The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: BigManBlack on August 24, 2012, 03:35:32 pm

Title: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: BigManBlack on August 24, 2012, 03:35:32 pm: I was wondering if anyone could identify the breed of my pet micro pigs? The farmer I got them from was none the wiser and a farmer friend has suggested they may be kunekune but I'm not so sure, from a litter of 6 none of them have the wee dangle bits! :D Anyway any guesses appreciated. :fc:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Sylvia on August 24, 2012, 04:11:43 pm: I have two registered Kunekune sows and neither has dangles (piripiri) 'nor has any of their offspring, come to think of it. I don't mind, there's not much meat on a piripiri :pig: :pig: As to what goes into their makeup, I have no idea and others on this forum are probably either revving up or having a strong drink ;D ;D before replying :o :o As long as you didn't pay stupid money for them or are thinking of breeding them and charging people stupid money, what matter as long as they give you the pleasure I get from my girls.
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 24, 2012, 04:52:42 pm: well big man there is no such thing as a micro pig some are sold at up to £700 each they are usually a kunnie crossed with a pot belly pig not all kunnies have the pirries the boar if it has them will pass them on to his offspring if you trawl through this list of postings on pigs there is plenty on these non existant pigs sorry to be bearer of the bad news :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: deepinthewoods on August 24, 2012, 04:56:10 pm: here we go! :excited:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: bloomer on August 24, 2012, 04:58:21 pm: it was fairly obvious from the OP the owner knows here is no such thing as a micro and wondered if any of you edumacated people could guess at the cross of his much loved pets...
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 24, 2012, 05:05:21 pm: if we could have a bigger picture it may help i did indicate that there was pot belly maybe not clear enough in them if any of you ever get the chance to talk to Wendy scudamore ask her why there are two distinct sizes of kunnies and also how the litter numbers have more than doubled in the last decade no the poster said micro pigs :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: HappyHippy on August 24, 2012, 05:45:51 pm: Putting the whole 'micro' debate aside ::) :innocent: (Just better off not going there :relief:)

We need a better photo ! Can't hardly see them - they must be micro's after all ;) :roflanim:

The bellies look fairly low slung to me - more a pot bellied trait than a Kunekune trait ;)
Do you have any face shots ?
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: deepinthewoods on August 24, 2012, 06:00:59 pm: is that one in the profile piccy?
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Rosemary on August 24, 2012, 06:20:56 pm: Quote from: deepinthewoods on August 24, 2012, 06:00:59 pm
is that one in the profile piccy?

Well, I'm sure it's not BMB :innocent:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Sudanpan on August 24, 2012, 06:27:51 pm: "We need a better photo ! Can't hardly see them - they must be micro's after all "

:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 24, 2012, 07:28:17 pm: :rant: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 - nope it's not working :furious:
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS MICRO-PIGS
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: LandieMan on August 24, 2012, 09:52:39 pm: Kune kune is the smallest pig breed. Your micro pigs are runts of runts I am afraid. This is why sometimes their offspring grow to be proper pigs.
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: bangbang on August 24, 2012, 09:58:00 pm: I dont have a micro -pig but ....I've got a micro wave.!. :wave:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 24, 2012, 09:59:07 pm: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Sylvia on August 25, 2012, 09:15:08 am: BigManBlack, don't be put off by replies on here, there have been several long (and often hilarious) threads on micro pigs on here. I was told by someone that my Kunes were far too big to be genuine and had too big litters. I don't care, I love them dearly, their weaners sell pretty well and make good pork.
I hope you DIDN'T pay a stupid price for them :o You can tell us :)
Just how big are they, by the way, from trotter to shoulder?
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Hassle on August 25, 2012, 11:30:59 pm: When I looked at the picture I thought it was rhino marauding across the Seringetty ..I'll get my coat
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: BigManBlack on August 26, 2012, 12:07:22 am: Well that sums it up pretty conclusively for me!! :P I believe my little pigs are a pot belly x kune. I have never intended to breed with these particular pigs, they were bought entirely for a hobby/pig keeping training and to cultivate/fertilise land prior to planting. I realise the importance birth notification and precise lineage records, however as these little family of undesirables were destined for a farmers freezer I decided they'd serve a purpose with us.

Thanks muchly everyone :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Rosemary on August 26, 2012, 06:50:37 am: I think they look lovely, in a piggy way, whatever breed they are. Hope you are enjoying them - bet they are teaching you lots :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: HappyHippy on August 26, 2012, 09:32:30 am: Looking at the face, I'd say more pot bellied than Kunekune ;) Kunes are cuter :D :wave:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 26, 2012, 09:38:36 am: beauty is in the eye of the beholder ;)
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 26, 2012, 10:14:10 am: And aren't all us KK breeders beautiful Robert? :eyelashes:
:love: :pig: :love:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 26, 2012, 10:35:56 am: all pigs will root unless you wire there noses all pigs are destined for the freezer some just get a stay of execution either to breed or show

funny you should mention that beewyched (it will be all your fault) with a woman that is drop dead gorgeous every forker is wanting to get into her pants the same with men remember the Levis advert girls
then there was the tale of the dead ugly highly intelligent man that married the thick beautiful woman hopping there children would take the mothers beauty and the fathers brains tough tits on him they got the fathers looks and the mothers intelligence :roflanim: :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 26, 2012, 11:06:48 am: i did try to get abe into pigs well he had all that rough ground and pigs would have thrived on it and trashed the wilderness as well :excited: :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: BigManBlack on August 26, 2012, 01:53:43 pm: Aye, they've got quite a bit of woodland area over there, I know of another farm that has (maybe had, he was trying to sell them to me!) some pigs but they were struggling to sell them.... think it was the son that decided to start with the pigs but was saying because he didn't have a contract with a big firm (Scotlean) he couldn't get rid of them?? ??? Surely that's just a case of poor planning?? I am putting together a plan and will hopefully organise to sell them through one of the local butchers/maybe even set-up an on farm butchery :fc:. Need to work out all the risks/costs involved.

Rosemary, teaching me hunners. Never kept pigs when I was growing up, only sheep and cattle. I have really enjoyed my lessons with them!! Altho very easy to see where the saying pig-headedness comes from!! Btw I have been laid up with a bad knee injury so may have a belly like the pigs but facially I think they're still much cuter!!

HH, there farm shop/tearoom that my mother and brother work at have a couple kunnies, ugly buggers so they are! :-J ;) I've got millions of snaps, I'll get some more on here for you, 'runts of runts' can be cute too!! :)
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 26, 2012, 02:17:17 pm: that may well be the same guy i was referring to surly there cant be two farmers from the same area making the same mistake
the big pig producers and marketing company's don't want to be bothered with small scale producers and just try and produce pigs at there price :roflanim: you will stop before you have started

you are limited by your abattoirs either dunblane or ardrossan ardrossan will buy them from you but i don't think the price is in your favour better trying to get your own outlets butchers can be very funny with pigs they just don't want whole pigs like they used to also no use trying to sell into the gorbals blanefield or similar areas is your target areas

a dedicated cutting plant can cost up to and beyond £30000 but with a bit of searching and ingenuity it can be done for less than a third of this :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: goosepimple on August 26, 2012, 02:34:16 pm: Yup, need better pics. Most likely KK with pot bellied, but there could be a rhino in there somewhere ;D
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: HappyHippy on August 26, 2012, 03:06:45 pm: Quote from: BigManBlack on August 26, 2012, 01:53:43 pm
HH, there farm shop/tearoom that my mother and brother work at have a couple kunnies, ugly buggers so they are! :-J ;) I've got millions of snaps, I'll get some more on here for you, 'runts of runts' can be cute too!! :)
I didn't call them runts of runts BMB :innocent: and yeah, they're kinda cute - all pigs are IMHO :love: :pig: :love:
Not as cute as this though ;) ;D ;D ;D :-* (I'm only teasing btw ;))
Karen :wave:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: doganjo on August 26, 2012, 03:20:02 pm: BMB, I know nothing about pigs - micro, macro, KK, OSB, PB or anything else, but my goodness you have a good humour to put up with all these anoraks! :eyelashes:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 26, 2012, 03:48:21 pm: i will stick up for you Karen it was not you that called them runts of runts both of us have been through this before on other threads it was landie man that said it quite correct though but runts do grow to equal there original size normal pigs can get up to 350 kilos easy and have heard of even some well in excess of this weight commercial sows all exceed this weight

the quality's that BMB has are lacking in others that is why some newbies take the cream puff

anoraks Annie anoraks can you still get them a good job it is not computers we are talking about or we would all be geeks :roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: doganjo on August 26, 2012, 03:54:11 pm: Quote from: robert waddell on August 26, 2012, 03:48:21 pm
anoraks Annie anoraks can you still get them a good job it is not computers we are talking about or we would all be geeks :roflanim: :roflanim:
Well I still have one! Mind you it IS dayglo yellow, so I stand out in a crowd :roflanim: Mind you I do that anyway, anorak or not :eyelashes: :innocent:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Hassle on August 28, 2012, 09:40:12 am: Quote from: doganjo on August 26, 2012, 03:20:02 pm
BMB, I know nothing about pigs - micro, macro, KK, OSB, PB or anything else, but my goodness you have a good humour to put up with all these anoraks! :eyelashes:

Hey it's not my anorak :raining: :roflanim:

Quote from: Hassle on August 26, 2012, 03:20:02 pm
When I looked at the picture I thought it was rhino marauding across the Seringetty ..I'll get my coat
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 28, 2012, 10:25:43 pm: Quote from: RuFFCuT on August 28, 2012, 10:12:07 pm

I disagree with some comments; there are such tings as micro pigs, they are not a special breed but you can get smaller pigs if the breeder does their job correctly
I would be interested to know what you mean by this comment - as to my experience with rescued "micro-pigs" the "breeders" (I think the term "piglet farmers" suits better) have kept piglets small by not feeding them correctly. Then, when the "cute little piggywiggy" goes to be a "pet" it gets fed allsorts & not only reaches the size it's DNA prescribes, but also obese & depressed :rant:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 28, 2012, 10:34:54 pm: oh Lyn you must be desperate to get sent to the bad baby corner :roflanim: :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 28, 2012, 10:39:09 pm: Quote from: robert waddell on August 28, 2012, 10:34:54 pm
oh Lyn you must be desperate to get sent to the bad baby corner :roflanim: :farmer:
It'll make a change from it being you Robert ;) :innocent:
I'm off up the wooden hill now anyway - so they'll have to wait until the morning to catch me ;D
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Fowgill Farm on August 29, 2012, 09:34:05 am: Quote from: Beewyched on August 28, 2012, 10:25:43 pm
Quote from: RuFFCuT on August 28, 2012, 10:12:07 pm

I disagree with some comments; there are such tings as micro pigs, they are not a special breed but you can get smaller pigs if the breeder does their job correctly
I would be interested to know what you mean by this comment - as to my experience with rescued "micro-pigs" the "breeders" (I think the term "piglet farmers" suits better) have kept piglets small by not feeding them correctly. Then, when the "cute little piggywiggy" goes to be a "pet" it gets fed allsorts & not only reaches the size it's DNA prescribes, but also obese & depressed :rant:
I'm with beewyched on this one, i've noticed at a lot of the shows we've been to this year they're allowing 'micro' pigs to be shown in novelty classes and they're penned alongside the regular pigs, the amount of attention they get from the public is unreal (the cute factor i guess). I don't like them being there as i'm of the opinion too thats theres no such thing and its misleading to the public. A trading standards issue perhaps!?
Mandy :pig:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 09:47:12 am: we will be forming a clique again on this one yes the cutsie factor does sell them i know of one producer of pigs that got rid of the single colour breed they had and got OSBs for just that reason
we have had this at shows as well with piglets aw micro pigs no just young pigs but if you think they are micro pigs give us £700 for them fork off is the reply :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 29, 2012, 10:25:38 am: Oh dear :o
Just when I thought we were winning the battle on this one - looks like we're going to have to start lobbying the show committees ::)
Ok classes for cross-bred pigs - I'll even go with "cutest pig" at a stretch. But no "micro-pig" or "pet pig" classes. It's in the name - gives Jo Public totally the wrong impression :rant:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 10:33:55 am: hold on there Lyn some shows are struggling to get entries so if they can get more entries that the public want to see then more money for them i would go easy on the committees if i were you cross breeds well yes that was what they had at caithness show you are a kunnie breeder they are perceived by some as the very pig you are trying to ban :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Fowgill Farm on August 29, 2012, 10:39:49 am: Quote from: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 10:33:55 am
hold on there Lyn some shows are struggling to get entries so if they can get more entries that the public want to see then more money for them i would go easy on the committees if i were you cross breeds well yes that was what they had at caithness show you are a kunnie breeder they are perceived by some as the very pig you are trying to ban :farmer:
Roberts right, some of the very small shows we go to are glad to have them so its a bit of a rock & a hard place, all i tend to do is sneaklily :innocent: say to people who are perusing the micro pigs is that did they realise they could grow as big as my girls (Januaries"!), then they go reeelly and i nod sagely oh yes and slink away! ;D :innocent:
Mandy :pig:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 29, 2012, 10:42:31 am: :rant: But :furious: ...
Kune Kune are a BREED & the same as any other pure-bred pig, they can & should be registered.
I have no problem with x-bred pigs ...as long as they are healthy.
THE PROBLEM IS WITH FOLKS WHO PRODUCE "MICRO-PIGS" & no-one with any consience to animal welfare should be doing anything to promote this cruel carry-on (apart from ripping-off naive folk ::) )
AND if folks mistake KK breeders for "micro-pigs" maybe we're not doing enough to educate them :rant: :rant: :rant:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 29, 2012, 10:43:58 am: :-[ sorry Mandy - I've x- :rant: you again :-[
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 11:25:15 am: give me a short time with you on friday lyn rather than :roflanim: :rant: :hug: on here :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 29, 2012, 11:31:20 am: Quote from: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 11:25:15 am
give me a short time with you on friday lyn rather than :roflanim: :rant: :hug: on here :farmer:
As long as it is a SHORT time :thumbsup: not a "micro-minute" :roflanim:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 11:45:38 am: i just go by hampshire time :roflanim: :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: sweet_lfa on August 29, 2012, 12:19:00 pm: Quote from: robert waddell on August 26, 2012, 10:35:56 am
all pigs are destined for the freezer some just get a stay of execution either to breed or show

Or to get a lifetime of cuddles! :) More chance of me going in the freezer than my :pig: in all fairness!!! :love:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 29, 2012, 02:15:59 pm: Scott - I'm not trying to start an arguement & I think we agree on most things here, but ...
There are many of us seen some appalling conditions that some pigs have been kept in, in an attempt to "create" these "micro-pigs" - I'm glad to hear that you have seen some that have been in a better environment.
As most folks are aware - the "micro-pig" craze has made things difficult for many of us KK breeders - I know that both myself & Karen have turned-away more potential buyers than we have sold to, who have wanted to purchase piglets from us, due to their ignorance/naivity about how to keep "pet" pigs.
We have also seen the heartbreak of "micro-pig" owners who have paid ridiculous amounts of money for "pets" for their children, only to be desperately trying to re-home it (usually for free) before it's a year old.
As I've said before, I see nothing wrong with x-bred pigs - many of them make great pork/production sows. I personally would prefer that folks kept rare & registered pigs, but each to their own.
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 02:48:09 pm: i don't want to start an argument or a fall out but have you read your post Lyn
you cant condemn pet pig owners on another thread and wanting them banned from shows then condone this practise on this thread and complain about the micro pig breeders taking sales away from kunnie breeders come on Lyn how do you expect to be taken seriously :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 29, 2012, 08:06:32 pm: Quote from: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 02:48:09 pm
i don't want to start an argument or a fall out but have you read your post Lyn
you cant condemn pet pig owners on another thread and wanting them banned from shows then condone this practise on this thread and complain about the micro pig breeders taking sales away from kunnie breeders come on Lyn how do you expect to be taken seriously :farmer:
Now I'm really confused ??? - where has Scott's posts gone from this thread ??? I know I've been asleep most of this afternoon, but I'm sure I didn't dream-up the bloke with the tiger avatar :tired:
Robert - what I said was a direct reply to Scott's post & now I can't find it - what is going on ???
I do not condone the creation of "micro-pigs" I think it is cruel - to both the animals (on health & welfare grounds) & the new owners (on both their emotions & their pockets).
Nobody should be appearing to support this "craze" - including show committees.
As for sales - these "micro-piglet farmers" have certainly not affected me as a KK breeder in that way. I love my KKs & I do not see them as a profit-making activity (ask my OH on Friday ;) - she has to fund my hobby) - it just makes things very difficult, time-consuming & usually upsetting when folks contact me wanting to buy the "wee furry piglets" under the misconception of how to keep them/care for them because of the "craze".
I breed KKs for the love of the hobby - I aspire to breed good, breed confirmation pigs & enjoy showing them & being part of the "piggy community". My health means I cannot cope with the bigger breeds. I only register piglets that I think meet the BKKPS Breed Standards. Some of my piglets are bought as "outdoor pets" in the loosest of terms, I have never sold an uncastrated piglet & probably about half of the piglets I sell go for meat production to local smallholders & farmers, who come back each year for another 2 or 3.
Hope this makes sense now :fc:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: bangbang on August 29, 2012, 08:36:17 pm: Your right Beewyched...where is Scott?..
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Beewyched on August 29, 2012, 08:41:30 pm: Quote from: Bangbang on August 29, 2012, 08:36:17 pm
Your right Beewyched...where is Scott?..
Thanks Bangbang :thumbsup: I was really beginning to think he was part of my fibro-fog :eyelashes:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 08:50:13 pm: some runts do survive but the hundreds of pigs that we have produced they either die before weaning or go on to be every bit as good as the fatties in the litter all be it at a slower rate
the micro breeders are to be complimented on there marketing ability and the buyers naivety but like some breeds of dog they are the must have thing and stuff the price they are here and until they all die out we will have to put up with them if anybody is making money from pigs other than micro ones they will be the exception or somebody is funding them without there knowledge

we have never sold a pet pig or at least not knowingly (since we concentrated on bigger pigs) but then again they are all our pets until they go out the gate

i really don't think trying to persuade show committee's not to have them on display or even competing is the way forward better trying to do the same as Mandy does and i do a similar talk to people that are asking about them :farmer:
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: Dan on August 29, 2012, 08:59:56 pm: Quote from: Bangbang on August 29, 2012, 08:36:17 pm
Your right Beewyched...where is Scott?..

"Scott" has left the building. He wasn't "Scott" and he was a little naughty. Last word on this, I shall say no more, because he may be back in a different, legitimate guise and I don't want to make a big deal of it.
Title: Re: Breed of my micro pigs?
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 09:08:33 pm: i suppose that must be the biggest problem running a web site but we all have ip addresses unless they run them through a hidden address :farmer: