a different line    but even if there are two boars with the same male breed line they can be totally unrelated  through the sow line
i think nelson has answered his own question     which brings the breeding of pigs into the same question  as the breeding of dogs with known problems      not all piglets should or could make it perpetuate there breed   and comes down to the breeder to be more ruthless in the selection of the future breeding stock
we castrate nearly all the males  and it is only a lucky one or two that get left intact
 
the cattle world  only use pedigree sires for service  and only the very best at that  the meat trade buy the cheaper ones or the ones that don't quite have that edge for breeding :farmer:
Ok Robert, we'll agree to differ on this one, but ...
ALL KKs in the UK are descendants of the 16 that were originally imported by the BKKPS & some of these 16 were related too -
1992 - Te Whangi (Boar), Rebecca Gina (Gilt) & her litter-brother Tutaki, Awakino (G), Kereopa (G).
1993 - Tammerdale (G), Ru (B) & 2 Awakino litter-sisters (G) (this litter had the same Dam as the Awakino Gilt imported in 1992)
1996 - Andrew (Boar) & his 2 litter-sisters Sally, 2 Trish litter-sisters & 2 Jenny litter-sisters
So IMHO that is a small gene pool.  I agree that any responsible breeder should be prepared to travel for quality stock - I nearly drove my OH crazy with the mileage I got through sourcing mine, but I now have 2 boar-lines & 3 sow-lines, which I can cross-over for a couple of years, plus Karen has another Boar-line too  :thumbsup:
Then I'll be on the road again  :eyelashes: 
 :love: :pig: :love:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 23, 2012, 11:01:24 pm
they cant have eaten very many of the offspring from that first import off 16     in just 22 years  to get the vast number of kunnies that are going about      or is there great number due to outcrossing   and passed off as pure       there are two distinct sizes of kunnies as i saw at hatfield last year   and the litter size has increased dramatically  since i breed them  Karen's boar line should trace back to the ones we owned 
i could be wrong but i think the Hampshire's has a smaller gene pool than the kunnies    and the breeders are getting less  as the economics of pigs strikes home     Mr pig may come in and impart his knowledge on this :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 08:57:28 am
Karen's boar line should trace back to the ones we owned 
What was your prefix with the Kunekunes ?
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 09:26:43 am
IME Robert, that is probably the case - even nowadays some folk find the idea of eating KKs abhorrent  ::)
I agree with you that there has been a certain amount of "out-crossing" & not notifying litters over the years in response to the bl**dy "micro-pig" craze  :furious:  But this now seems to be finally dwindling - hence there being so many "free to a good home" recently.
Hopefully, we are now moving to a new phase - where all breeders of KKs act as responsibly as other Rare & Minority Pig Keepers - birth notifying all litters & only breed registering piglets that meet the Breed Standards & the rest go as "outdoor pets"/companion pigs or pork  :fc:  With the ever increasing costs of feed, I have noticed a change of "customers" over the past year - I very rarely get enquiries for "mic**-pigs" now (  :excited:  ) & whereas I used to have 3 regulars for meat weaners, I now have 8 & orders from the next litters  :thumbsup:
I will try & do some more research on litters & sizes - I think the increase may be due to the change in breeders' husbandary - though I could be completely wrong.  All registered KKs should be traceable back to the 16 original imports, so I could do a genealogy trace for you - I wouldn't mind betting part of my herd is related to ones you owned either  :eyelashes: 
 :love: :pig: :love:
 
Just noticed you here Karen  :wave:
 
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 10:04:51 am
 :wave: :wave: :wave: See you soon mrs  :excited: :excited: :excited:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 10:26:04 am
:wave: :wave: :wave: See you soon mrs  :excited: :excited: :excited:
:excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 10:28:04 am
Lynne that lottery win you will get before the kunnie society  act responsibly
when we were members and paid up as well they were wanting to fix the price of weaners  and even got as far as the agm to set it in stone     obviously some money grabber was not happy that somebody was selling kunnies for half of what they were charging       anyway the monopolies and mergers committee got wind of it and stopped them      make a point of talking to Wendy   i have and very interesting as well     but do it face to face
 
Karen our kunnies came from Neil cross     we then sold them on to oban rare breeds who then sold them to  lee bastow   who sold them to you    dates and numbers escape me just now the movement book for that time was lost then found and now lost once more  and i think Allison stephen had some of the descendants as well   if i have been informed correctly :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 10:48:10 am
So, if we're looking at that side Robert, I reckon that your Herd Affix would have been Ubarrow, Elthorns, Lazyape or Gibston?
 :love: :pig: :love:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 11:00:37 am
none of them we bought them in DEC 03            974 was a year and a half old        839was two and a half years old        287was6 years old   they came with 5 piglets  that we never registered    they were sold in Jan  05 to oban rare breeds with there paperwork    hope this helps you with your research :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: thestephens on September 24, 2012, 12:20:12 pm
none of them we bought them in DEC 03            974 was a year and a half old        839was two and a half years old        287was6 years old   they came with 5 piglets  that we never registered    they were sold in Jan  05 to oban rare breeds with there paperwork    hope this helps you with your research :farmer:

we then purchased 974 (george) october 07, lovely boy but never produced any piglets!!!!
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: thestephens on September 24, 2012, 12:25:29 pm
George was Tarras Tutaki i
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 12:38:14 pm
974 was a female   at least on my movement book   287 was goerge     839 was mildred   and 974 was matilda :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: thestephens on September 24, 2012, 12:54:08 pm
hmmmmm! just checked the numbers on the KKPS website and all are female! I havnt the original registration card for George but that was the number ive got down in my movement book for George, he was put to sleep Jan 2011.
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 01:08:44 pm
287 was male     that makes him 13 years old    if it was the original george     neil cross was one of the original KK breeders    he is dead so no action from the grave on this one :farmer: 
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 01:09:35 pm
My boar was Te Whangi 3194, none of your pigs' numbers feature on his pedigree Robert and my wee sow is 3195 - again no trace of 287, 839 or 974.

Here's what I found from digging in the herd book,
Pig 287 (Summerhayes Awakino 3) definately female  ;D has had 2 pigs registered from her Palomar Awakino 1(816) and Palomar Tutaki (966)
839 is a Travanion Rebecca Gina - she's not had any offspring registered.
974 is Montgomery Awakino who did go on to register two gilts.

Did you register any piglets with the BKKPS ? Would the herd name have been Blackfaulds?

I think one of the females at Oban rare breeds was bought by Lee and did come here along with Sydney and Adelaide (the ones above). She was barren though and we never managed to get her in pig  :(. She was happily living here, keeping the boar company til we had a phonecall from someone desperate for a pig to keep her VPB pig company - she came to look at piglets and fell in love with stroppy Victoria  ;D so she's still going strong, ruling the roost in a livery yard just outside Cumbernauld  :thumbsup:
Don't know what happened to the other ones though  ???
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: thestephens on September 24, 2012, 01:17:00 pm
That sounds right, think Lee had Mildred.
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 01:45:07 pm
now  this is intriguing    either the herdbook is wrong   or Neil cross was at it    that is the numbers that we have interesting that the registrations are up over the 3000  so not a small gene pool after all     the cards were given to oban rare breeds   so all i have is the entries in the movement book coming here   and the paper copy of going to oban    this would have been taken from the tags in the ears
Tarra's was Neils herd name    blackfaulds would have been ours  without the cards we are in the dark  but the cards were checked of against the ear tags  :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 02:15:55 pm
 :idea:  that's the problem - the BKKPS eartag number is in the KKs ear
The BKKPS Herd number is another number - which is used to trace ancestory/progeny
Both numbers are on the Registration card - I think that's what causes the confusion Robert - as you'll have put the eartag number on the movement, not the Herd Book number  :eyelashes:
Yes, I know KK Herd Book numbers have gone over the 6,000 mark now - as my latest Registration (ready for Forfar  ;)  ) is 6367 - but they do all originate from the initial 16, just various combinations of them & their progeny  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 02:39:19 pm
no confusion on my part Lynne
and that is my point Lynne you start with a small number but all these  6000  pigs should or could be traced back to the original imports  and as i said you could have the same boar or sow name but totally unrelated
 
the bkks issue the eartags  when you register them  is that right
the eartag identifies that individual pig    you don't write the herd book insertion number in     the movement book or paperwork     and both numbers should be on the registration card/papers :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 03:01:32 pm

 
the bkks issue the eartags  when you register them  is that right
the eartag identifies that individual pig    you don't write the herd book insertion number in     the movement book or paperwork     and both numbers should be on the registration card/papers :farmer:
:thumbsup:   ;)
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 03:18:49 pm
no confusion on my part Lynne
and that is my point Lynne you start with a small number but all these  6000  pigs should or could be traced back to the original imports  and as i said you could have the same boar or sow name but totally unrelated
 ...  :farmer:
Yep - every registered KK in the UK (& I believe Eire & other EU countries) SHOULD be able to be traced back to these original 16. 
For example Portia ( my Rebecca Gina sow Herd Book No: 4759) can be traced back to Willowbank Rebecca Gina (Herd Book No: 3) the original imported Rebecca Gina, SoS (my Te Whangi Boar Herd Book No: 5251) can be traced back to Willowbank Te Whangi (HB No: 1) - there may be a 7 generation gap since 1992, but looking at it carefully it is possible to see that there are many common in-crosses too.
I will be the first to admit that I know nowt about other pig breeds & I'm guessing with the rare British breeds it's not just lines, but numbers that are low.
 :love: :pig: :love:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 03:22:55 pm
since i cant get on the kk website to trace the ancestry        but it does seem odd  that Allison ended up with a Tarra's bred boar  from Neil cross    with the same pet name as we gave him    and blow me the very same number  that a female pig had   that we also owned :farmer:     which dates it at 13 years old at slaughter     and if it is a kunnie issued tag it should relate to that pig   either with the tag number or the herd book insertion number    so either way it should trace back to the same pig :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 03:30:19 pm
Yep - I admit I find it just a wee bit confusing - I don't understand why the BKKPS tag doesn't match-up with the Herd Book No.
But, to get back to that sow Robert - HIGHLY coincidental, but it could be  :innocent:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 03:41:09 pm
Yep - I admit I find it just a wee bit confusing - I don't understand why the BKKPS tag doesn't match-up with the Herd Book No.
But, to get back to that sow Robert - HIGHLY coincidental, but it could be  :innocent:
I think it's because all Kunekunes are registered in the herd book, but only the breeding pigs are issued numbers for ear tags.

What sow are we talking about ? I'm confused !

Anyway, I went and dug out all the pedigree's I have  ::) ;) - the only one that shows a 'Tarras' line is Harriett, infact the only one with any Tutaki in the lines is Harriett.
Does that help clarify anything ?
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 03:52:41 pm
Yep - I admit I find it just a wee bit confusing - I don't understand why the BKKPS tag doesn't match-up with the Herd Book No.
But, to get back to that sow Robert - HIGHLY coincidental, but it could be  :innocent:
I think it's because all Kunekunes are registered in the herd book, but only the breeding pigs are issued numbers for ear tags.

What sow are we talking about ? I'm confused !

Anyway, I went and dug out all the pedigree's I have  ::) ;) - the only one that shows a 'Tarras' line is Harriett, infact the only one with any Tutaki in the lines is Harriett.
Does that help clarify anything ?
Haha - that makes sense Karen  :notworthy:
I think it's Mildred or 287 - not sure  :eyelashes:
"Tarras Tutaki I" is in Tommy's ancestory & in Joyce's (obviously, she's Harriet's niece  ;)  ) so Joyce's litter to Badger (Tommy's son) will have it in both, just way, way back.  The" Pioneer" KKs were the foundations of each line  :love: :pig: :love:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 03:59:35 pm
the whole pig id thing is or can be confusing     no tag or individual number up to a certain age
pedigree pigs have to be individually identified  at weaning  with no possible mixing of litters
Scottish executive issue you with a herd number as well
and sheep are just as bad   one herd number for ordinary sheep and a totally different one for pedigree
you cant remove a tag as that is illegal  and could end up if you followed the rules with an animal that has an ear like a Christmas tree
the bpa herd book number is longer and more straight forward than the kunnie one and can be traced both ways either book number or individual id number
now the cards are reissued to the new owners on becoming members of the bkkps as do the bpa and if the number is the herd book number it should still come back to that pig
 
86 registered breeders is a far bigger gene pool than some of the bpa breeds Hampshire's have about 13 breeders    and are really struggling to get anything past grandsire or dam that is not close related    which is why i commented on your opinion initially
 
and if it is herd book registration numbers it makes interesting readingaround 550 registrations in three and a half years  and the next year only 135 with more pigs :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 04:15:01 pm
hallelujah  we are making progress     287 was a boar   pet name George   839 was a sow named mildred    and younger sow 974 which was Matilda      we had them for two years they then went to oban rare breeds  then lee and Allison end up with them     now George was 8 years old when we parted company with him   and had the number 287 he then reapears at Allison's with the number 974  and blow me is related to both of your lines    which is what i said all that time ago   and George is tarus tutaki    which is Neil cross bred    and he died a short time after we bought them from him    and from memory oban rare breeds did not have any kunnies prior to buying ours :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 04:34:32 pm
Sorry, I didn't count Harriet as one of my lines (no offence to the wee girl, it's just cos she's new here  :D)
In the original breeding pair of Kunekunes that I bought there's no trace of the same lines as yours were Robert, which is probably why they were a different size to the one's you had.
Harriet is smaller and dinkier compared to my other ones, poor love's udder would be in the mud if she was outside now  :o :roflanim: But there are a range of sizes, from 24 to 36 inches tall are 'accepted' as being within the breed standard - that's bigger than most folk think  :innocent:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: thestephens on September 24, 2012, 04:42:38 pm
found it!
ok, sorry for the confusion, Tarras Tutaki 1 Herd book number 1147 and BKKPS no 974 (i had just written 974 in my movement book)
Breeder Neil Cross, DOB 22 march 2002
Robert, your name appears july 2004
 
so its worth keeping these cards!
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 04:47:08 pm
on my trip to hatfield is where the size difference came into it   a bit more than 12 inches    in the small corner is Wendy's pigs and the large ones were the ones getting the accolades     it would be interesting if Harriet is as prolific as the other ones that are bigger
 
this is all getting away from the external protrusion of an internal organ through the membrane that holds it in place :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 04:53:59 pm

this is all getting away from the external protrusion of an internal organ through the membrane that holds it in place :farmer:
:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 04:58:33 pm
now that we have made some headway could you search 839 and287   now we know that is there mumbers  and not the herd book insertion number  :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 05:07:03 pm
now that we have made some headway could you search 839 and287   now we know that is there mumbers  and not the herd book insertion number  :farmer:
Only way of tracing them is to use the Herd Book No,  those 2 no's are Trevanion Rebecca Gina IX & Summerhayes Awakino III - I guess on the BKKPS Registrar or a previous owner whose kept the Reg cards would be able to match them up  ::) 
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 05:41:57 pm
on my trip to hatfield is where the size difference came into it   a bit more than 12 inches    in the small corner is Wendy's pigs and the large ones were the ones getting the accolades     it would be interesting if Harriet is as prolific as the other ones that are bigger

Was it definately her Kunekunes she had there ? Wendy also has 'little' Swedish pigs  ;) Or they might have been younger ones ? Wendy keeps all of the different bloodlines, but I haven't had a chance to discuss with her if she notices a difference between them.
We get smaller ones and bigger ones all in the same litter - some are just shorter on the back and shorter in the leg (much more 'barrel like'  :D) then there are others which are a bit longer and leaner. I tend to prefer the longer and leaner ones (especially for pork), but if someone is looking for a 'pet' pig the smaller ones are ideal.
Harriet isn't as prolific as Adelaide. I can't remember what her first litter was, Lynne will be able to tell you  ;) but the litter she's just had was 7, 5 alive, 2 still born.
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 06:07:13 pm
if it is Swedish pigs she entered they were in the kunnie classes
you do get differences in size of piglets    it is a multiple birth afterall 
i am still leaning towards the outcrossing  for the size and the litter increase as well     especially as one of the points of the kunnies being more expensive  was there small litter size
the outcrossing will always show up :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 07:40:48 pm
Well, I prefer to attribute the increase in litter size to the fact that breeders are only choosing the very best examples to take forward for future breeding. Registering gilts and boars with more than the required 10 teats and making sure the pigs are in tip top health when mated and during gestation.

Any breed can be, and is improved in this very way, you'd expect the subsequent generations to be better than the one before if breeders were making sure the offspring registered was better than what went before - if not, what is the point of pedigree breeding ? (of any species)

I suspect Kunekunes were expensive originally to help cover some of the importation costs, rather than the fact they had small litters (can't see how that would be a plus point for any breed  ???)  ;)

Since you're so convinced that there must've been some outbreeding I suggest you take it up with the BKKPS. I have paperwork saying I own registered Kunekune pigs, who IMHO all meet the Kunekune breed standards. They were sold and I bought them in good faith as being Kunekunes and I have absolutely no reason to suspect otherwise - that's good enough for me.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 07:56:38 pm
so what you are saying is that Wendy does not select the best  and others do
the blurb ten years ago was empathising the small litter size
and as i have said before to get that increase in litter size in such a short time   and not across the board
 
and on your last paragraph   i have spoken to Wendy as i said face to face    but she has some good berkshires :thumbsup: ;) :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 09:08:31 pm
I am saying no such thing about Wendy or Wendy's pigs, Robert. Stop stirring  :stir:

I wasn't at the Yorkshire, I didn't see Wendy's pigs compared to the others there, the placing on the day was up to the judge on that day and has nothing to do with me or you.
I saw Wendy's pigs at the Welsh show and saw them as being no different to the others there, some of her pigs are a similar size to mine. What I said was I prefer longer and leaner for pork Wendy wouldn't be breeding for pork so will have a different idea of what she's looking for in her pigs - not better or worse, just different.

I will contact the breeder of my Kunekune sow and let him know the aspersions you're making with regard to outcrossing - will let you know what I hear back  :innocent:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 09:20:57 pm
oh dear Karen     hatfield has the kunnie classes     yorkshire does not    and nobody criticised the judging at any show    and as far as i can see it is you that is :stir:   getting very defencive   sunday is going to be interesting :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: HappyHippy on September 24, 2012, 09:31:19 pm
so what you are saying is that Wendy does not select the best  and others do
THIS is stirring  ::)

And yes, I am getting defensive because I feel you are/have been making derogitory remarks or implications about my husbandry and my pigs and to be honest I'm getting beyond sick of it  ::)
I've told no lies, I'm not making things up or trying to mislead folk and I don't go about my business in any sort of underhanded manner - I feel you suggest that I do, all because one of my pigs has big litters  ??? :'( I have tried many times to explain to you and give you numbers and figures to back it up - you either don't believe me or don't want to hear it........ there's not much more than that I can do ! I dispair, really I do  :-\

Sunday will be fine, Bruce is looking forward to seeing you  :roflanim: :wave:

Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 09:31:49 pm
so what you are saying is that Wendy does not select the best  and others do
the blurb ten years ago was empathising the small litter size
and as i have said before to get that increase in litter size in such a short time   and not across the board
 
and on your last paragraph   i have spoken to Wendy as i said face to face    but she has some good berkshires :thumbsup: ;) :farmer:
Robert, I am really hoping you are not casting nasturtiums  ???
As with breeders of any pedigree animals, everyone will have their favourite "type", be it colour, size etc
I personally prefer my KKs to be more of the "rangey" type, rather than the very "short, fat & round" type.  There are several reasons for this - the land we have available for them to live on (2.5 acres of sloping woodland), that I am specifically aiming away from the whole "mic**" craze & more towards a "proper" small, smallholders pig.
By making this choice, I am selectively keeping-on future breeding stock that conforms to both BKKPS Breed Standards & my personal preference - stud boars with 2 piris & 6  clean pairs of teats (3 either side of the sheath) & sows with either 6 or 7 clean pairs of teats.
The result is healthy, mainly good Breed Conformation youngsters with well-affixed piris, 7 clean pairs of teats & leaning (  :roflanim:  scuse the pun ) towards the rangey side - giving me what I want - a good "all-round" smallholding pig - docile, good natured, hardy, excellent mothers & economic to raise for the freezer  :yum:  Ok, there are differences in every litter by way of size, colour etc & I am still getting some with no piris, so those that don't make the grade will never be registered for breeding from & are sold for meat or companion pigs.
As with any breed of pig - take the same pig in front of 2 different judges & we'll probably get "Best in Show" under one of them & maybe a 3rd with another - if every pig in front of them meets the Breed Standards it can just come down to the expression on a pig's face on the day  ;D
 
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 09:36:59 pm
Ok folks - time-out PLEASE!
It took me so long to write my last post, there's been an additional 3 made - Robert - stop  :stir:  & Karen - go for a cold shower  ::)
I feel so sorry for Mr 4H - no mind about stewarding the pigs - he'll be refereeing a boxing match on Sunday  :innocent:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 24, 2012, 09:53:33 pm
Lynne it is not me that is stirring     your friend is doing a very good job herself
 
so what if there is outcrossing    there are at least 2 breeds within the bpa that it is common knowledge     it is your fault any way Lynne  claiming the small gene pool      you work with what is available within your chosen breed :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 24, 2012, 10:04:47 pm
Lynne it is not me that is stirring     your friend is doing a very good job herself
 
so what if there is outcrossing    there are at least 2 breeds within the bpa that it is common knowledge     it is your fault any way Lynne  claiming the small gene pool      you work with what is available within your chosen breed :farmer:
Ok Robert, maybe we need a "clockwork key" emoticon on here instead  :eyelashes:
If there has been any "outcrossing" done with KKs, I would be interested in finding out who did it & more importantly why - genuinely so.  I have 3 sow lines & 2 boar lines, with full ancestory that can be traced back to the "16", but I am selectively keeping-on those that meet my personal requirements - working within my chosen breed, as you said.
Not sure how my comments about a small gene pool started WW 3 tho  ???
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: thestephens on September 25, 2012, 09:56:32 am
gulp!! i will be hiding in the corner with my round and fat,Heidi and my longer, leaner Bunny and a very smiley 10 year old! Oh to have the confidence of a 10 year old!!
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: robert waddell on September 25, 2012, 11:17:25 am
Allison there is no need to hide in any corner or anywhere
Lynne the ones that do the outcrossing are not going to mark it on the pedigree and any outcrossing can influence that breeding for up to 6 generations   just look at roman noses in people it is a long time since the Romans conquered Britain     it is when a particular trait becomes dominant     pricked ears when they should be floppy   and floppy when they should be pricked    the ears are just an example as to what can show up
now take the lop crossed with the Hampshire     no piglet to date has lop ears   just as no piglet to date has a saddle   all are predominately white   but then again we are not passing them of as something that they are not  they are for meat and very good lean meat at that
which then comes to prolific breeding                        in the commercial herd they use the maisham pig cross that with another either large white  landrace or Duroc  and end up with a pig that suits them     some even leave out the maisham connection
 
all i am saying is the kunnies were not known to produce large litters   and in the space of 10 years to get more than double the litter size   something has happened
 
Dan will be coming in locking this thread and asking for it to be moved to a thread of its own :farmer:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Beewyched on September 25, 2012, 03:56:33 pm
Hi Robert  :wave:
I am still, maybe naively, believing that the differences are due to husbandary - selective breeding & feeding - I wouldn't like to be proven wrong about this, why would folks want to outcross KKs, when their small size is part of their selling points?  But I think I get what you mean  :innocent:
Allison   :wave:  Heidi & Bunny (& the ten year old) will be fine - look forward to seeing you  :excited:
 :love: :pig: :love:
 
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: Rosemary on September 25, 2012, 04:44:56 pm
Allison   :wave:  Heidi & Bunny (& the ten year old) will be fine - look forward to seeing you  :excited:
 :love: :pig: :love:

Me too  :wave:
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: thestephens on September 25, 2012, 06:36:54 pm
im looking forward it too, just wish the wild weather would stop so we could practise some more!!
Title: Re: Hernias
Post by: wendy Scu on October 05, 2012, 09:18:16 pm
none of them we bought them in DEC 03            974 was a year and a half old        839was two and a half years old        287was6 years old   they came with 5 piglets  that we never registered    they were sold in Jan  05 to oban rare breeds with there paperwork    hope this helps you with your research :farmer:

Bit rich saying the BKKPS won't act responsibly - its the responsibility of the breeders to litter notify and register their piglets.